This program is an example of how you can plan the final 12 weeks before the race season begins. If you have been lazy during the winter, starting on this program might be a good chance to catch up. If you are able to do12 hours per week training now without problems, there should be a good chance that this program will suit you.
Classic training program
The pre-season program has a very common design with building of aerobic endurance for the first part, then an increasing workload with more training sessions and longer rides and finally the intensive part with more anaerobic intervals and sprints and also a couple of races that should be performed as a part of the pre-season preparation.
If you are interested in reading more about anaerobic workouts, it is very well described in this article: How to train for anaerobic endurance.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| app.12hr | 2,5hr – |
2hr – 4×200m sprint |
2,5hr – 1×10min AT |
Rest | 2hr easy ride. | 3hr. | |
| app.14hr | 1,5hr recovery | 2,5hr – |
3hr – 4×200m sprint |
2hr – 1×10min AT |
Rest | 2hr easy ride. | 3hr. |
| app.16hr | 1,5hr recovery | 2,5hr – |
3hr – 4×200m sprint |
3hr – 1×10min AT |
Rest | 2hr easy ride. | 4hr. |
| app.9hr | Rest | 2hr – |
2hr – 1×6min AT |
2hr – |
Rest | 1hr easy ride. | 2hr |
.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| app.16hr | 1,5hr recovery | 2,5hr – 2x(3+3)min V02 max |
3hr – 4×200m sprint |
3hr – 2×10min AT |
Rest | 2hr easy ride. | 4hr. |
| app.17hr | 1,5hr recovery | 2,5hr – 2x(3+3)min V02 max |
3hr – 4×200m sprint |
3hr – 2×10min AT |
Rest | 2hr easy ride. | 5hr. |
| app.18hr | 1,5hr recovery | 2,5hr – 2×10min AT |
3hr – 4×200m sprint |
3hr – 3×5x(40+20)sec. V02 max |
Rest | 3hr | 5hr. |
| app.11hr | Rest | 2hr – 1×10min VO2 max |
2hr – 4×150m |
2hr – 2×5x(40+20)sec. V02 max |
Rest | 1hr easy ride. | 4hr. |
.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| app.16hr | 1,5hr recovery | 3,5hr – 3x(3+3)min V02 max |
3hr – 4×200m sprint |
3,5hr – 2×10min AT |
Rest | 1,5hr easy ride. | Pre-Race, 3hr. |
| app.16hr | 1,5hr recovery | 3,5hr – 3×5x(40+20)sec. V02 max |
3hr – 4×200m sprint |
3,5hr – 4x(3+3)min V02 max |
Rest | 1,5hr easy ride. | Pre-Race, 3hr. |
| app.17hr | 1,5hr recovery | 3,5hr – 2×10min AT |
3hr – 5×30sec. sprint – full recovery |
3,5hr – 3×5x(40+20)sec. V02 max |
Rest | 1,5hr easy ride. | Pre-Race, 4hr. |
| app.11hr | Rest | 2hr – 5×30sec. sprint – full recovery |
2hr – 5×30sec. sprint – full recovery |
2hr – 2×4x(40×20)min VO2 max |
Rest | 1hr easy ride. | Pre-Race, 3hr. |
.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I new user of your great page
and I have to do one question.
What the 1×10min AT means? Mystery AT?
What if I don’t have 12 hours per week to train because of work?
tero, AT is short for anarobic threshold. also known as lactic or lactate threshold. this the point at which your body starts to produce lactic acid, the stuff that gives you that burning sensation. fit athletes will experiuance this at around 80-85% of maximum heart rate, however this ranges wildly from person to person
Hello,
I am also new to this type of program.
I have a Polar CS600 and can monitor heart rate, power and cadence.
What should be my target for the rest of the ride once the set of intervals is done, for normal and easy ride?
How should that evolve over the 12 weeks?
Thanks
Hi,
You present good advice – but I’m a bit unclear what some of these symbols mean in the Thursday column of the third week.
4x(3+3)min. V02 max
2×4x(40×20)min. V02 max
3×5x(40+20)sec. V02 max
Could you explain it? Thanks.
your work is amazing. please explain the question from the guy above, I’m also a little confused with the symbols but at the same time eager to do the trainning the correct way.
I guess this article canhelp you:
http://www.training4cyclists.com/what-does-3×3-minutes-vo2-max-mean/
great trainning program, just one question, are the 200m sprints back to back or with full recovery as the 30second sprints
Jesper,
This is a great program. I was wondering what the intensity should be for the time where you are not doing any specific workout. I am coming back from a surgery, so I like this plan to build my base and get back into shape. Do you recommend doing the vo2 booster program shortly after completing this program? Do you recommend to incorporate a form test at the beginning and end of the program?
Tuesday week 8, you want me to do WHAT? 10 mins @ VO2 max??? And as for Thursday, week 12, 40 min @ VO2 max!
Think maybe they should read 10 mins at AT, and 40 secs at VO2 max … well either that or you’re an animal
Does this work I’m 16 and have a falcon road bike .
And what’s recovery as in 1.5 hrs recovery .