DUCHY 6-Week VO2 Max Smasher

This plan is built for experienced cyclists with 6-10 hours a week to train.
If you are ready to dig deep and unlock a new level of top-end aerobic power, you're in the right place.

It’s intense, focused, and deliberately short — because VO2 max work is demanding, and the body can only handle so much before adaptations stall.

If you’ve already laid a strong foundation of aerobic fitness and are hungry to push your limits, this plan will deliver serious gains in VO2 Max and repeatability.

Whether you're sharpening for a race block or just want to feel unstoppable at the front of the group, this plan is designed to push your aerobic capacity to the limit.

What You’ll Need
To get the most from this plan, you’ll need:

A power meter (or smart trainer with accurate power data)
A structured workout device (e.g., Garmin, Wahoo, Zwift, or TrainingPeaks app)
A training history of at least 6–10 hours per week across the last 2–3 months

What to Expect
This plan isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s built around targeted VO2 max intervals, with 2 key high-intensity sessions per week. These workouts are intentionally tough — you’ll be riding near your maximum aerobic capacity, repeatedly.

The rest of the week is designed to support that work. That means:

Easy rides need to stay easy. Don’t drift into moderate or “tempo” territory — you’ll pay for it in the next hard session.
Recovery matters just as much as the intervals. If you’re feeling deeply fatigued and can’t hit your target power, replace a supporting session (like endurance or high cadence work) with a full rest day. Listen to your body.

This plan includes progressive overload, interval variety, and short, sharp blocks that stimulate VO2 adaptation without dragging you into the overtraining zone. Every week is carefully structured to build fatigue, then give you space to recover and absorb the work.

In the final two weeks, we crank things up with slightly shorter, more intense intervals to juice those last bits of adaptation out of you!

Additional information
This is a self-guided training plan. It does not include one-to-one coaching or feedback, but it has been carefully built to reflect real-world demands, life balance, and meaninful progression. Each session is purposeful, and intensity is managed to allow full, effecitve  adaptation. 

The plan is built using official DUCHY workouts, curated over years of riding and working in the pro peloton, and grounded in our team’s sports science degrees. Every block reflects proven principles of endurance training, recovery, and performance development.

How it Works

1. Purcahse plan.
2. Receive automated email with your access instructions.
3. Plan shared to your Training Peaks diary.

This plan includes a Free Basic TrainingPeaks Account.
Access your training plan anywhere on the TrainingPeaks mobile and desktop apps.
Track your performance with robust data tracking and detailed graphs.
Plan for your event in the TrainingPeaks calendar.
Track your weight, sleep, hours, fatigue and stress while you train.
Completed workouts sync with popular apps like Garmin and Wahoo.
If plan includes Structured Workouts, then planned workouts sync to compatible devices and guide you through workouts in real time.

REFUND POLICY
This plan is protected by our Refund Policy and may, with the author's approval, be exchanged for a plan of equal value from the same author.