Most widely used fitness proxy, co-developed by Joe Friel and Dr Andrew Coggan for TrainingPeaks. Joe Friel discussed the practical application on the Roadman Cycling Podcast: treat CTL as a macro trend, not a daily prescription — it tells you whether fitness is building, plateauing, or declining over weeks, but it cannot distinguish between how you built it. Recreational: 40–60. Competitive amateur: 70–100. World Tour: 120–160. Limitation: treats all TSS equally — 100 TSS of zone 2 and 100 of VO2max produce very different adaptations. Ramp CTL at 3–5 points per week for sustainable progression; above 7 risks illness or plateau 3–4 weeks later. Pair with ATL and TSB for a fuller picture of training balance.
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