Most coaches suggest low-cadence, big-gear workouts to improve leg strength for time trials. They say this is the way to convert the leg strength gained in the gym to cycling power. But because of knee problems, I spin moderate gears at about 100 rpm. Is there an alternative to low-cadence workouts?

I read in your newsletter that one of your yearly goals is to ride well in the Colorado 40K time trial championship. I'm 65, so my TTs are only half as long as your distance. How should I train for my races?

I'm training for the World Senior Games 40-km time trial in Utah in October. My two critical weekly workouts are intervals descending from 7 minutes down to 1 minute, each done harder than the previous one. I also do a pyramid workout featuring 4x2 minutes at 90% of max heart rate, 12x1 minute at 92%, and 12x30-second sprints.  In mid July, I'll begin doing 3-minute all-out repeats up a 5-percent hill one day each week, and 15-to-20-minute repeats at 90% of max heart rate on my TT bike on another day. What do you think? 

The 58-mile Tour of the Tucson Mountains is in late April. Two years ago I barely finished in the "platinum" group by riding it in just under two-and-a-half hours. Now the organizers have lowered the platinum time to 2:20, an average of 25 mph. How can I train in the next 8-10 weeks to push my average speed up by 2 mph? The course is fairly flat and I'll be in a large group.

How can I keep my legs in a 60-mile race so I can sprint at the end? I hang with the breaks and attacks, but in the last mile, when the pace really gets hot, my legs fatigue. Meanwhile, on our 30-mile weekday group ride I'm always in the top three in the sprint.