WHO THIS IS FOR
IS THIS YOU?
The cyclist new to structured training
You have been riding regularly but never followed a plan, and you want to understand the building blocks of periodised training before committing to one.
The rider who trains consistently but plateaus
You ride a lot and work hard, but your fitness has flatlined because your training lacks the progressive structure that forces new adaptation.
THE ROADMAN VIEW
The Roadman view
Most cyclists train randomly. They ride when they can, go hard when they feel good, go easy when they are tired, and wonder why their FTP has not moved in two years. A training block is the antidote to that randomness. It gives a period of weeks a specific purpose — and when each block has a purpose, the weeks add up to something instead of cancelling each other out.
Think of it in plain terms. A base block (4–6 weeks) is where you build the aerobic engine — lots of Zone 2, some tempo work, maybe one set of VO2max intervals per week. A build block (3–4 weeks) shifts the emphasis to threshold and sweet spot work, raising the power you can sustain for 20–60 minutes. A peak block (2–3 weeks) sharpens everything — short, intense sessions that bring race fitness without adding fatigue. And a recovery block (1 week, sometimes 2) is where you do almost nothing so the body can actually absorb what you have done.
Joe Friel has spent decades explaining this structure, and Dan Lorang applies it at the highest level with riders like Roglic. The concept is the same whether you are targeting the Tour de France or a local sportive — the specifics change, but the principle of focused blocks with deliberate recovery does not. Anthony's position is clear: if you are not periodising your training into blocks, you are not really training — you are just riding.
EXPERT EVIDENCE
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
- Joe FrielEndurance coaching authority, author of The Cyclist's Training Bible
Periodisation is the organising principle of all effective training. A training block — or mesocycle — gives each phase of preparation a single focus. Base blocks build the aerobic foundation. Build blocks raise threshold and race-specific power. Peak blocks sharpen fitness while shedding fatigue. Without this structure, training is random stimulus that produces diminishing returns.
Hear it: Joe Friel's Cycling Training Plan Structure | Roadman Cycling - Dan LorangHead of performance at Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe, coached Primoz Roglic
Every training plan we build at the professional level is structured around blocks. Even for amateur riders, the principle is the same: progressive overload within a block, followed by recovery to absorb the stimulus, then a new block that builds on what the previous one achieved. The block duration depends on the athlete's training age and recovery capacity — newer athletes may need shorter blocks with more frequent recovery.
Hear it: Roglic's Coach Builds A Training Plan For Amateur Riders | Dan Lorang
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
DO THIS WEEK
Plan your next 12 weeks in blocks
Divide 12 weeks into three blocks: a 4-week base block (3 weeks of progressive loading + 1 recovery week), a 4-week build block (same structure), and a 4-week peak block. Each loading week should increase volume or intensity by roughly 10% over the previous week. The recovery week drops to 50–60% of the peak week's load.
Give each block a single focus
Base block: 80–90% Zone 2 with one VO2max session per week to maintain top-end fitness. Build block: two quality sessions per week (one threshold, one VO2max) with the rest at Zone 2. Peak block: reduce volume by 20–30% but keep intensity high with short, sharp race-specific efforts. Do not try to train everything at once — that is the number one planning mistake.
Use TSS or training load to monitor progression
Track weekly Training Stress Score (TSS) or equivalent metric to ensure you are actually progressing across weeks within a block and recovering during the recovery week. A well-structured block shows a staircase pattern: 450 TSS → 500 → 550 → 300 (recovery). Use the Roadman TSS Calculator and Training Load tool to quantify this.
COMMON MISTAKES
WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG
MISTAKESkipping the recovery week because fitness feels like it is building.
FIXAdaptation happens during recovery, not during training. The recovery week is where your body converts training stress into fitness. Skip it and you accumulate fatigue without the corresponding gains — the definition of overtraining.
MISTAKETrying to maintain every energy system in every block.
FIXA base block does not need threshold intervals, and a peak block does not need 5-hour endurance rides. Accept that some capacities will temporarily dip during blocks that do not target them — they return quickly when you shift focus.
MISTAKEMaking every block the same length and structure regardless of how the body responds.
FIXMonitor fatigue, performance, and motivation. If you are still fresh and progressing at the end of week 3, extend to week 4 before recovering. If you are buried by week 2, take the recovery week early. Rigid adherence to a plan that ignores signals from your body is poor periodisation.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long should a training block last?
What does a recovery week look like?
Can I still ride hard during a recovery week?
What is the difference between a training block and a microcycle?
Do I need a coach to plan training blocks?
How many training blocks do I need before a target event?
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