Power Rankings and Rider Types Explained – TrainerRoad

Power Rankings in TrainerRoad give you a clear view of where your power stands compared to other TrainerRoad athletes. This feature also determines your power phenotype, helping you understand what type of rider you are based on your performance across different effort durations.

How is Your Phenotype Determined?

TrainerRoad measures your power over various durations, from short sprints to sustained efforts. Based on this data, you are categorized into one of six power phenotypes:

Sprinter – Excels in short, high-power efforts.
Puncheur – Strong in repeated, punchy surges over rolling terrain.
Rouleur – Powerful and consistent over flat and rolling terrain.
Time Trialist – Best at sustained, steady solo efforts.
Climber – Thrives on long, high-intensity climbs.
All-Rounder – Versatile across different types of efforts.

Your power phenotype reflects your natural strengths and performance distribution across different types of efforts. Over time, as your training evolves, your phenotype may shift.

How to Use Power Rankings and Your Phenotype

Knowing your power phenotype helps you:

Optimize Your Training – Focus on your strengths while improving weaker areas.
Plan Race Strategies – Choose tactics that match your natural abilities.
Set Performance Goals – Compare yourself with other riders and track progress.

You can view your Power Rankings and Phenotype directly in TrainerRoad. Head to your Career on the TrainerRoad website and select "Power Ranking" from the lefthand menu.

Understanding Each Power Phenotype

Sprinter

Overview: You have exceptional finishing speed and generate your highest power in short, explosive efforts. You excel in races that come down to a final sprint, where your ability to accelerate past others in the last few seconds gives you an advantage. Your strength lies in anaerobic power and top-end speed.

Relative Strengths:

Exceptional short-burst power
High top-end speed
Best suited for races that come down to a final sprint

Excels at:

Flat or rolling races with sprint finishes
Short, punchy efforts
High speed positioning (criteriums, group rides)

Pro Rider Examples:

Mark Cavendish - One of the greatest pure sprinters, excels in bunch finishes
Caleb Ewan - Compact, explosive sprinter with a low riding position
Fabio Jakobson - Powerful finishing speed, thrives in mass sprints
Charlotte Kool - A top sprinter with a strong finishing kick in bunch sprints
Lorena Wiebes - One of the fastest sprinters in the peloton, dominant in flat finishes

Pro Races that Match Your Strengths:

Milan-San Remo - A long, flat race with a sprint finish
Tour de France sprint stages - Flat, high-speed finishes
Scheldeprijs - Known as a "sprinters" classic

Puncheur

Overview: You excel at strong, punchy efforts that make you competitive on short, steep climbs and rolling terrain, where you attack repeatedly and recover quickly. Your ability to surge over hills and power through rolling courses gives you an edge in races that feature short, sharp climbs.

Relative Strengths

Strong 30-second to 5-minute power
Quick recovery from repeated surges
Best on short, steep climbs

Excels at:

Hilly road races and rolling terrain
Attacking and responding to short surges
Breakaways and uphill finishes

Pro Rider Examples:

Julian Alaphilippe - Aggressive, explosive on short climbs, thrives in classics
Lotte Kopecky - Excels in short, steep climbs and explosive attacks
Alejandro Valverde - Strong puncheur with uphill sprinting ability
Mathieu can der Poel - Great on rolling terrain, excels in attacking moves
Marianne Vos - A powerful puncheur who dominates across punchy, technical courses

Pro Races that Match Your Strengths

Fleche Wallonne - Steep, short climbs with an uphill sprint finish
Liege-Bastogne-Liege - Rolling terrain that rewards explosive climbers
Strade Bianche - Punchy efforts on gravel climbs

Rouleur

Overview: You're a steady, powerful rider who performs well on flat and rolling terrain. Your ability to maintain high, consistent power over long efforts makes you a key player in breakaways, pacing, and setting the tempo in a race.

You thrive in solo efforts, long pulls at the front, and courses that demand endurance and sustained speed. Whether controlling the peloton, bridging gaps, or driving a breakaway, your strength lies in keeping the momentum high and pushing the pace when others start to fade.

