Dusting Off the Cobwebs: Why the New Tuesday Series is the Perfect Re-Entry
Let’s be honest, life gets in the way.
The last time I turned a pedal in anger was back in September for the Muckers 3 Peaks challenge. It was tough, it was epic, and my legs certainly knew about it for days afterwards. But since crossing that finish line with my fellow Muckers, my bike has been sitting there, staring at me. Judging me.
Four months is a long time in the world of indoor cycling.
I’ve been lurking in the background, reading the race reports and scrolling through the NITEOR leaderboards. I’ve seen the numbers you lot are putting out in the Thursday World Championship races—the “ballast” calculations, the top 50 battles, the sheer speed of it all. To be completely honest? It’s daunting. Jumping straight back into that shark tank with four months of rust in my legs sounds like a one-way ticket to the gruppetto (or a DNF).
I needed a way back in. Something that didn’t require lungs of steel from Day 1.
Enter the 2026 Tuesday Progressive Series.
If you, like me, are looking for a way to build your fitness back up without the pressure of a full-gas race, this is it. The new Tuesday format is basically a structured training plan disguised as a community event.
It’s simple: we ramp up the effort as the month goes on.
- Week 1: Closest to 2.0 w/kg
- Week 2: Closest to 2.3 w/kg
- Week 3: Closest to 2.5 w/kg
- Week 4: Closest to 2.8 w/kg (And if we get a lucky 5th Tuesday? We hit 3.0 w/kg)
The “Even Game”: Smart Riding Over Big Watts
The beauty of this series is that it levels the playing field. This isn’t about who has the highest FTP; it’s about control. We’re calling it the “Even Game.”
The goal is to finish with an average w/kg closest to that week’s target. That means if you’re a powerhouse rider, you have to discipline yourself. And if you’re a returning “noob” like me, you have a genuine shot at the top of the leaderboard just by riding steady and smart. It’s the perfect baseline to get your legs spinning again without blowing up in the first 5km.
Get Involved
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, there’s a slot for you. Neil has set up times to suit everyone, from the “2EARLY4ME” (05:30 UK) for the insomniacs, to the “MAIN RACE” at 19:05.
So, if your bike has been gathering dust since September, or if you’re just intimidated by the Thursday hammer-fest, come join us on Tuesdays. It’s the friendliest way to suffer.
See you on the start line (I’ll be the one trying to hold exactly 2.0 w/kg!).
The only one friendly Shark that you know is me 😉🤣.
Very happy to see you again, but remember some times Sharky bite a little 😎👋🦈
Nice one Kyle and hope this format gets you back on it starting February the 3rd with the 2.0????
what’s also good about this event is that you can join in any time and if you focus on the w/kg target, you have a great chance to be the winner. We aren’t trying to be all politically correct and make “everyone a winner” but lets say you are ready to get back on the bike, jump into a normal race and get left for dead, what’s the point? You just goes back to being demoralized and going down that pointless road of checking and scrutinizing everyone else’s figures to try and give you justification for your anger…. when really, that other person doesn’t care that they’ve put you in this place.
We will always lead with “this is an app for training and helping you keep fit for when you can’t get out” but some, even myself to some extent, are now choosing indoor over outdoor even if the weather is fine. This means more and more are taking the whole online experience very seriously indeed which is why we try and leave the seriousness to the Thursday world championship (serious as in more tighter rules and regulations to be included in the NITEOR championship) and we keep things social for Tuesdays and Sundays, but add a little twist like this one for Tuesdays and a GC based on elevation only on Sundays, just to keep things interesting and a bit different.
good to see you back on the bike Kyle! Very Strong ride up that hill, it looks like you are in a good shape and well rested after your pause! I do also prefer more and more relaxter rides as grourides and Tuesday rides. The “real” races are too intensive often after a long day in the office! pedal on, Tom