Cadence and Power

There was an interesting article in VeloNews by Chris Carmichael and Dean Golich comparing Pros's vs The Joe's. The premise is that the pro's know how to use a higher cadence whether going easy or hard while the 'Joe's' tend to drop cadence when looking for power. While the pro's will typically settle in around 95 rpm no matter the force on the pedals the amateurs will attempt to add more force but tire out from the lower cadence. Essentially the non-pro needs to be able to deliver power in a variety of ranges within a more consistent and higher cadence. I can verify that this is try for this 'Joe'. I know that in many of my intervals I produce the best power within the desired zone when my cadence is in that 95-100 range. When I get tired on the later efforts I try to make up for the power loss by mashing at a lower cadence. This almost always fails. If I think about it and up my cadence and choose the proper gearing I can usually hold better power even if not as strong as the earlier intervals. Its important to consider cadence during your training and racing. I know that my new coach pointed out last fall during some steady state efforts that my cadence was low, like mid 80's, and asked if I time trial at that cadence. My time trial pace is typically 105+/-. The key going forward was to train at that cadence also. Trying to replicate that during training is tough but well worth the effort.