16 weeks to GOLD Piccolo (short) Sportive Plan, 4 days per week, 4-6.5 hours
Author
Martin Burrows
All plans by this CoachLength
16 Weeks
Typical Week
4 Day Off, 4 Bike
Longest Workout
3:00 hrs
Plan Specs
cycling road cycling beginner intermediate masters power based hr based tss based
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Summary
Includes Structured Workouts
Structured Workouts automatically sync with compatible devices and guide you through workouts in real time.
Learn More about Structured Workouts.
This 16 weeks to GOLD Piccolo (short) Sportive plan is designed to boost your fitness and reduce your time. It is aimed at people who are going for Gold!
These plans are designed by British Cycling Level 3 coach and Coach Educator Martin Burrows. All workouts are built in the new workout builder so that you can export them to 3rd party applications.
Note: This is aimed at riders doing Sportives that are shorter in length.
Stats
Sample Day 1
- Keep mostly in zone 2
- Easy ride on mostly flat roads, in easy gears, concentrating on smooth fluid pedalling
- Relax the legs, relax the feet and think about your feet spinning easily in CIRCLES
- You could do this on your commute, or as an indoor trainer session instead
Keeping in zone 2, most of the ride is at approx 90rpm in a relatively easy gear. Include;
3 mins @ 95rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
3 mins @ 100rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
3 mins @ 105rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
3 mins @ 110rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
After a very brief recovery repeat the fast pedalling drills and cool down.
NB: This workout should feel easy - it is NOT meant to stress your aerobic system, only to reinforce smooth, fluid pedalling and leg speed. Use lower gears to KEEP IT EASY!
Sample Day 3
*Flat/Rolling Route Alternative
Ride in an easy gear (approx. 90rpm) for most of the ride in Zone 2 on fairly flat terrain.
After a good warm up - at least 10 minutes15 minutes - do 3 x 15minutes in Zone 3 at about 70-85rpm on the flat (this should feel a little hard, a little overgeared) or about 60-75rpm up slopes and hills (feels like a HARD gear!) with 5 minutes easy pedalling in zone 2 recovering in between efforts.
Complete the ride in zone 2 in an easy gear (approx. 90 rpm).
*Hilly Route Alternative
Ride in an easy gear (approx. 90rpm) for most of the ride in Zone 2 where you can.
After a good warm up - about 15 minutes - Push harder on the HILLS (zone 3/4, at about 60-75rpm up slopes and hills - feels like a HARD gear!) - or about 70-85rpm when on flatter terrain (this should feel a little hard, a little overgeared) with at least 5 minutes easy pedalling (down the hills) in zone 1 or 2 recovering in between efforts.
-Complete the flatter parts of the ride in zone 2 in an easy gear (approx. 90 rpm).
NOTE: The effort level on the hills should feel comfortably hard, but NOT hardly comfortable. It is NOT 'go as hard as you can'!
* Turbo Alternative *
After a good warm up, (building from zone 1 to zone 2) of about 10 minutes - do 3 x 10 minutes in zone 3 at various cadences from 60-85 rpm, varying it 'randomly' for variety! Include 5 minutes easy pedalling in zone 2 recovering in between efforts.
Complete the ride in zone 2 in an easy gear (approx. 90 rpm).
Sample Day 5
- Keep mostly in zone 2
- Easy ride on mostly flat roads, in easy gears, concentrating on smooth fluid pedalling
- Relax the legs, relax the feet and think about your feet spinning easily in CIRCLES
- You could do this on your commute, or as an indoor trainer session instead
Keeping in zone 2, most of the ride is at approx 90rpm in a relatively easy gear. Include;
3 mins @ 95rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
3 mins @ 100rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
3 mins @ 105rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
3 mins @ 110rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
After a very brief recovery repeat the fast pedalling drills and cool down.
NB: This workout should feel easy - it is NOT meant to stress your aerobic system, only to reinforce smooth, fluid pedalling and leg speed. Use lower gears to KEEP IT EASY!
Sample Day 6
Ride alone, with a club or with friends. This will be a varied ride in terms of effort, zones, cadences etc. Mostly aerobic (zones 1 and 2) to build your endurance for longer rides, with some zone 3. On hills, aim to keep your effort relatively steady, rather than really pushing it. The most important thing in this ride is building your endurance, so keep it easy to medium and steady. (There is plenty of chance to go hard on the hills in other sessions!) Use the opportunity to practice group riding, cornering or descending skills, and maintain aerobic endurance.
