8 Weeks to Win Training Plan Summaries:

Stages’ 8 Weeks to Win presented by TrainingPeaks is the perfect orientation to training with a Stages Power meter.

Stages offer five 8 Weeks to Win training plan choices. Each plan is created by 2012 Olympic Cycling Coach and Stages Education Specialist, Benjamin Sharp, and comes with a full 8 weeks—56 days—of TrainingPeaks premium access.

8 Weeks to Win, is designed to introduce any athlete—beginner or advanced, road, mountain, or 'cross—to the power of training with power. At Stages, we classify personal achievements as a win, and we want to show you what you can achieve in just 8 weeks.

While a professional coach is a better answer for meeting your specific or individual goals, 8 Weeks to Win is designed to show you measurable improvement in your fitness and illustrate the power of the Stages Power meter.

Once complete, athletes will find additional resources within the TrainingPeaks Coach Match Service to continue her/his progression.

--Training Plan Summaries--

Plan: Stages Hour of Power
Rider experience: Beginner to Intermediate
Discipline: Cyclocross
Weekly time commitment: 7-12 Hours

Stages Hour of Power Cyclocross plan is for the cyclocross athlete interested in learning to train with power.

This is not intended to be a specific event preparation plan, but rather, an opportunity to experience what it's like to train with a Stages Power Meter and TrainingPeaks.

The Stages hour of Power plan begins with a week of light to moderate training followed by a "pre-test" to assess initial fitness. The rider’s Functional Threshold Power (FTP) will be estimated based on that test and training zones will be established for you.

Each day’s workout will be outlined using time and prescribed training zones. The general emphasis of the training will be on aerobic development, which is critical for cyclocross athletes. There are also skill elements (e.g. 'cross play/dismounts/remounts/etc.), a bit of running, and a healthy dose of shorter efforts that replicate the demands of cyclocross racing.

In the last week of the Stages Power Primer plan, there will be a second fitness test to reveal the gains made in fitness after this short 8 weeks of specific training with a Stages Power Meter.

This program is designed to be followed as prescribed. However, if your personal schedule requires it, moving workouts within the same week is OK. The 4th week of the plan includes a rest week and it is expected that after the 8th week of following the plan, you will take another rest week. However, if you are struggling with the volume or to meet the workout goals, taking a rest week earlier might be beneficial.