Science-led cycling coaching from one of the world’s leading exercise physiologists. Professor Richard Davison brings 35 years of research, elite coaching, and competitive riding to your training — giving you the rare advantage of having the science not just applied to your programme, but explained and adapted in real time.
Richard is also co-editor of a forthcoming major Handbook of Cycling Science published by Routledge, due for release later in 2026. This landmark volume brings together 43 chapters authored by leading coaches and scientists from across the world — many of whom directly support Olympic programmes and WorldTour professional cycling teams — making it the most comprehensive evidence-based resource on cycling performance ever assembled.
Why Science-Led Coaching is Different
Most coaches follow plans. Richard builds them from the physiology up. With a background spanning laboratory research, elite athlete preparation, and 22 years as a British Cycling Coach Educator — the person who trained the coaches who trained the champions — every programme is grounded in mechanisms, not guesswork.
Your training zones are not estimated from a formula — they are set from real physiological data. Your periodization is not a template — it is constructed around your life, your physiology, and your goals. When your training needs to change, the decision is based on what the science says, not what a generic algorithm suggests.
This is coaching at the level that has produced British Champions, World Champions, and athletes who have competed at Commonwealth and Olympic Games — now available to riders at every level who are serious about their cycling.
About Your Coach
Professor Richard Davison is an internationally recognised exercise physiologist with over 35 years at the intersection of sport science, elite coaching, and competitive cycling. He is Visiting Professor of Exercise Physiology at the Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, and holds Fellowship of both the European College of Sport Sciences (ECSS) and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).
Richard served for 22 years as a Coach Educator with British Cycling, translating cutting-edge research into practical performance environments. His work has directly informed the preparation of riders who have won British and World Championships and competed at Commonwealth and Olympic Games. He has been an editor of the BASES Physiological Testing Guidelines since 1996 — one of the field’s most enduring reference standards — and has held editorial board positions at the Journal of Sports Sciences, Journal of Sport Medicine, and Journal of Science and Cycling.
He is also a committed competitive cyclist himself and the host of the Cycling Science Podcast, where he critically reviews the latest research every week — so your coaching is always built on current evidence, not outdated principles.
Coaching Packages
Three levels of coaching are available to suit your goals, commitment, and budget. All packages include an individualised, bespoke training programme and access to TrainingPeaks.
Bronze
£195 — 12-week programme
The ideal starting point for riders who want a science-based plan grounded in exercise physiology.
- Fixed 12-week training programme
- Basic TrainingPeaks access
- Initial consultation with coach
- Individual bespoke plan
- Lifestyle analysis and time planning
- Monthly training alterations
- Monthly training file analysis
- 10% Teknofuel nutrition discount
Minimum commitment: 12 weeks
Silver — Most Popular
£250/month
For the serious rider targeting significant performance improvement. Regular coaching interaction and weekly analysis — this is the package that takes you from also-ran to podium potential.
- Training programme updated every 4 weeks
- Premium TrainingPeaks access
- Initial consultation + weekly communication
- Individual bespoke plan
- 6-month goal planning
- Lifestyle analysis and time planning
- Fortnightly training alterations
- Weekly training file analysis
- Pre and post-event analysis (up to 3 key events)
- Coaching rides £25/hr (up to £75 total)
- 50% discount on anthropometric profiling
- Discounted physiological testing
- 15% Teknofuel nutrition discount
- 5% off training camps
Minimum commitment: 3 months
Platinum-Elite
£400/month
The no-compromise package for the committed rider with championship ambitions. Daily coach access, constant programme refinement, and the full depth of world-class exercise physiology expertise.
- Weekly programme updates
- Premium TrainingPeaks access
- Daily coach access (within reason)
- Individual bespoke plan — constantly revised
- Full 4-year goal development plan
- Lifestyle analysis and time planning
- Training alterations as required
- Daily training file analysis
- Pre and post-event analysis — all events
- Full tactical analysis and race planning
- Coaching rides included
- Skill development sessions included
- Physiological testing as required
- Detailed dietary guidance
- 20% Teknofuel nutrition discount
- 10% off training camps
Minimum commitment: 6 months
Physiological Testing Add-Ons
All packages benefit from optional laboratory-standard testing to build precision baselines and track your progression.
| Test | What It Measures | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| VO₂max Test | Maximal aerobic capacity (ml/kg/min) | £85 |
| Lactate Threshold Test | LT1 & LT2 power outputs | £95 |
| Full Performance Profile | VO₂max + lactate + body composition | £150 |
| Retesting (any single test) | Progress benchmarking | £65 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a power meter?
A power meter is strongly recommended for Silver and Platinum-Elite athletes — it enables precise training load management. For Bronze coaching, heart rate monitoring is sufficient to get started.
Are sessions face-to-face or remote?
Coaching is delivered entirely online, using TrainingPeaks for plan delivery and analysis, with video calls for reviews. Lab testing (where selected) takes place at our UCLan facility in Preston.
How long before I see results?
Most athletes notice meaningful performance improvements within 8–12 weeks of consistent training. For athletes with specific event goals we recommend a minimum 16-week lead-in where possible.
Can I upgrade my package later?
Yes — you can move between packages at the start of any new month with no penalty. Many athletes start on Bronze to establish habits before stepping up.
What Athletes Say
Richard has been a very important person in my cycling career, helping to coach me in both time-trial and road race disciplines. In particular I wish to mention my National 24-hour attempt when Richard and I dedicated a full year of training to this event. Our success was down to a superb training programme and pacing strategy plus good, honest, hard work! Thank you Richard!
Malcolm Whitehead, Multiple British Champion
I would have no hesitation in recommending Richard to anyone who wanted a well thought-out, tailor-made coaching programme. During my time with him I found his methods to be extremely motivational, allowing me to achieve set goals whilst racing at the top level in the UK. Richard adapted programmes both quickly and effectively during periods where family and work life affected training. Under Richard’s guidance I achieved several very successful years in elite racing.
Simon Gaywood — Elite Circuit Series Champion 2003; ex-professional for Plowman Craven (2007–08), Corley Cycles (2009–11), IG Sigma Sport (2012)
I worked very closely with Dr Richard Davison throughout the peak of my cycling career. I started working with Richard in the early 1990s, which saw me produce the best performances of a long career. What I noticed instantly was a reduced amount of time on the saddle — all quality, not just wearing out tyres, as Richard always put it.
Highlights of my career under Dr Richard Davison include twice finishing 4th overall in the FBD Milk Rás — a nine-day, 900-mile stage race in Ireland — and finishing 9th in the Commonwealth Games Road Race in 1994 when it was open to professional riders for the first time. The Scotland cycling team were fortunate to have Richard as part of the back-room staff, which helped me with final preparations towards race day.
In 1994 I spoke to Richard about an attempt at breaking Graeme Obree’s Scottish one-hour record. Richard was the only person who didn’t laugh at me — he said “let me do the maths.” We then worked on a six-month programme which saw me break the record in August 1995. I retired from cycle racing in 1996, my last race a stage race in Switzerland for Great Britain under Richard’s training.
When I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2008 and decided to run the Marathon des Sables in 2014, Richard had no hesitation in helping me prepare at Napier University’s climatic chamber to ensure I was on the start line as ready as I could possibly be. If it wasn’t for Dr Richard Davison, I am convinced the above results would never have happened.
Roddy Riddle — Professional Cyclist (GB & Scotland national teams)
Ready to Train Smarter?
Use the form below to tell me about your goals, current fitness, and which package interests you. I’ll be in touch within 48 hours.
Interested in our Training Camps? Combine structured camp weeks with ongoing coaching for accelerated gains.