Download the 20 Week Training Plan from TrainingPeaks: https://bit.ly/4nBp12J
What’s the best way to build long term, sustainable cycling fitness – and to reach levels of performance you’ve never reached before? In this video, World Tour performance coach for RedBull Bora-Hansgrohe, John Wakefield, talks us through 20 weeks of periodised training to take your cycling to the next level.
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RELATED VIDEOS:
A 7-Day Cycling Training Plan: https://youtu.be/LFMQqX2c_eg?si=fhNP-IHB5MpETYnp
A 28-Day Training Plan: https://youtu.be/hqZEv6yMg1s?si=XofjzJaW_NonJRGg
How to Boost Your FTP: https://youtu.be/LknN-hRRnaU?si=JsJtCgnPZ4lXbO8k
How to do an FTP Test: https://youtu.be/FZnuvoeZDks?si=ijQ9q9P0H2U_5xhS
6 Training Sessions to Improve Vo2 Max: https://youtu.be/3tbyDo91Zfs?si=CwQFCSc1VSa33FB_
4 Training Sessions to Build Your Base Fitness: https://youtu.be/B0YVGJNqLVc?si=g09TyaLhoEcfGe6z
A big thank you to John for his knowledge and openness in sharing this training information. If you’re interested in being coached by Science 2 Sport (from anywhere in the world), head to https://www.sciencetosport.com.
Follow John on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pelotrain/
Follow Science 2 Sport: https://www.instagram.com/science2sport/
Supported by BMC, CUORE of Switzerland, COROS & Insta360
Music from Epidemic Sound: (free trial affiliate link): https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/slnb1q
Please note: the training sessions discussed in this video are designed to improve your cycling ability when followed correctly. They should not be attempted without sufficient warm up. Please always ride safely, on roads with minimal traffic and pedestrians, and never go beyond your limit. The best fitness gains will come from following each session properly, maximising your rest periods, eating properly before, during, and after your rides, and consulting your coach or dietician if you have questions. This video is a guide only and does not constitute an a training plan written specifically for you.
00:00 Intro
02:30 Plan Overview
04:27 Phase 1: Neuromuscular development
06:06 Base & Metabolic training
09:32 Peak Power & Vo2 Max training
11:25 Favero Assioma Power Meter
13:51 Race Preparation
16:24 Heat Training
This interview was filmed at the Science 2 Sport lab in Girona, Catalunya, Spain; a cycling mecca that has been home to many professional cyclists including Ben O’Connor, Jack Haig, Esteban Chaves, Ryan Mullen, George Bennett, James Knox, Dorian Godon, Jay Vine, and at one point George Hincappie, Lance Armstrong and Tyler Hamilton. Girona is used for training for races such as the Tour de France, Volta Catalunya, Vuelta Espana, Paris-Nice, Giro d’Italia and more.
31 Comments
Hi! I just wanted to ask if this training plan will work with a triathlon? Like I am thinking of using this for my cycking training and incorporate my running and swim training into this plan or will it be too much? Thank you.
New to power meters and keen on the one you mentioned. I didn’t see anything about testing in the plan. Do I need to test first, or can I just set it up and ride? Also, Tristan, are you coached by John?
Thanks for the great video! Quick question regarding the FTP test. Over the 20 weeks it is likely that the FTP will change. Should we do an FTP test before each macro-cycle? Are all cycles based on the initial FTP test? How often should we update our FTP basically?
How much does the program cost?
Quick question: i‘m at my own peak fitness at the moment (started endurance sports 3 years ago, ftp 4,3w/kg, training avg 10 hrs a week sometimes structured sometimes just riding outdoors and racing zwift)
When in go for this plan do i still profit from metabolic, low cadence and baseblock rides or should i better Stick on doing LIT Training combined with 2 times hard ftp/vo2max work?
In i go with this plan and i adapt my ftp Numbers, can i go with this structure again and again or do i have to adapt Sessions/blocks?
Im Not training for a specific event (Ride 2-3 Ultra Events a year for fun and Adventure), cycling is my Main sport and hobby, just want to get as fit as i can get with max 12-14 hrs a week..
Thanks for the plan and the Feedback <3
hello, thank you for your interesting video and plan. Do you have any recommendations how to adjust for master age 60+? Kind regards, Peter
What are your suggestions regarding volume if you are returning to cycling after a long layoff? Was once a Cat 3/4 that was 20 years and 20kg ago!
Ready to get in the lab (again) with John. I’ve done John’s previous plans and all I can say is they made me a faster cyclist. Looking forward to this new plan as well. LFG!!!!
What can John tell us about Morton's neuroma or metatarsal nerve irritation. I have this now. I stop cycling since august 31. I never had this problem in 35 years of cycling. I am 49 yo.
