If you completed phase V of our 6-month multi-stage cycling training program—designed to prep cyclists for the Nedbank Tour de Tuli, a four-day, ~200-mile mountain bike excursion through Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa—get ready for phase VI. (In case you need it, here’s phase I, phase II and phase III, phase IV, and phase V of the cycling tour training program.) In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies
“In training phase VI, it’s important to maintain training quality and not take it too easy too soon,” says program designer Ryan Hodierne, a sports scientist and biomechanist with the Sports Science Centre at Singapore Sports Institute, and member of the High Performance Advisory Committee to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee. “Your training load will drop considerably, but the training pattern will remain unchanged. Intervals become more of a focus to spark that eagerness to get going—though not enough to take away from built-up energy stores. This is also the time you’ll be most vulnerable and susceptible to sickness, so stay hydrated, rest whenever you can, and eat well. Through the final weeks, confirm event-day strategy, kits, and equipment, ensuring all is in good order and ready to go.” Your additional choice sessions now take the form of a 30-minute stretch (rather than cross training). Note: The final week of this training cycle only include 3 days. A familiarization ride the day before the event start is recommended with intensity remaining low. *This program can also be used to train for a comparable multi-stage mountain biking event. Goal: Maintain training quality and prepare for the event
9 Amazing (and Sustainable) African Safaris
Read article
4 weeks out Week 1: 6 total training hours Ride 1 Session: Moderate (7/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road bike on undulating terrain with sustained moderate effort from start to finish. Duration: 1.5 hours Ride 2 Session: Mild endurance (5/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road/trainer at talking pace along scenic route. Duration: 2 hours Ride 3 Session: Intervals (8/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road: Complete 15-minute warmup, then cycle for 1 minute at hard pace, 2 minutes at moderate pace, 3 minutes easy, 2 minutes moderate, and 1 minute hard. Repeat 3x. Cool down for 15 minutes. Rest day Session 4 Optional Full-body stretch Duration: 30 minutes
10 Serious Adventures Anyone Can Conquer
Read article
3 weeks out Week 2: 6 total training hours Ride 1 Session: Moderate/fun (6/10 intensity) Sport: MTB on trail/single track on mildly challenging route Duration: 2 hours Ride 2 Session: Endurance (6/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road/trainer on flat profile. Ride at higher cadence than usual; keep the effort easy. Duration: 2 hours Ride 3 Session: Intervals (7/10 intensity( Sport: MTB/road: Complete 15-minute warmup, then cycle for 4 minutes at a moderate pace, 2 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 3 minutes moderate, and 1 minute hard. Repeat 5x. Cool down for 30 minutes. Duration: 2 hours Rest Day
The 25 Best Cycling Roads in America
Read article
2 weeks out Week 3: 7 total training hours Ride 1 Session: Tour-day simulation (6/10 intensity) Sport: MTB off-road on varied terrain with hydration pack, snacks, and spare gear Duration: 2 hours Ride 2 Session: Intervals (8/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road/trainer: Complete 30-minute warmup, then cycle for 2 minutes hard, 3 minutes easy. Repeat 6x. Cool down for 30 minutes. Duration: 1.5 hours Ride 3 Session: Moderate (7/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road on undulating profile. Ride descents hard, flats at moderate intensity, and climbs easy. Duration: 2 hours Ride 4 Session: Social ride (5/10 intensity) Sport: MTB on easy terrain at talking pace. Confirm tour-day prep and strategy. Duration: 1.5 hours Session 4 Optional Full-body stretch Duration: 30 minutes
The Guide to Picking Your Next Mountain Bike
Read article
3 days til race Week 4: 2.75 total training hours Ride 1 Session: Easy (5/10 intensity) Sport: MTB on easy off-road route. Ride at comfortable cadence. Duration: 1 hour Ride 2 Session: Intervals (9/10 intensity) Sport: Road/trainer: Complete 15-minute warmup. Cycle for 30 seconds at a high cadence, then 2 minutes easy. Repeat 6x. Cool down for 15 minutes. Duration: .75 hours Ride 3 Session: Easy/day before race (5/10 intensity) Sport: MTB to get familiarized with course and terrain. Ensure your bike is set up properly. Duration: 1 hour
The Best Strength Workout for Mountain Bikers
Read article
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
If you completed phase V of our 6-month multi-stage cycling training program—designed to prep cyclists for the Nedbank Tour de Tuli, a four-day, ~200-mile mountain bike excursion through Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa—get ready for phase VI. (In case you need it, here’s phase I, phase II and phase III, phase IV, and phase V of the cycling tour training program.)
