First 40km: Max 200W. It will feel too easy. That's correct.
Middle 80km: 195–215W — your race pace (72–80% FTP).
Climbs: Up to 240W OK — always recover on descents.
Final 44km: Give what you have left. Never exceed 250W on climbs.
Night before: Carb-heavy dinner — pasta or rice.
Morning (2–3hrs before): 100g carbs, low fibre, coffee if used to it.
On the bike: 70g carbs/hr · 600–750ml fluid/hr · Gel every 45min · Real food every 1.5hrs.
Practice this on every 130km+ training ride.
Weeks 1–9: Full progressive strength.
Weeks 10–12: Maintenance load (70%), reduced sets.
Week 13: Bodyweight + mobility only.
Week 14: Skip gym entirely. Fresh legs win races.
Target power: 225–243W (83–90% FTP)
Estimated duration: ~30–35 minutes
Carbs burned: ~115g — pre-fuel is critical
⚠️ Race adrenaline will push you to 270W+. Let riders go. You will see them again at km 80.
Climb Protocol:
After the Climb:
Drop to 190–210W for 10km recovery descent, then lock into race pace 195–215W for the remaining 144km.
The opening climb is the race. Nail the pacing here and the rest follows.