The Real Story: Coaching, Contracts, & Pregnancy in Elite Cycling | Sarah Sturm & Dennis van Winden - Season 8 Episode 5

About this episode

Pro Cyclist Sarah Sturm and Coach Dennis Van Winden discuss the challenges and strategies of training during pregnancy for elite athletes.

Pregnancy and Elite Athletic Performance: How Pro Cyclist Sarah Sturm and Coach Dennis Van Winden Redefine Training for Mom Athletes. Discover top pregnancy-safe training tips, real athlete-coach strategies, and how to navigate racing, metrics, mental health, and sponsorships, without missing a beat. Elite cyclist Sarah Sturm and her coach Dennis Van Winden break new ground with a candid look at what it takes to maintain consistency, motivation, and health throughout pregnancy as a professional athlete. From adapting the athlete’s mindset to rethinking metrics and embracing Rate of Perceived Exertion, this episode delivers essential insights for female athletes (and coaches) facing the unknowns of pregnancy and postpartum return to racing. 00:00 – Mindset Shift: From Performance to Health in Pregnancy04:07 – When Career Meets Family: Planning for Pregnancy10:17 – Stress, Racing Seasons, and Conceiving as an Athlete14:56 – Privacy, Career Impact, and the Athlete Mindset17:33 – Letting Go of FTP: Embracing RPE and Subjective Training21:02 – Nutrition & Fueling: Adapting Intake for Pregnancy Needs22:36 – Flexible Programming: Communication and Weekly Check-ins29:10 – Grand Prix…

People in this episode

Guests: Sarah Sturm, Dennis van Winden

Topics covered

• pregnancy and athletic performance
• training for mom athletes
• mental health in sports
• nutrition during pregnancy
• coaching strategies
• sponsorships in cycling

Keywords

• elite cycling
• pregnancy training tips
• athlete mindset
• Rate of Perceived Exertion
• maternity policies
• nutrition for athletes
• mental health
• sponsorship contracts

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: TrainingPeaks

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