Inside the Training of Quinn Simmons: Fueling, Fatigue Resistance, and the Brutal Workouts That Build a WorldTour Engine
WorldTour racing looks like chaos at 50kph, but underneath the speed, tactics, and adrenaline is a foundation built in training. Few riders embody this better than Quinn Simmons, Lidl-Trek pro, U.S. national champion, and one of the hardest-working riders in the peloton.
We sat down with Quinn to unpack his training, fueling, and mindset — and he held nothing back. From his 7-hour shootout group rides in Tucson to VO2 sessions that leave him falling off the bike, Quinn reveals exactly what it takes to race at the highest level.
If you’ve ever wondered what separates a WorldTour rider from the rest of us, this blog will give you a front-row seat.
The Foundation: Fatigue Resistances
Most pros have standout strengths: blistering sprints, feather-light climbing, or monster FTPs. Quinn doesn’t label himself a “super specialist.” Instead, his biggest weapon is fatigue resistance — the ability to keep pushing, and even perform better, deep into races.
“I don’t have a crazy sprint or an hour power that’s off the charts. But I recover well, and I get better with fatigue. When I rested more before races, I actually performed worse.” – Quinn
That means his training looks different than what most athletes expect. Two days before a race, he’s not tapering with an easy spin. He’s logging six- to seven-hour rides. By keeping the volume and fatigue high, his body adapts to racing hard on tired legs — just like in the real world of classics and grand tours.
Takeaway for amateurs: If you only ever train fresh, you’ll never learn how to perform when tired. Sprinkle in long rides or back-to-back hard days. Fatigue resistance is a skill you can build.
Fueling Like a Pro
If Quinn has a second superpower, it’s fueling. He’s almost the opposite of the stereotype of underfed pros.
120+ grams of carbs per hour at altitude is his baseline. Sometimes more.
He doesn’t just eat gels — gas station candy bars, ice cream, and even Diet Coke are staples.
He meticulously weighs food and logs everything to make sure he’s eating enough: “Nothing goes in my mouth without going on the scale first.”
And before key rides or races, he treats breakfast like it’s part of the workout. A 1,450-calorie pre-ride meal with cornflakes, fruit, and snacks ensures he’s already fueled before the pedals even turn.
“I aim for four grams of carbs per kilo before training starts. If I don’t eat again right before riding, I’m hungry as soon as I clip in.”
During rides, he avoids sugary drink mix — not because of performance, but because chewing real food keeps him satisfied. He sticks to electrolytes in the bottles and eats every 20 minutes (about 40g of carbs per snack).
Want to dial in your own fueling? Check out our guides on Cycling Nutrition: How Many Carbs Do You Need? and Fueling Long Rides.
Amateur lesson: Most cyclists underfuel. If you’re bonking or struggling to hit target power, it’s often not fitness — it’s gas in the tank. Start tracking your carbs and aim higher than you think.
Why He Dropped the Weights
Strength training is a hot topic in endurance sports, but Quinn’s perspective is refreshingly honest:
He did years of heavy lifting (deadlifts, squats).
Never felt it translate to the bike.
Eventually dropped it entirely.
Now, his gym work is 30–45 minutes of core, stability, and activation — mainly to keep his lower back healthy and stabilize hips/knees.
This isn’t to say lifting doesn’t help other riders, but Quinn found more benefit in spending energy on the bike.
If you want to know how strength training can fit in, read our breakdown on Strength Training for Cyclists. And if you’re in Quinn’s camp of keeping it simple, don’t skip Core Strength for Cyclists.
Amateur lesson: If the gym stresses you out and you’re not seeing on-bike benefits, scale back. Core and stability might give you 90% of the payoff without the heavy barbell fatigue.
Quinn’s Brutal Workouts
Here’s where things get juicy. Quinn doesn’t just ride a lot — he has signature sessions that build his race engine.
1. The FatMax Endurance + Race Simulation
4–4.5 hrs at ~340W (just under the first ventilatory threshold, “fat max” zone).
Finish with 2×30/30s or 1-min max efforts.
Total workload: 5,000+ kJ before the hard efforts.
This simulates a breakaway late in a race. If he can still smash intervals after hours of steady power, he knows he’s race-ready.
2. Low Cadence Strength Intervals
7×10 min @ 360–390W, 50 RPM.
Targeting muscle recruitment and efficiency.
Quinn’s “weakness zone,” identified by lactate and metabolic testing.
These sessions build strength endurance, so that when a 90-minute climb shows up five hours into a grand tour stage, his legs don’t crumble.
3. The VO2 Max Death March
Sea level: 5×3 min, 4×3 min, 4×2 min all-out.
Altitude: 4×3, 4×2, 4×1.
