Welcome to your Cycling Competition Plan

Over the next few weeks, you’ll follow a smart, adaptive cycling training plan tailored to your fitness level, your weekly availability, and your personal race goal.

What do you need? Curiosity, a bit of patience, and the willingness to show up – especially when things get tough. This plan will prepare you not only physically, but also mentally for the challenge ahead.

A cycling race is always a mix of strategy, stamina, and strength. Whether you’re aiming for a fast solo effort, want to hang with the front group in a road race, or finish strong in a demanding Gran Fondo – this plan gives you the structure and confidence to get there.

Your cycling race training plan is divided into several progressive phases that systematically lead you to your best form on race day. Each phase consists of structured load and recovery weeks, with specific training objectives and targeted intensity zones to improve your performance step by step.

The structure follows a proven periodization model – depending on your available prep time:

Base → Build → Peak → Pre-Comp → Taper → Race Day
Each phase plays a distinct role in your development and builds on the previous one.

This is where your race preparation begins. The focus is on long, steady endurance rides to improve your aerobic base, heart-lung efficiency, and metabolic flexibility – the essential engine behind every strong cyclist.

Complementary workouts like cadence drills, short sprints, and early VO₂max intervals enhance muscular resilience, neuromuscular coordination, and pedaling technique – all while preparing you for the intensity to come.

Training becomes more demanding and begins to mimic the efforts you’ll face during your race. The aim is to expand your aerobic power and raise your threshold – so you can ride harder, longer, and more efficiently.

Typical sessions in this phase include:

Now the workouts are highly race-specific. You’ll train just below and at your lactate threshold – preparing your body to handle sustained pressure, attacks, and long pulls.

Key sessions include:

This phase improves your ability to stay fast, focused, and efficient even when the legs start to burn.

As race day nears, your training becomes more refined. Workouts stay sharp focusing on race-relevant efforts and routines.

This is also the ideal time to test your race-day setup:
Practice your fueling strategy, pacing plan, warm-up routine, and gear choices so everything runs smoothly on the big day.

In the final 1–2 weeks before your race, volume is reduced to allow for full recovery – but with enough intensity to stay sharp. You’ll feel your energy rise and your form sharpen.

You’ll arrive at the start line with fresh legs, a clear head, and the confidence to perform at your best.

Race fitness means more than just having a solid endurance base – depending on your race type, it's about riding strong at your threshold, reacting to sudden pace changes, handling climbs, wind, and group dynamics, and showing mental strength – especially when things get tough.

Whether you're training for an MTB race, a classic road race, or a long-distance brevet:
Your training plan is specifically tailored to the demands and unique challenges of your event. You'll train with the right intensities, receive targeted stimulus, and develop the mental resilience you need to approach your goal with focus and confidence.

This structured training plan ensures that you’re fully prepared for race day – physically and mentally. Each phase plays a critical role in your development, helping you build endurance, sharpen intensity, and improve your racing IQ.

With the right combination of smart load management, targeted sessions, and race-ready focus, you’ll hit the start line confident, fit, and fully prepared to ride your strongest race yet.

Have fun 🚀