Thank you both for another great video. I have used the previous plans and was excited to see this post. I downloaded it immediatley from trainingpeaks. I am a 50+ masters athlete that competes in Gravel, XC and CX as I am sure many of your followers do. Next years key events will be the Sea Otter Classic Furgo XL XC race in April and BC Bike Race (7 day XC stage race) in May. Then local gravel racing until the CX seasion. Sadly the road scene is almost dead in my area. I have a few questions that might make good follow on and supplemental content specific to this plan given the duration and detail. Would the plan be modified for different discplines (Road v Gravel v XC x Stage Racing) at any point? Would any modifications be recommended based on age? What off the bike strenght training (specific exercises) would John recommend and when? What nutritional guidance would be recommended to fuel the training pre, during and post. It would be really interesting to hear his view on meals that fuel the duration and intensity of the plan that also keep us healthy long term. Keep up the awesome work and MaxLifeOut.
Hey, first of all thanks a lot for your videos Tristan they’re really comprehensive its great content, got a question, lets say im chaining blocks that you give us in your videos, and increasing a little bit the warm up duration of each session to get to 2hours every time, getting me about 11-14 hours training each week, what would I do if I was feeling great like that, feeling like I could increase volume (got about 20hours free for training each week), how would I proceed to do more, just do more Z2 at the begining of each ride, get one more intensity session in?
Thanks!
(Im all in for that very plan but Id like to get a bit more volume in as ive got time for it)
Got I to triathlon a year ago and what let me down in my Ironman was the bike! I really want to do this but I go away to work anywhere from 1-3 weeks at a time, could I just pick this back up after 3 weeks off or wouldn’t it be worth it, great video
I have downloaded the plan and am going to use it heading into a race for early next year. Would you use this plan straight up to an A event race or would it be better to add the 28 day peak fitness plan onto the end of it with the taper it provides? Please and Thank you 🙏
Can I ask a question about the heat adaptation? Do I still need to do it? Because here in the Philippines the normal temperature is around 37°to40°+ so its always hot every time we train and we are accustomed to raced at racing under very hot conditions.
Hi Tristan,
Another interesting video as always, however, I have a question. If I buy the program via my free TrainingPeaks account does that mean it will be accessible in Zwift?
Hi, that s again an amazing content with so many incredible advice towards been the best cyclist I can.
I just have 1 question…. if we have more time before our race season do you recommend to do:
Option 1 the first 3 blocks and repeat them with progressive overload …
Option 2 do twice the first block (8 weeks) then twice the second one ….etc
Thank you in advance
Johann
John is such a nice guy to shere all his knowledge ! thanks guys!
Almost finished the 3rd week of this, generally the program is great, and I’m really enjoying the simplicity of it. It’s not trying to be super technical just for the sake of it. Easy to follow, easy to achieve. Probably the best program I’ve followed without a couch.
Only thing which could be improved is that a lot of the workouts so far are not consistent with the description time vs the actual prescribed time. Some will say 2 hours, but prescribed 1.5. Today was written as 3.5, but prescribed 3. This is a lot of the workouts, so I’m actually not sure what duration I’m meant to follow?
I started with the training plan and like it very much so far. If I want to extend the base phase over winter (here in Germany) would it make sense to repeat the second block or maybe after the first neuromuscular block do the base block, then the neuromuscular again and then the base again. Or would it make more sense to perform the plan like it is and repeat the whole plan again after? As my first race is in may 2026.
Tristan, these training plans with John are amazing man. I've followed your previous 28 day plan for the last 52 weeks (if it ain't broke, don't fix it). I've seen my FTP improve from ~230 to 314W and my weight dropped from ~220 to 165lbs just beyond that time frame. This October concludes my first year of Zwift and just beyond for cycling/endurance sports, so it has been a HECK of a transformation from this time last year. If you ever need a testimonial lmk haha, all my data's on Strava (Mike Orzel).
I just wanted to drop in (again) to say thank you so much for these plans and if you can pass the message along tell John as well a huge thanks. I can't wait to try this new plan (perfect timing) and I'm expecting another 100W!
For anyone watching, Tristan and John's training plans have worked exceptionally well for me and I can't recommend them enough. Please consider supporting this channel because videos like these take all the guess work out of it. Cheers man.
Is this program in pdf format?
When it mentions Zone 1 1.5 hours, does this mean a zone 2 endurance ride or purely recovery ride?
Can we have a Black Friday deal for this plan pleaaaase ?
Is low cadence training bad for a sprinter? How and when to incorporate some sprint training to the program?
Amazing video Tristan
How would you go about managing training load from lets say april to october with races spread across the season with only july as a month with no races.? – Would it be to mix threshold, base and race prep across the priod ?
I am getting back into cycling. I have a trainer and live where it is winter. My goal is to train through the winter months to be in shape for Spring riding. Will this program be suitable for me?
Maybe for the next one, now that you started doing triathlon a trainingplan to finish an olympic distance or something like that would be great.
I was unable to download it from the provided link.
you guys talk a lot of the 30min warmup before the intervals? What kind of warmup should i do there? just easy spinning with a few sprints? or what kind of warmup should i do?
Is the amount of hours enough for cycling “freaks”? I have no problem with doing 25-30 hours including everything (zone 1, zone 2, intervals, tempo, threshold, vo2 max,…). I’m interested in this plan to try something else but doing less hours makes me unsure it will make me better. I think the real professionals are also doing more hours then this?
Tristan is evolving into a human bullet. Bald and and aero.