Relative Strengths:

Sustained high power output
Strong on flat and rolling terrain
Durable in breakaways

Excels at:

Holding a steady pace in group rides
Long solo breakaways
Setting tempo in a peloton

Pro Rider Examples:

Wout van Aert - A powerhouse in breakaways and on rolling courses
Lucinda Brand - A relentless engine who thrives in tough conditions
Mads Pedersen - High power and versatility on rolling terrain
Marlen Reusser - Consistently one of the most durable riders in the peloton
Jasper Stuyven - Strong in classics, excels in solo efforts

Pro Races that Match Your Strengths:

Paris-Roubaix - A long, punishing race over cobbles
Tour of Flanders - A mix of rolling terrain and power climbs
Breakaway-friendly stages in Grand Tours - Where strong engines can go the distance

Time Trialist

Overview: You are strongest in steady, solo efforts, where pacing and efficiency matter more than quick bursts. You can hold power for long durations, making you a strong time trialist or breakaway rider. You don’t rely on sprinting or repeated surges but instead on a smooth, controlled effort over long distances.

Relative Strengths:

Consistent power over long durations
Best at steady-state efforts
Strong in solo racing situations

Excels at:

Time trials
Solo breakaways
Long endurance rides at constant effort

Pro Rider Examples:

Chloe Dygert - Consistently one of the best TT riders in the peloton
Filippo Gana - Dominates in flat TTS, raw power specialist
Stefan Kung - Consistently strong in time trials
Josh Tarling - A powerhouse time trialist with relentless high power
Ellen van Dijk - A multiple-time world champion in the time trial

Pro Races that Match Your Strengths:

Time trials in Grand Tours - Where pacing is everything
World Championships (ITT) - The ultimate test against the clock
Flat courses - Where solo breakaways have good odds

Climber

Overview: You thrive when the road tilts upward, relying on your exceptional power-to-weight ratio to sustain efforts on long, grueling climbs. Your endurance and aerobic capacity shine on mountain routes, making you a formidable force when the terrain gets steep.

Relative Strengths:

High power on long climbs
Strong aerobic endurance
Best on sustained high-intensity efforts

Excels at:

Long climbs and mountain stages
Hilly group rides or races
Sustained intensity over extended durations

Pro Rider Examples:

Egan Bernal - Strong climber, especially at high altitude
Sepp Kuss - Grand Tour climbing specialist
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio - A strong climber with endurance for hilly and mountainous races
Annemiek van Vleuten - One of the best climbers ever, thrives in long, high-mountain races
Adam Yates - Thrives on long, sustained climbs

Pro Races that Match your Strengths:

Tour de France mountain stages - Climbs like Alpe d'Huez
Giro d'Italia & Vuelta a Espana - Multi-day races with relentless climbing
Il Lombardia - A one-day race dominated by steep climbs

All-Rounder

Overview: You’re a versatile rider who can perform well across multiple types of terrain. You don’t have a single standout specialty but instead have a balanced mix of strengths that allow you to compete in different race situations. You may not be the best sprinter, climber, or time trialist, but your ability to handle a bit of everything makes you a strong competitor.

Relative Strengths:

Adaptable to varied race conditions
Competent in climbing, sprinting, and endurance efforts
Consistent performance across multiple effort durations

Excels at:

Stage races requiring multiple skills
Rolling terrain and mixed courses
Endurance-based rides with varied demands

Pro Riders Examples:

Remco Evenepoel - Versatile across different terrains
Kasia Niewiadoma - Strong acress multiple disciplines, from climbing to rolling terrain
Tadej Pogacar - Balanced across all race types
Jonas Vingegaard - Excels in multipls disciplines
Demi Vollering - Versatile across climbing, time trials, and hilly races

Pro Races that Match Your Strengths:

Stage races (Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana, Giro d'Italia) - Where versatility is key
Strade Bianche - A mix of climbing, rolling terrain, and endurance
Hilly one-day races - Where different strengths come into play

As your training progresses, your phenotype may shift. Keep training, refining your strengths, and improving your overall performance with TrainerRoad!