Dave Sanders: The Evolution of Coaching and Performance | Watt Matters

Episode 7 - Dave Sanders: The Evolution of Cycling Coaching and Performance 💥📈

In Episode 7, we sit down with one of the most influential and prolific figures in Australian cycling coaching - Dave Sanders.

Dave has spent over 25 years coaching cyclists across Australia and internationally, including time as Head Coach at the Victorian Institute of Sport and working with teams such as Orica–GreenEDGE. Along the way, he has helped shape the careers of generational riders including Cadel Evans, Simon Gerrans, Simon Clarke, and countless other national and international champions.

Having raced himself in the 1970s before moving into coaching through the 1980s, 90s, and into the modern era, Dave has remained at the forefront of performance through the rise of sport science, power meters, and modern coaching technology. Few people have witnessed the evolution of cycling and coaching as closely as Dave.

In this episode, we dive into how the sport has changed, what principles have stood the test of time, where coaching — and cycling more broadly — may be heading next, and hear some brilliant war stories from decades spent working with athletes across an ever-changing sporting landscape.

From old-school training methods to modern sport science, psychology versus physiology, technology’s impact on coaching, and the importance of collaboration - this is a fascinating conversation packed with wisdom, perspective, and great history from one of the most influential Australian cycling coaches of the past three decades.

Watch on YouTube 📺 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts 🎧

@wattmatterspodcast @pinnacleperformancecc | @nocsportsscience

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Chapters 00:00 – 02:00 | Introduction 02:00 – 12:00 | Dave’s Track and Road Racing History 12:00 – 20:00 | Change in Cycling - Then vs Now 20:00 – 26:00 | The Future of the Sport 26:00 – 29:00 | How Dave Started Coaching 29:00 – 32:00 | Beginning at the Victorian Institute of Sport 32:00 – 39:00 | Sport Science & Coaching in the 90s / Early 2000s 39:00 – 43:00 | Psychology vs Physiology in Sport 43:00 – 51:00 | Power Meters & Technology in Cycling Coaching 51:00 – 1:04:00 | Dave’s “Common Sense” & Timeless Training Principles 1:04:00 – 1:09:00 | What Has Changed Most Over 25 Years of Coaching? 1:09:00 – 1:13:30 | The Importance of Collaboration 1:13:30 – 1:17:00 | Innovation & The Constantly Changing Landscape 1:17:00 – 1:29:30 | Listener Questions 1:29:30 – 1:33:13 | Wrap Up