9-Week Cycling Time Trial Preparation
Four cycling sessions per week, with rest and optional gentle off-bike movement, for established riders preparing for a 20 km time trial or a separate FTP assessment. Designed to develop consistency, aerobic endurance and controlled sustained power. It does not guarantee an FTP increase.
Starting requirements
Already be accustomed to four rides per week and a comfortable 60-minute easy ride over several weeks. Level 0 does not mean starting from no cycling. Use a safe bicycle, suitable terrain or trainer, and a calibrated power meter or smart trainer with a current validated FTP.
Time commitment
Before the taper, cycling totals range from 2 hours 46 minutes to 4 hours per week. The longest ride is 90 minutes. Week 8 reduces to 3 hours 4 minutes. Week 9 has 1 hour 34 minutes of preparatory cycling plus your time trial or separate FTP-test session. Up to two optional 30-minute off-bike sessions appear in most weeks; these are gentle movement or rest, not extra hard training. Training warm-ups and cooldowns are included in the cycling totals; event-day preparation is additional.
Intensity and execution
Power-based steps preserve full lower-to-upper working ranges. Easy riding is conversational at RPE 2–3/10; steady work is controlled at 3–4/10, threshold work 5–6/10, and the faster prescribed efforts 6–7/10. These are working prescriptions, not universal physiological boundaries. Some source sessions have been renamed to controlled power work because their FTP targets did not support maximal sprint or anaerobic labels. A higher FTP percentage means higher power: watts = FTP multiplied by the percentage fraction. Do not alter FTP to force completion.
Use RPE and breathing alongside power; lower the effort for fatigue, heat or poor recovery. Ride at a comfortable cadence without forcing heavy gears. Choose uninterrupted safe terrain; indoors use airflow and fluids. Do not chase the upper boundary or add maximal efforts.
Recovery and adaptation
Hold, repeat or shorten a week if recovery is incomplete. Shorten endurance rides when they exceed recent comfortable exposure. Substitute easy riding or rest for the second quality session when needed, and do not catch up missed sessions. Stop for unusual pain, dizziness, chest pain or concerning breathlessness; seek medical assessment for red-flag symptoms. No generic plan can guarantee freedom from injury.
Time trial versus FTP assessment
Choose one final objective. A 20 km time trial is a distance-based event whose duration varies; its average power is not automatically FTP. For an FTP assessment, use a recognised protocol on a separate day and validate the estimate against subsequent riding. A 20-minute best effort multiplied by 0.95 is one field estimate, not a direct measurement or a universal correction. Do not combine a race and another maximal test in one session.
Resources and optional testing
Each workout entry includes the Endurance Lab RPE and training-zone PDFs. See Endurance Lab resources. Optional testing and individual coaching are separate services, not included with this plan. Enquiries: info@endurancelab.ie. Purchasing this plan does not include ongoing personalised monitoring.
www.endurancelab.ie
As a Head Coach of ENDURANCE LAB, I specialise in preparing athletes for various endurance events, whether it's their first triathlon or an Ironman. With personalised training plans, comprehensive nutrition guidance, and expert swim analysis, I ensure athletes are fully prepared for their upcoming challenges. Let's embark on this journey together and achieve your endurance goals!