word.

personally, the final sprint at the end of the race is not the place where i can expect perfect form. by that point i'm usually so beat up that it takes all of me just to go in a straight line.

so ideally a sprint out of the saddle should look like you're in a climbing position?

I don't know if anybody mentioned this yet, but you need to do resistance training to increase the force you can exert with your legs. Basically, that's 6-10 reps at the max weight you can manage repeated 3 times. You do this with squats with weights, step-ups with weights, or leg machines at the gym. Remember; no pain, no gain.

Intervals are good, but their purpose is to increase aerobic capacity. They don't necessarily increase muscular strength.

nooooo
sprinting = drops. climbing is very different. just watch a race video

Yes, watch some videos instead of trying to translate all the garbled replies here.
And changing your cassette, chainrings or spokes will not help you sprint.

can sprinting be called "a sprint" if cadence is sub 100rpm? seated and in the drops?

It can be if that's all the rider has in the tank. I've placed inside the top 10 in races via a 70 rpm sprint while I had a bad cold, was tired, whatever. My sub-1000w sprint was at low rpm too, although I don't know the cadence offhand.

When you sprint at the end of a race, by definition it's a sprint. It's like asking if a bike is a race bike. If it's ever been raced, it's a race bike. A SRAM Red Pinarello that's never been raced is not a race bike.

HOW you do a sprint is different. There are different techniques for sprinting and a more efficient technique will get you a more effective sprint. "More effective" could mean more stable (i.e. you get bumped but it doesn't faze you, versus you get bumped and you crash), allow shifting while sprinting (which allows you to stay in the meat of the power band), use more muscles or muscle groups, position you for a better bike throw, etc.

So can I win a race in a sprint if I don't have explosion and just reach a top speed first faster than everyone at the finish line? Like doing an early attack.

This just plain bad advice. The force exerted even in a well-rested all out sprint is so far below 1 rep max, that any increase in strength is irrelevant to sprint performance on the road.

So what's your suggestion? Should I go to the gym and at least work on the core exercises?

+1
Squats will improve your jump considerably.

Why?

Keep practicing and one day you'll manage.

Because properly done they constitute resistance training, which increases muscle size and strength.

Both of which are irrelevant to road cycling performance.

Irrelevant? Come on now. Why can Thor Hushovd out sprint Andy Schleck? Since we can't see his blood or oxygen test results we look at muscle mass itself. Guess who has more?

Cycling is by far the most important thing to do when trying to cycle faster. Intervals, sprinting, climbing, and more simply have to be practiced.

But this nonsense about muscle doesn't matter is plainly false, especially for what I imagine to be hobbyists, ethusiasts and amateur racers reading this thread.

https://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=2673416;
https://www.aboc.com.au/tips-and-hint...urance-anymore

Because Thor has a higher % of fast twitch muscle fibers. No amount of weight lifting will cause Andy to match Thor's ratio of fast to slow twitch fibers.

And the fact he's 30 pounds heavier?

Read some threads in the Road Bike racing forum on sprinting and form. I read a fair bit over there and they're pretty direct, and there are some good ideas in WaterRockets workout menu thread.
In this thread you've asked a question and got answers about weight trianing and power meters. Over there you're likely to find something you can do on the bike.

Psssh, like anyone over there knows anything about acceleration.

Andy could gain 30 lbs of muscle and it still wouldn't make him as fast as Thor in a sprint. You can't change the ratio of your fast twitch to slow twitch muscles enough to turn Andy into a sprinter.

But you seem to be saying that it wouldn't make Andy any faster. I disagree.

There are numerous examples of this in pro cycling, often in reverse where a rider loses weight to improve climbing performance and sprinting speed suffers.

Who are the most powerful riders in wattage? Hint: it won't be the 140 pounders.

Im the opposite, im all jump and revvy accelleration. I can lose all my friends on short climbs and short hard pulls whether on my light bike or my heavy bike, but when it comes to grinding on a long hill or headwinds, I suck. For that I bought a power meter and plan to target my training directly at that weakness. Its all in the training.

OP ... you clearly still have a lot to learn about this cycling thingie, right?
I think it would be best for you to ... cycle a lot.
You will get better at doing sprints by ... sprinting a lot.