Prepare for the Cape Town Cycle Tour (109 km around the Cape Peninsula) with a structured 18-week plan from TRIFIT coach Telani Grobler.
This plan is for riders who already have a base and want to ride the Peninsula well, not just survive it. The course rewards patience: a restrained start, controlled climbing on Edinburgh Drive, Smitswinkel, Chapman’s Peak and Suikerbossie, and enough left to ride the final coastal kilometres strongly. Every week builds toward that, with climbing efforts on tired legs, wind and pacing practice, and fuelling rehearsals on every long ride.
Every week is different. Sessions use climbing ladders, over-unders, short uphill efforts above threshold, cadence work and long rides that copy the race’s changing terrain. Weekday rides stay at 75 minutes or less, so the plan fits around work, while the weekends build your endurance.
WHAT’S INSIDE
18 weeks of structured cycling and strength workouts that sync to Garmin, Wahoo, Zwift and other compatible devices
About 7.5–10.5 hours a week in build weeks, with lighter recovery weeks of about 6–7.5 hours: 5 rides and 2 short strength sessions, with Monday and Friday rest
Every weekday ride 75 minutes or less
20-minute FTP tests in weeks 4, 8 and 12, using the same protocol every time, so your zones keep up with your fitness, plus a controlled fitness check in week 16
Saturday long rides building to 4 hours 15 minutes, with race-style climbing and fuelling practice
Race-specific weeks with late-ride climbs, wind pacing and a full race rehearsal
Strength sessions twice a week with clear sets, repetitions and progression, reducing to light activation in the final weeks
Clear fuelling targets on long rides, building to your race-day carbohydrate rate, plus heat and electrolyte guidance for summer riding
Holiday notes for Christmas and New Year, so you know what to swap if plans change
A two-week taper, a full race-week schedule and a race-day guide: breakfast, pacing for each climb, wind and group riding, and race fuelling
WHO IT IS FOR
You have ridden a 60–100 km event or regularly ride 2–3 hours, and want to ride the Cape Town Cycle Tour well
You can ride 2 hours comfortably, including some climbing
You can train about 7.5–10.5 hours a week, with long rides on Saturday
You have a bike power meter or smart trainer. Sessions are written as a percentage of FTP
You have medical clearance to train
Telani is a passionate Triathlon and multisport coach. She coaches athletes of all levels, from beginners to competitive and provides personalized online training to each individual. This enables her athletes to reach their personal goals with her full support. She will develop intuitive training plans which will give you confidence to train and race at your best. The only time you fail is when you are not tri-ing.
She also focuses on how to handle panic attacks in open water swim.