Sample Day 8
*Flat/Rolling Route Alternative
Ride in an easy gear (approx. 90rpm) for most of the ride in Zone 2 on fairly flat terrain.
After a good warm up - at least 10 minutes15 minutes - do 3 x 15minutes in Zone 3 at about 70-85rpm on the flat (this should feel a little hard, a little overgeared) or about 60-75rpm up slopes and hills (feels like a HARD gear!) with 5 minutes easy pedalling in zone 2 recovering in between efforts.
Complete the ride in zone 2 in an easy gear (approx. 90 rpm).
*Hilly Route Alternative
Ride in an easy gear (approx. 90rpm) for most of the ride in Zone 2 where you can.
After a good warm up - about 15 minutes - Push harder on the HILLS (zone 3/4, at about 60-75rpm up slopes and hills - feels like a HARD gear!) - or about 70-85rpm when on flatter terrain (this should feel a little hard, a little overgeared) with at least 5 minutes easy pedalling (down the hills) in zone 1 or 2 recovering in between efforts.
-Complete the flatter parts of the ride in zone 2 in an easy gear (approx. 90 rpm).
NOTE: The effort level on the hills should feel comfortably hard, but NOT hardly comfortable. It is NOT 'go as hard as you can'!
* Turbo Alternative *
After a good warm up, (building from zone 1 to zone 2) of about 10 minutes - do 3 x 10 minutes in zone 3 at various cadences from 60-85 rpm, varying it 'randomly' for variety! Include 5 minutes easy pedalling in zone 2 recovering in between efforts.
Complete the ride in zone 2 in an easy gear (approx. 90 rpm).
Sample Day 10
- Keep mostly in zone 2
- Easy ride on mostly flat roads, in easy gears, concentrating on smooth fluid pedalling
- Relax the legs, relax the feet and think about your feet spinning easily in CIRCLES
- You could do this on your commute, or as an indoor trainer session instead
Keeping in zone 2, most of the ride is at approx 90rpm in a relatively easy gear. Include;
3 mins @ 95rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
3 mins @ 100rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
3 mins @ 105rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
3 mins @ 110rpm, 1 min recovery @ 90rpm
After a very brief recovery repeat the fast pedalling drills and cool down.
NB: This workout should feel easy - it is NOT meant to stress your aerobic system, only to reinforce smooth, fluid pedalling and leg speed. Use lower gears to KEEP IT EASY!
Sample Day 12
*Flat/Rolling Route Alternative
Ride in an easy gear (approx. 90rpm) for most of the ride in Zone 2 on fairly flat terrain.
After a good warm up - at least 10 minutes15 minutes - do 3 x 15minutes in Zone 3 at about 70-85rpm on the flat (this should feel a little hard, a little overgeared) or about 60-75rpm up slopes and hills (feels like a HARD gear!) with 5 minutes easy pedalling in zone 2 recovering in between efforts.
Complete the ride in zone 2 in an easy gear (approx. 90 rpm).
*Hilly Route Alternative
Ride in an easy gear (approx. 90rpm) for most of the ride in Zone 2 where you can.
After a good warm up - about 15 minutes - Push harder on the HILLS (zone 3/4, at about 60-75rpm up slopes and hills - feels like a HARD gear!) - or about 70-85rpm when on flatter terrain (this should feel a little hard, a little overgeared) with at least 5 minutes easy pedalling (down the hills) in zone 1 or 2 recovering in between efforts.
-Complete the flatter parts of the ride in zone 2 in an easy gear (approx. 90 rpm).
NOTE: The effort level on the hills should feel comfortably hard, but NOT hardly comfortable. It is NOT 'go as hard as you can'!
* Turbo Alternative *
After a good warm up, (building from zone 1 to zone 2) of about 10 minutes - do 3 x 10 minutes in zone 3 at various cadences from 60-85 rpm, varying it 'randomly' for variety! Include 5 minutes easy pedalling in zone 2 recovering in between efforts.
Complete the ride in zone 2 in an easy gear (approx. 90 rpm).