In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies
“In training phase VI, it’s important to maintain training quality and not take it too easy too soon,” says program designer Ryan Hodierne, a sports scientist and biomechanist with the Sports Science Centre at Singapore Sports Institute, and member of the High Performance Advisory Committee to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee. “Your training load will drop considerably, but the training pattern will remain unchanged. Intervals become more of a focus to spark that eagerness to get going—though not enough to take away from built-up energy stores. This is also the time you’ll be most vulnerable and susceptible to sickness, so stay hydrated, rest whenever you can, and eat well. Through the final weeks, confirm event-day strategy, kits, and equipment, ensuring all is in good order and ready to go.”
Your additional choice sessions now take the form of a 30-minute stretch (rather than cross training).
Note: The final week of this training cycle only include 3 days. A familiarization ride the day before the event start is recommended with intensity remaining low.
*This program can also be used to train for a comparable multi-stage mountain biking event.
Goal: Maintain training quality and prepare for the event
9 Amazing (and Sustainable) African Safaris
Read article
4 weeks out
Week 1: 6 total training hours
Ride 1 Session: Moderate (7/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road bike on undulating terrain with sustained moderate effort from start to finish. Duration: 1.5 hours
9 Amazing (and Sustainable) African Safaris
Read article
9 Amazing (and Sustainable) African Safaris
Ride 2 Session: Mild endurance (5/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road/trainer at talking pace along scenic route. Duration: 2 hours
Ride 3 Session: Intervals (8/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road: Complete 15-minute warmup, then cycle for 1 minute at hard pace, 2 minutes at moderate pace, 3 minutes easy, 2 minutes moderate, and 1 minute hard. Repeat 3x. Cool down for 15 minutes.
Rest day
Session 4 Optional Full-body stretch Duration: 30 minutes
10 Serious Adventures Anyone Can Conquer
Read article
3 weeks out
Week 2: 6 total training hours
Ride 1 Session: Moderate/fun (6/10 intensity) Sport: MTB on trail/single track on mildly challenging route Duration: 2 hours
10 Serious Adventures Anyone Can Conquer
Read article
10 Serious Adventures Anyone Can Conquer
Ride 2 Session: Endurance (6/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road/trainer on flat profile. Ride at higher cadence than usual; keep the effort easy. Duration: 2 hours
Ride 3 Session: Intervals (7/10 intensity( Sport: MTB/road: Complete 15-minute warmup, then cycle for 4 minutes at a moderate pace, 2 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 3 minutes moderate, and 1 minute hard. Repeat 5x. Cool down for 30 minutes. Duration: 2 hours
Rest Day
The 25 Best Cycling Roads in America
Read article
2 weeks out
Week 3: 7 total training hours
Ride 1 Session: Tour-day simulation (6/10 intensity) Sport: MTB off-road on varied terrain with hydration pack, snacks, and spare gear Duration: 2 hours
The 25 Best Cycling Roads in America
Read article
The 25 Best Cycling Roads in America
Ride 2 Session: Intervals (8/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road/trainer: Complete 30-minute warmup, then cycle for 2 minutes hard, 3 minutes easy. Repeat 6x. Cool down for 30 minutes. Duration: 1.5 hours
Ride 3 Session: Moderate (7/10 intensity) Sport: MTB/road on undulating profile. Ride descents hard, flats at moderate intensity, and climbs easy. Duration: 2 hours
Ride 4 Session: Social ride (5/10 intensity) Sport: MTB on easy terrain at talking pace. Confirm tour-day prep and strategy. Duration: 1.5 hours
The Guide to Picking Your Next Mountain Bike
Read article
3 days til race
Week 4: 2.75 total training hours
Ride 1 Session: Easy (5/10 intensity) Sport: MTB on easy off-road route. Ride at comfortable cadence. Duration: 1 hour
The Guide to Picking Your Next Mountain Bike
Read article
The Guide to Picking Your Next Mountain Bike
Ride 2 Session: Intervals (9/10 intensity) Sport: Road/trainer: Complete 15-minute warmup. Cycle for 30 seconds at a high cadence, then 2 minutes easy. Repeat 6x. Cool down for 15 minutes. Duration: .75 hours
Ride 3 Session: Easy/day before race (5/10 intensity) Sport: MTB to get familiarized with course and terrain. Ensure your bike is set up properly. Duration: 1 hour
The Best Strength Workout for Mountain Bikers
Read article
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
The Best Strength Workout for Mountain Bikers
Read article
The Best Strength Workout for Mountain Bikers
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