Goal: finish each block “falling off the bike.”
Quinn admits he’s more nervous before these than races. He fuels and caffeinates like it’s race day. Hitting 540–550W for intervals gives him confidence he’s sharp.
Want to try VO2 training yourself? Read our guide on VO2 Max Training: Workouts That Really Work.
4. Breakaway Simulation Intervals
5×6 min @ ~400W, immediately into FatMax endurance (~340W).
Feels like the fight to make a breakaway, then rolling turns once it sticks.
5. Long Group Ride Loads
Winter (Tucson): 7 hrs with a 4-hr race-pace “shootout” in the middle.
Summer (Colorado): 5 hrs solo, finish with a 2-hr hammer group ride.
6. Scooter Sessions
Finish long rides with 1 hr behind the moto at 60kph.
Holding 400–450W on the flats at race speed.
For more on how to pick the right sessions for your own weaknesses, check out How to Target Your Limiters in Training.
Amateur lesson: Notice the theme. None of these workouts is about fresh, isolated intervals. They all load the legs first, then add intensity. If you only test your power early in a ride, you won’t be prepared for racing tired.
Altitude Training at Home
Most WorldTour teams drag riders to Sierra Nevada or Tenerife for altitude camps. Quinn skips them. Why?
He lives at 2,100m in Colorado year-round.
Prefers home roads: flatter, uninterrupted, fewer stop signs.
Has his dad for scooter pacing and his favorite group rides.
Controls food perfectly.
“Why would I go stay in a hotel in Spain when I can be home at altitude, training exactly how I want?”
He argues that Colombians and Ecuadorians do the same — Bernal and Carapaz always return from home altitude in peak form. For Quinn, Colorado is his Sierra Nevada.
Read more about this in our deep dive: The Truth About Altitude Training for Cyclists.
Training Philosophy: Do the Work
When asked what’s underrated in cycling training, Quinn doesn’t hesitate:
“You just have to train. It’s 28–30 hours a week, every week. No shortcuts.”
Many aspiring pros hope a big block before a race will make the difference. Quinn says that the block starts in November and repeats every week.
He often pushes until he cracks, then takes several easy days. In fact, his best 1-hour powers ever have all come in week three of grand tours.
If you want to understand why this works, start with Base Training 101 and Consistency vs Intensity.
Amateur lesson: Stop searching for hacks. Build the habit of consistent volume and intensity. That’s the “secret.”
What He Stopped Doing
Along the way, Quinn tested plenty of trends — and ditched most of them:
❌ Low-carb rides – “Miserable, didn’t do anything for me.”
❌ Fasted recovery spins – quickly abandoned.
❌ Daily 30-min runs – “Not sure why I even tried.”
❌ Ketones – no longer in the mix.
❌ No-sugar off the bike diet – lasted 6 months, not worth the misery.
For more context, see our breakdown on Low Carb vs High Carb for Cyclists.
Now he keeps it simple: train hard, eat a lot, fuel right, track food to hit weight goals, and enjoy the occasional cake when calories allow.
Mindset: All or Nothing
Quinn admits he doesn’t love life in Europe — the travel, the food restrictions, the constant chaos of the peloton. But that’s why he goes all in:
“If I’m sacrificing these 10 years of my life, I might as well give 100%. Doing it 80% is the same sacrifice, just without the results.”
He trains alone because he’s OCD about routes and intervals. He prefers hard, lined-out racing to chaotic sprints. And he treats every key workout like a test, nervous energy included.
Amateur lesson: Motivation doesn’t always come from loving every moment. Sometimes it’s about committing fully to a goal and respecting the work.
Key Takeaways for Amateurs
Quinn’s training might sound superhuman, but the principles translate directly to any rider:
Fuel properly. You’re probably under-carbed — read Cycling Nutrition: How Many Carbs Do You Need?.
Train tired sometimes. Fatigue resistance wins races.
Keep it simple. Fancy hacks rarely beat consistent work — see How to Train Smart, Not Just Hard.
Know yourself. If gym lifting doesn’t help you, pivot to core and stability.
Load before intensity. Practice doing hard efforts after long rides.
Track and adjust. Awareness of nutrition and training volume pays off.
Final Thoughts
Quinn Simmons is unapologetically himself: a rider who doesn’t chase trends, who pushes to the edge of fatigue, and who fuels like a machine to support it. His workouts are brutal, his philosophy is simple, and his commitment is total.
You don’t need to be a WorldTour pro to apply his lessons. Train more consistently, fuel better, and stop avoiding the hard, boring work. That’s the path to breakthrough fitness — whether you’re chasing a podium, a PR, or just the satisfaction of doing the job right.