4-week Tour des Stations KICK START training plan (Zwift compatible)

If you’re preparing for the Tour des Stations, this 4-week Kick-Start Training Plan is designed to help cyclists of all abilities begin their preparation with focus, confidence, and intent. It’s an ideal short block to build momentum, re-establish consistency, and start developing the specific fitness needed for one of the most demanding one-day mountain sportives in the world.

Who’s it for?
This plan is suitable for cyclists of all abilities targeting the Tour des Stations, whether it’s your first ultra-mountain challenge or you’re an experienced rider looking for a structured way to begin your build. If you’re coming off a break, transitioning from general riding, or want a clear starting point before more event-specific training, this plan provides direction without overwhelm. It’s shaped by real coaching experience and a clear understanding of the extreme climbing demands of the event.

Is it for you?
The plan assumes you’re comfortable riding both indoors (e.g. Zwift) and outdoors, and happy combining structured quality sessions with longer endurance rides. It’s ideal if you want to train consistently without burning out, improve aerobic fitness, and begin preparing your body for long, sustained climbing and significant elevation gain.

Sessions are scalable, allowing you to adjust volume and intensity to your current fitness while still training with the Tour des Stations firmly in mind.

What’s involved?
Across 4 weeks, the plan builds progressively, balancing structure with flexibility to support consistency. Each week works across the key training zones, using indoor sessions for control and efficiency alongside outdoor rides to develop endurance and climbing resilience. There’s a strong emphasis on aerobic conditioning, sustained tempo and sweet-spot work, climbing pacing, and fatigue resistance, all crucial for handling the relentless gradients and prolonged ascents that define the Tour des Stations.

The goal isn’t to peak during this block. Instead, it’s to come out of these four weeks fitter, more confident, and well positioned to move into more Tour des Stations–specific training, ready to take on longer climbs, bigger elevation, and the unique challenge of this iconic alpine event.