2027 Mallorca Camp — Reservations Open RESERVE YOUR SPOT
BASECAMP COACH
Lori Thomson
I'm a cycling and strength coach working with endurance athletes from first-timers to advanced racers. I build the strength work and the riding miles, and I get to know the whole person before I write the plan. I value what an athlete enjoys, and I love connecting with them to make them stronger, faster cyclists.
Plainfield, Illinois
BASED IN
16
YEARS TRAINING
19
YEARS COACHING
Gravel, Mountain, Triathlon, Road, Strength Training, Criterium, Time Trial
DISCIPLINES
COACHING PHILOSOPHY
MY APPROACH TO COACHING.
My strength training philosophy is straightforward: when built around the specific biomechanical demands of cycling and endurance sport, strength work doesn't just make athletes stronger; it makes them faster, more resilient, and more durable over the long season. I work with road cyclists, triathletes, gravel riders, mountain bikers, crit cyclists, and time trialists who are ready to close the gap between their endurance fitness and their ability to sustain power when it matters most.
For general cycling training, the best results in cycling don't come from the hardest training block; they come from years of consistent, well-structured, progressively demanding work that compounds over time: short-term sacrifice for long-term adaptation. Every session is either building the athlete or breaking them down, and great coaching knows the difference. Whether we're first-timers or advanced athletes, we have to learn that it takes time to be good at something.
THE FULL STORY
ABOUT ME AS A COACH.
I've spent 19 years coaching and bring a rare combination of academic depth and real-world athleticism to every athlete I work with. As a PhD candidate in Health and Human Performance, I build programs on the science of biomechanics, force-vector analysis, and evidence-based strength training, translating research into practical, performance-driven results for cyclists and endurance athletes.
I compete across road, time trial, gravel, mountain, and triathlon, which means I don't just understand the demands of your discipline from a textbook; I live them. That competitive background informs everything from how I design a strength block to how I coach an athlete through the mental grind of race-specific preparation.
THE RÉSUMÉ
MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS.
Certifications:
USA Weightlifting
Trigger Point
Kettlebell
PICP Level 3
NESTA Cert
EXOS Performance
EXOS Tactical
Anatomy in Motion Upper and Lower Biomechanics
USA Cycling
Events completed:
Barry Roubaix 100, 62, 36
Leadville 100MTB
Austin 1/2 IM
Miami 1/2 IM
Orland 1/2 IM
Steelhead 1/2 IM
Chicago Triathlon
Manhattan TT and 100
IN THEIR WORDS
ATHLETES ON COACH LORI
Working with Lori has been great. I've seen improvement and I'm feeling really great for my big event coming up in just under 3 weeks! I am definitely a stronger and more skilled cyclist and I can't wait to see how this continues! - S.J. E.
I have really liked working with Lori this past year. Her wholistic approach to training not only on the bike, but in the gym has really helped to smooth out some imbalances I've had the last few years of cycling on my own. I have been able to tell with certainty that not only my power, but performance overall on the bike has improved and given me confidence at events that I've participated in. When I had an accident in the middle of the summer that would limit my ability to ride outdoors she worked with me to alter not only my short term plan, but the longer term goals for the year to make the best out of a bad situation. I look forward to continue working with Lori this fall/winter and can't wait to see the gains from an uptick in gym work during the "off-season." - Eric W.
RECENT RESULTS
LORI'S ATHLETES, ON THE PODIUM.
Ali Knutson: 1st AG, Tommy Knocker 10
Recent Athlete Achievements
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Ali Knutson: 1st AG, Tommy Knocker 10
Ali Knutson finished 1st in her age category at the 2025 Tommy Knocker 10 event