WHO THIS IS FOR
IS THIS YOU?
The rider who gets dropped on climbs
Your flat-road power is reasonable but hills expose you — W/kg is the number to fix.
The rider unsure which number to train from
You have both metrics and want to know which to use for zone setting, targets, and progress.
THE ROADMAN VIEW
The Roadman view
Here's the thing about raw FTP: it is the number that gets shared on Strava and talked about in the café group. 'What's your FTP?' is a cycling social signal. But the moment the road goes uphill, all of that stops mattering and W/kg takes over entirely. Gravity doesn't care how big your engine is in absolute terms — it only cares how much of it you can bring per kilogram of weight.
For the amateur cyclist training 8–12 hours a week, the split between these two metrics usually points to a clear priority. If you're a bigger rider who excels on the flat, your raw FTP may already be respectable — but your W/kg is held back by weight. If you're a lighter rider who struggles to hold power on flat fast roads, building raw watts is the intervention. Understanding which lever to pull is far more useful than debating which metric matters.
Dan Lorang, who coaches Jan Frodeno and the Bora riders, consistently talks about this balance — that training prescription has to account for the event profile. For most sportive riders, W/kg is the relevant performance number. For time triallists, raw watts matter more. Build your training targets around the metric that governs the riding you actually do.
EXPERT EVIDENCE
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
- Dan LorangHead of Performance, Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe; coach to Jan Frodeno
Performance prescription should always start with the demands of the target event. For climbing-heavy courses, W/kg is the definitive performance predictor. For flat TTs and criteriums, raw watt output is the governing metric. Training well means knowing which one you're optimising for.
Hear it: Roglic's Coach Builds A Training Plan For Amateur Riders | Dan Lorang - Joe FrielAuthor of The Cyclist's Training Bible; co-founder of TrainingPeaks
W/kg is the equaliser — it removes the body-weight variable and allows honest cross-category comparison. For any event with significant climbing, it is the primary performance predictor and should be the primary target metric.
Hear it: Joe Friel's Cycling Training Plan Structure | Roadman Cycling
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
DO THIS WEEK
Identify your event profile first
If your key rides are mostly flat or TT-style, train to raw FTP. If your events have significant climbing (more than 1,000 m per 100 km), W/kg is your primary target.
Audit which lever is most productive
If you are 10+ kg heavier than your natural racing weight, body composition work likely moves your W/kg faster than an equivalent training block. If you are already lean, build raw FTP.
Set both numbers and track them each 8-week block
Record FTP in watts and W/kg at each test. Watching both move (or only one moving) tells you whether training and nutrition are both working as intended.
COMMON MISTAKES
WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG
MISTAKEChasing raw FTP while remaining significantly overweight.
FIXBody composition work often delivers a bigger W/kg gain than an equivalent training block. Both levers matter — don't ignore the one that's more accessible.
MISTAKEUsing W/kg to feel good about modest raw power.
FIXIf your absolute power is low, W/kg is flattering but limited. You still need to build the engine — especially for flat-road and group-riding speed.
MISTAKETraining zones set on raw FTP but riding events where W/kg decides everything.
FIXZone training off raw FTP is correct. But set your performance goals in W/kg if your target events are hilly.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
At what gradient does W/kg start to matter more than raw watts?
Should I try to lose weight to improve W/kg?
Can I improve W/kg without losing weight?
Is W/kg the right metric for triathlon cycling?
How do pros compare to club riders in W/kg?
RELATED EPISODES
HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS
RELATED TOPICS