It's not necessarily the right answer, but I don't have 20 hours a week. Or 15. Maybe 10 in-season.
I've had good results with using HIIT style plans to either raise the bar higher or regain. Then if I have time, I do some longer EM or long EM with some long/hard SS mixed in to "consolidate" my gains.
I gained about 50w in a year as a brand new rider "just riding" and doing a single road race plan. In a few months of easier riding I lost maybe 5-7w off of 255w at 20min.
I started another road race plan recently and it's shot up really well with some good intensity and volume.
I wouldn't say I've ever seen a decrease in the range of 20% though. That seems a lot. Then again, I likely won't ever reach a power level that will be so hard to maintain that I'll drop 20% when the volume drops though.
Some of you guys likely are way way up there and are at the bleeding edge of what power you can have at what volume and intensity level.
Good to hear the stories though about easily regaining it with some work.
