Author Tom Bell
Tom Bell

Tom Bell

Tom’s been racing bikes at the highest level for nearly a decade. A regular on both the domestic scene and the UCI MTB World Cup circuit, he’s been national champion in MTB Marathon, as well as a silver medallist at the XCO championships, and will be vying for both titles in the coming years. He’s also an experienced coach and performance consultant, working with and testing athletes from more than 20 countries and having European medallists, national team members and national champions on his roster. He’s partial to using himself as a guinea pig to test out novel training theories and probably gets more excited than he should when it comes to terms like VO2 Max, anaerobic threshold and exercise economy.

Recent articles by Tom Bell
Woman on indoor trainer with Rouvy banner

Are you at risk of indoor training burnout?

Why poorly planned indoor training risks burnout, and how to prevent it
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What is V02 max?

What is VO2 max and can you improve it?

Everything you need to know about VO2 max – including how to improve yours
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How to prepare for a long-distance off-road ride: 5 essential tips

Bike setup, training and fuelling tips for your first long-distance off-road adventure
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Katherine Moore riding a Liv road bike

The question every cyclist fears after a break from riding... how quickly do you lose fitness?

What happens to your fitness when you stop riding?
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Female mountain biker wearing red leading a group

How to train with power – and 7 key metrics to understand

Using a power meter opens up a wealth of training opportunities. Here's how to make the most of them
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Head-on shot of Liam Cahill in aero extensions on pinK Lauf gravel bike

The essential training plan for gravel riding and racing

How to get fit for the physical demands of gravel riding
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ALTEA, SPAIN - JANUARY 10: Indoor Training Zwift / Laptop / Detail view / during the Team Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise 2021 - Training Camp / on January 10, 2021 in Altea, Spain. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Could Critical Power be a better alternative to FTP for training?

Want a complete picture of your fitness? Critical Power could be the answer
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Bluetooth and Ant+ logos on a Wahoo Kickr Core smart trainer

ERG mode explained: what it is, how to use it and when you should turn it off

ERG mode is one of the key features of a smart trainer, but how can you get the most out of it?
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Giant Defy Advanced SL 0 road bike

Training with heart rate vs training with power | Which is best for you?

Is heart rate training still have a place or are power meters now essential to success?
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Cyclist on the Col de la Colombiere in the French Alps

Is Rating of Perceived Exertion the training metric you've been missing?

RPE explained and how to use it to guide your training
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Gradient sign next to a road cyclist climbing

Power-to-weight ratio explained: why W/kg is important and how to improve yours

Power-to-weight ratio is one of the most important indicators of climbing performance. Here's everything you need to know
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Myriam Nicole at UCI World Championship

Our essential training plan for mountain biking

How to get fit for mountain bike riding and racing
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Jolanda Neff riding the women's XC race at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

5 tech talking points from the Olympic cross-country races

A closer look at the XC tech from Tokyo 2020
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