CoachingAnswer

HOW SHOULD I STRUCTURE WINTER TRAINING?

By Anthony WalshRoadman CyclingUpdated 26 May 2026

ANSWER

Winter training should be the base phase: 12–16 weeks of predominantly zone 2 riding, high volume relative to the rest of your year, and genuine low intensity. Spend the majority of winter building your aerobic engine through long rides and easy indoor sessions. One moderate strength session per week is ideal. Leave the intervals for spring. The biggest winter error amateurs make is treating it like a compressed build phase — too much intensity, not enough volume.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Winter = base phase: high volume, low intensity, mostly zone 2, 12–16 weeks.
Long indoor rides and longer outdoor rides where weather allows — duration drives base adaptation.
Add strength work twice a week in winter; it's the phase with fewest competing demands.
Keep intervals out of winter (mostly) — one moderate quality session per week at most.

WHO THIS IS FOR

IS THIS YOU?

The rider who doesn't know what to do in winter

You stop structured training in October and come back in spring wondering why you feel terrible.

The rider who jumps onto Zwift races all winter

You're doing high-intensity indoor racing from November to February and plateauing every spring.

THE ROADMAN VIEW

The pros do something in winter that surprises most amateurs: they ride slow, a lot. Jonas Abrahamsen described it on the podcast — an 18kg weight gain in the off-season followed by a structured winter base. The base phase is not a punishment. It's where the engine for the season is built. The riders who arrive at spring with 14 weeks of solid zone 2 behind them have an aerobic base that absorbs the build phase like a sponge. The riders who spent winter doing Zwift races are fighting accumulated fatigue and wondering why their intervals feel worse in March than in October.

Winter is also the best time to build strength. Less competition for your legs in the week, more flexibility with when sessions happen, and the strength gains compound over a long winter base before being refined in the build. Two sessions a week of cycling-specific lifting — split squats, hip hinges, core — started in November and run through March produce a meaningfully stronger rider for summer.

What not to do in winter: don't race Zwift every Saturday. Don't treat every cold day as an excuse to do a high-intensity indoor session instead of a longer easy one. Don't skip winter entirely and call it an 'off-season'. Rest is fine for 2–4 weeks after your last autumn event. After that, base riding is what winter is for.

EXPERT EVIDENCE

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Jonas AbrahamsenProfessional cyclist, Uno-X; Tour de France stage winner
Abrahamsen's described winter approach involves substantial de-training from road racing followed by a deliberate base phase rebuild — prioritising aerobic volume and recovery over maintaining race sharpness through the winter. The reset allows a higher quality build phase when spring arrives.
Hear it: Jonas Abrahamsen: 18kg Weight Gain & Pro Winter Training
Dan LorangHead of Performance, Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe
Winter is the most important planning window in the season. The base built in winter determines the ceiling of what the build phase can produce. Coaches who allow athletes to train too hard in winter consistently see their riders plateau or break down during the spring build.
Hear it: Roglic's Coach Builds A Training Plan For Amateur Riders | Dan Lorang

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

DO THIS WEEK

Build a long indoor zone 2 session into every week
60–120 minutes at genuine zone 2 on the trainer, once or twice a week. This is the backbone of your winter base — controlled, measurable, and repeatable regardless of weather.
Add strength training twice a week
November through March is the best window for strength work — furthest from events and with the most schedule flexibility. Split squats, hip hinges, presses, and core. Progress meaningfully over the 12–16 weeks.
Get outside once a week for a longer easy ride
A 2–3 hour outdoor zone 2 ride on the weekend builds durability that indoor sessions can't replicate. Dress for the weather and keep the power genuinely easy. Duration is the point, not the suffering.

COMMON MISTAKES

WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG

MISTAKERacing Zwift events all winter and calling it base training.
FIXZwift races are build-intensity work. They have no place in a base phase. Use Zwift for controlled zone 2 and group rides where you can manage the effort.
MISTAKETaking the whole winter off and expecting a quick restart in spring.
FIXTwo to four weeks of genuine rest after your last event is healthy. Beyond that, start building base. Detraining over 12 weeks costs you months of rebuilding.
MISTAKESkipping strength work because 'there's no time'.
FIXWinter is the easiest time to add strength because event pressure is lowest. Two 30-minute sessions a week in November is far easier to sustain than in April with events looming.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Should I do intervals in winter?

Minimal — one modest quality session per week at most in the latter half of the base phase. Tempo riding (76–83% FTP) is fine. Full threshold and VO2max intervals belong in the build phase, not winter base. Winter intensities creeping up is one of the most reliable ways to arrive at spring carrying hidden fatigue.

How many hours should I train in winter?

Similar volume to your main season or slightly higher if you have the time — winter is when many riders have more weekend flexibility. More important than hours is the intensity distribution: overwhelmingly zone 2, nothing over threshold until spring.

Is Zwift good for winter base training?

Yes, as a zone 2 training tool. Use the ERG mode for controlled base riding, take group rides where you can stay easy, and use structured base plans. Avoid Zwift racing or high-intensity workouts until the build phase — the platform makes any intensity easy to access, which is exactly the temptation to resist in winter.

Should I ride outside in winter?

Yes, when conditions allow. Outdoor riding for long zone 2 rides builds durability that indoor sessions don't replicate over the same duration. Dress well, keep power easy, and count the outdoor long ride as a non-negotiable part of the weekly plan.

When should I start building toward spring races?

For a spring target event in April or May, begin the build phase (threshold and VO2max intervals) in January or February — 8–10 weeks before the event, after 12–16 weeks of winter base. Don't start intervals in October trying to bank fitness early.

RELATED EPISODES

HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS

Jonas Abrahamsen: 18kg Weight Gain & Pro Winter Training

Winter Cycling Training: Intensity, Frequency & Duration | Roadman Cycling Podcast

Winter Cycling Training: Dose, Frequency & Duration | Roadman Cycling