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Best Buddies Cycling Training Academy

MEET OUR COACHES

Patrick Sansbury

Patrick Sansbury

Patrick Sansbury is a Cat 1 road racer and eight-time Florida state champion with more than a decade of coaching experience at the elite and amateur levels.

He has held all major coaching distinctions associated with USA Cycling, TrainingPeaks, and the WKO4/WKO5 ecosystem, and is known for integrating cutting-edge data analytics with practical, real-world race wisdom.

Patrick’s coaching is built on a deep understanding of modern training methodology, physiology, and technology—channeling his passion for cycling into highly individualized programs that help athletes consistently surpass their goals.

At the core of his philosophy is the belief that true performance comes from harmony between athlete and coach. He focuses on aligning training with each rider’s unique physiology, psychology, and life demands, creating a high-powered, collaborative environment where both athlete and coach work in unison toward a clearly defined objective.

Leanda Cave

Leanda Cave

Leanda Cave is a four-time world champion triathlete and the first woman in history to win both the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in the same year (2012). With an 18-year professional career representing Great Britain, she competed at the highest levels across Olympic, Half, and Full Ironman distances—earning global recognition by CNN as one of the fittest women in the world.

Since retiring at the end of 2017, Leanda has shifted her focus to coaching, founding her own performance coaching business and represents Pinarello as an ambassador. Today, Cave works with athletes of all levels, helping them achieve their goals in triathlon, swimming, cycling, and running, while occasionally competing for fun or participating in events for charitable causes. Backed by decades of experience, she offers expert guidance in training, nutrition, and mindset—empowering others to unlock their full potential. 

Watch Leanda’s recent Tedx Talk, Failure is the Force that Shapes you, here.

Gunter Hermanni

Gunter Hermanni

Gunter Hermanni is a Cat 1 road racer that brings over 15 years of elite coaching experience and a lifelong passion for cycling performance to the Best Buddies Training Academy. As a USA Cycling Level 3 Certified Coach, Gunter has worked with athletes across all levels, developing highly personalized training approaches that go far beyond traditional coaching.

Known for his ability to truly understand each athlete, Gunter focuses not only on physical performance, but also on how athletes think, feel, and respond under stress. His coaching philosophy is rooted in connection—learning how to read each individual and guide them to unlock their full potential in a structured, positive, and motivating environment.

A pioneer in the Miami cycling community, Gunter was the first to introduce Retül bike fitting to the region over 15 years ago. His deep expertise in human kinetics and biomechanics allows him to seamlessly integrate the rider and the bike, optimizing efficiency, comfort, and performance at the highest level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why the focus on the Norwegian Intensity Matrix (LT1/LT2)?

It eliminates the “Grey Zone”—the space where you’re working hard enough to get tired, but not hard enough to get faster. We use data to ensure every minute in the saddle is an investment. 

Learn more about our Training Philosphy

This is exactly why you need the Academy. We manage your Total Stress Load (Life TSS). We adjust your protocol in real-time to ensure your training supports your career, rather than competing with it. 

Absolutely not. Whether your goal is to finish your first 20-mile charity ride or to win a local criterium, our training is tailored to your current fitness. If you have the drive to get better, we have the map to get you there.

We build the plan around your life, not the other way around. Whether you have five hours a week or fifteen, we optimize that time to ensure you’re making progress without burning out or sacrificing your personal or professional commitments. 

Don’t worry about the tech—that’s what we’re here for. We’ll help you get set up, explain the metrics in plain English, and show you how to sync your devices so you can focus on the riding. 

If your fit is off by 5mm, your body wastes energy stabilizing itself. We eliminate that friction, so 100% of your effort translates into forward motion. 

It’s simply making sure the training is actually working. Every few weeks, we look at your data and check in on how you’re feeling. If you’re getting stronger, we step up the intensity. If you’re fatigued, we back off. It’s real-time course correction. 

Cycling is a full-body sport. While we highly recommend strength and mobility work to prevent injury and increase power, we scale the gym sessions to your experience level and equipment access. 

Life happens. Since this is custom coaching, we don’t just tell you to “skip it.” We adjust the rest of your week to keep you on track safely. You’re never “behind”—the plan just evolves. 

Yes. Part of the fun of cycling is the social side. We can bake your Saturday group ride into the plan so it complements your training instead of competing with it.  

It’s the science of efficiency. Made famous by world-champion endurance athletes, this method focuses on controlled intensity. Instead of just “riding as hard as possible” and finishing every session exhausted, we use your data to find your perfect “threshold”—the sweet spot where you get maximum fitness gains with minimum fatigue. 

The goal is simple: By training smarter and monitoring your effort, you can do more high-quality work, recover faster, and raise your “cruising speed” so you stay fresh while others are digging deep.