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Gran Fondo Prep

Twelve weeks of periodized training for a long sportive or gran fondo: a progressive build in long-ride duration, peaking with a near-event-distance ride before tapering. Weeks with two hard sessions always separate them with an easy ride.

12 weeks · ~88h total · TSS 3646

Send every week of this plan to your Intervals.icu calendar in one go, starting from the date below (each week's sessions are spread across that week — you can move individual dates on Intervals.icu afterwards).
Week 1 3 sessions · ~3.5h · TSS 133
Base
Endurance Endurance Ride 2h 2h 0m TSS 79 Recovery Recovery Ride 30min 0h 30m TSS 7 Quality Combi tempo-endurance training 1h 0m TSS 47
Week 2 3 sessions · ~4.8h · TSS 176
Base
Endurance Endurance Ride 2h 30min 2h 30m TSS 99 Recovery Recovery Ride 1h 1h 0m TSS 13 Quality Combi tempo-endurance training 1h 15m TSS 64
Week 3 4 sessions · ~9.5h · TSS 350
Base

A second endurance ride joins the week for the first time — the biggest base week, right before the easy week.

Endurance Endurance Ride 3h 3h 0m TSS 121 Endurance Tempo Intervals 6x20min 3h 45m TSS 140 Quality Combi tempo-endurance training 1h 30m TSS 75 Recovery Recovery Ride 1h 15min 1h 15m TSS 14
Week 4 2 sessions · ~3h · TSS 71
Recovery

Absorb the base block before the intensity increases.

Recovery Recovery Ride 1h 30min 1h 30m TSS 15 Endurance Endurance Ride 1h 30min 1h 30m TSS 56
Week 5 4 sessions · ~9.3h · TSS 424
Build

Tempo and a combi session this week — the easy day between them matters as much as the sessions themselves.

Endurance Endurance Ride 4h 30min 4h 30m TSS 183 Quality Tempo Intervals 5x2min 1h 45m TSS 100 Recovery Recovery Ride 30min 0h 30m TSS 7 Quality Combi threshold-endurance training 2h 30m TSS 134
Week 6 4 sessions · ~10.4h · TSS 469
Build

Block and a second combi session — different stimulus from last week, still separated by an easy day.

Endurance Endurance Ride 5h 5h 0m TSS 204 Quality Combi threshold-endurance training 1h 55m TSS 117 Recovery Recovery Ride 1h 1h 0m TSS 13 Quality Combi vo2max-endurance training 2h 30m TSS 135
Week 7 4 sessions · ~12.6h · TSS 539
Build

Tempo and block, spaced apart — the last hard week before the recovery week.

Endurance Endurance Ride 5h 30min 5h 30m TSS 225 Quality Combi tempo-endurance training 2h 55m TSS 151 Recovery Recovery Ride 1h 15min 1h 15m TSS 14 Quality Combi threshold-endurance training 2h 55m TSS 149
Week 8 2 sessions · ~3.4h · TSS 89
Recovery

Second easy week — the biggest rides are still ahead.

Recovery Recovery Ride 1h 30min 1h 30m TSS 15 Endurance Endurance Ride 1h 55min 1h 55m TSS 74
Week 9 4 sessions · ~10.3h · TSS 494
Peak

Block and VO2max in the same week, easy day between — exactly the kind of pairing to never do back to back.

Endurance Endurance Ride 6h 6h 0m TSS 247 Quality Combi threshold-endurance training 2h 30m TSS 150 Recovery Recovery Ride 30min 0h 30m TSS 7 Quality VO2max Intervals 5x2min 1h 15m TSS 90
Week 10 2 sessions · ~9.6h · TSS 401
Peak

The long ride this week is the key session: it approaches your target event distance. Keep the other day light.

Endurance Endurance Ride 8h 8h 0m TSS 327 Quality Combi tempo-endurance training 1h 35m TSS 74
Week 11 4 sessions · ~8.8h · TSS 395
Peak

VO2max and a combi endurance-VO2max session, separated by the easy day.

Endurance Endurance Ride 4h 4h 0m TSS 162 Quality VO2max Intervals 20x30sec 1h 35m TSS 91 Recovery Recovery Ride 1h 1h 0m TSS 13 Quality Combi vo2max-threshold-endurance training 2h 10m TSS 129
Week 12 2 sessions · ~3.2h · TSS 105
Taper

Wind the volume down and arrive fresh on event day.

Quality Combi tempo-endurance training 1h 55m TSS 91 Recovery Recovery Ride 1h 15min 1h 15m TSS 14