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Conn McDunphy, a former Irish elite time trial champion and current coach to high-performance cyclists, has been training Matthew Walls of Lucan CRC since October 2023. Under McDunphy’s guidance, Walls recently claimed victory at the Quanta Capital Junior Tour of Ireland. In this article, McDunphy details the structured training regime that prepared Walls for his success.
McDunphy emphasizes a holistic coaching philosophy that balances data-driven training with the “human aspect” of cycling—ensuring the rider understands and believes in the process. From the outset, Walls’ ability to communicate his physical sensations and progress was a key strength. The training plan focused on long-term development rather than immediate results, with major goals set for events like the National Road Championships, Junior Tour of Ireland, Junior Tour of Wales, and European Road Championships.
The preparation began in October 2023 with a 2.5-week rest period to reset Walls’ body after the previous season. November saw 70 hours of training, including 60 hours on the bike and 10 hours in the gym, with a focus on low-intensity aerobic work and aero reinforcement (AR) training. December brought longer aerobic sessions, sprint work, and two threshold sessions, including a lactate test and a challenging “Ticknock Worlds” training race.
January marked the start of threshold development, with 73 hours of training largely focused on bike work. The month included varied threshold sessions, AR training, and lactate+VO2 testing to refine training zones. A crash in February disrupted training, but Walls still completed a 1.5-week camp in Calpe, Spain, and introduced VO2 sessions. March saw reduced hours (54) due to school and weather, but Walls began fine-tuning his top-end performance and achieved notable results, including a win at the Lucan GP and a strong performance in Portugal.
In April, a 45-hour aerobic block followed, though illness hampered his preparation for the Peace Race. May involved 66 hours of training, including the Peace Race, where Walls gained valuable experience against the world’s best juniors. Specificity work began for the National TT Championships, with a focus on power curve analysis and targeted efforts. Walls secured his first C1 win at Mondello Park during this period.
June continued the specificity phase, with 62 hours of training, course reconnaissance, and a taper into the National Championships. Walls finished 2nd in the TT and 4th in the road race, demonstrating significant progress.
July was entirely focused on the Junior Tour of Ireland. After a transition week post-Nationals, Walls entered the race with low training hours but high intensity. His ability to make decisive breakaways and commit fully in key moments led to overall victory, a stage win, and the climbers’ classification.
McDunphy’s approach highlights the importance of long-term development, consistent communication, and tailored training plans. Walls’ success at the Junior Tour of Ireland is a testament to this method, but McDunphy and Walls view this as just the beginning of a promising cycling career.
