Gravel Racing training plan
- 12 weeks
- Cycling
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Sessions
- 70 in total
- avg. 5.8 per week
- Training time
- avg. 6.3 h/week
- Peak week 7.6 h
- Key sessions
- 20 key sessions
How the training load develops
Training time per week over 12 weeks. The toughest week is week 8 with 7.6 h.
Plan structure
70 sessions spread over 12 weeks, around 76 hours of training and a total load of 3,071 TSS.
- Cycling 47 sessions 1,470 km in total
- Strength training 23 sessions
| Week | Sessions | Sports | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 2 Key |
|
6.2 h |
| 2 | 6 2 Key |
|
7.1 h |
| 3 | 6 1 Key |
|
4.7 h |
| 4 | 6 2 Key |
|
6.7 h |
| 5 | 6 2 Key |
|
7.3 h |
| 6 | 6 1 Key |
|
5.1 h |
| 7 | 6 2 Key |
|
7.2 h |
| 8 | 6 2 Key |
|
7.6 h |
| 9 | 6 1 Key |
|
5.2 h |
| 10 | 6 2 Key |
|
7.4 h |
| 11 | 5 2 Key |
|
5.4 h |
| 12 | 5 1 Key |
|
5.9 h |
A look inside the plan
Sample week: week 5 of 12
This is exactly how your plan will look in the Aspect App after you buy it. Tap a session to see its structure, intervals and target ranges.
You can also download bike workouts as FIT files for Garmin, Wahoo, COROS and others, or as ZWO files for Zwift.
Week 5 Build Phase 2 – Load Week 2 6 sessions 7:19 h 143.5 km 2
About this training plan
Your first gravel race over 60 to 90 km shouldn’t turn into a fight for survival. This plan teaches you to survive the fast start, keep up on short, loose ramps and in the group, and reach the finish with something in reserve. Training is guided by heart rate: a chest strap is all you need, with no other measuring equipment on the bike.
Who the plan is for
You have been riding a road bike or gravel bike for up to two years, can manage two-hour rides without any trouble and have your first gravel race in your calendar. You ride on four days a week: two days on the turbo trainer during the week, skills on Saturdays and the long ride on gravel on Sundays. If you want to ride with the group in races of 100 to 150 km and have five riding days, Level 2 is a better fit.
How the plan works
You don’t ride a gravel race at an even pace like a sportive: the start is fast, the pace changes before every gravel sector and on short, loose ramps, and the race is often only decided after several hours. The plan builds towards this in three phases, with skills and fuelling running throughout.
- Base: Threshold intervals up to 3 x 10 minutes and low-cadence blocks at 50 to 60 rpm on the turbo trainer – the strength for steep ramps where you have to stay seated.
- Pace changes and endurance: Three-minute VO2max intervals and over-unders, plus Sweet Spot blocks at the end of the long ride after around an hour and a half in the saddle.
- Race-specific: Race-start simulations on the turbo trainer and gravel simulations in the long ride after around two hours, with sector attacks, threshold efforts and short ramps.
- Gravel skills: Every Saturday until week 9 at low intensity, covering cornering and braking, line choice and steep climbs, riding in a group, and eating and drinking on the move.
- Fuelling as training: From 40 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour, so your stomach is used to the race-day amount.
In week 10 you ride your dress rehearsal over around 60 km with your race setup. After that, volume drops in the taper week while intensity stays the same, and in race week short openers keep your legs sharp. Core stability and strength training is added every week until race week, and cycling-specific stretching runs throughout.
What you need before you start
All targets are set as a percentage of your threshold heart rate (threshold HR) on the bike, based on Joe Friel’s zone model. You determine your threshold HR with a 30-minute test at the weekend before you start – the instructions are in the plan. You need a chest strap for every session, plus a turbo trainer for the weekday intervals, which you ride in standard mode, using gear and cadence to hold your heart rate target. You ride the start, attacks and short ramps by perceived exertion, because your heart rate lags behind such short efforts; you also pace the quick changes in the gravel simulations by feel, with heart rate serving only as an upper limit there. You’ll also need a gravel bike with tyres of at least 40 mm, a puncture repair kit and a traffic-free gravel loop where you can practise cornering and short climbs.
Support within the plan
At the start you set a goal that is in your own hands on race day, and name the section of the course you’re most wary of. Later you mentally split the race into the start, the sectors, the group and the closing stages, and before the dress rehearsal you set your race plan by heart rate. There are also notes on kit, tyre pressure and fuelling, a race-day checklist and advice for after the race.
Which level is right for you?
- Level 1: Your first gravel race over 60 to 90 km, in control and with something in reserve at the finish. Four riding days with no more than two hard sessions a week, gravel skills every Saturday until week 9, threshold up to 3 x 10, VO2max up to 5 x 3 and over-unders up to 3 x 9 minutes, race-start simulations up to 3 x 8 minutes, gravel simulations in a long ride of up to three hours, dress rehearsal over around 60 km, 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour in the race.
- Level 2: Gravel races over 100 to 150 km, staying with the group and riding the climbs actively. Five riding days, threshold up to 3 x 12, VO2max up to 5 x 4 and over-unders up to 3 x 12 minutes, 30/15 up to 3 x 12 repetitions, race-start simulations up to 3 x 10 minutes, gravel simulations after more than two hours in the saddle, dress rehearsal over around 90 km, 70 to 80 grams per hour in the race.
- Level 3: 120 to 200 km, aiming for a placing. Six riding days, threshold up to 3 x 15, VO2max up to 5 x 5 and over-unders up to 4 x 12 minutes, 30/15 up to 3 x 13 repetitions, race-start simulations up to 3 x 12 minutes, a weekend double in weeks 7 and 8 with a long ride on Saturday and a gravel simulation on Sunday, dress rehearsal over around 115 km, 80 to 90 grams per hour in the race.
Intensity guidance
Your training thresholds
Session intensity is based on your personal thresholds. After buying, you enter them in the Aspect App – the plan then converts every target for you. If they’re already stored in Intervals.icu, you can import them with one click during setup. Here’s how to find your values:
- Threshold heart rate (cycling)Targets are given as a percentage of your threshold heart rate on the bike – the highest heart rate you can sustain for about 60 minutes. How to find it: after a good warm-up, ride a 30-minute time trial on your own as hard as you can hold evenly – your average heart rate over the last 20 minutes is your threshold HR. A chest strap gives the most accurate reading. Stopgap without a test: about 90% of your reliably known maximum heart rate on the bike (185 bpm → 167 bpm).
Device sync via Intervals.icu
Your plan on your watch
Send your plan to your free Intervals.icu calendar in just a few clicks. From there, your bike sessions go to your watch and bike computer as structured workouts with intervals and target ranges – or into Zwift. No retyping and no file imports.
Ready in six steps
- Buy the planOnce your payment has been received, you’ll get your access link by email.
- Save it to your Aspect accountWith a free Aspect account, you save the plan under “My plans”.
- Connect Intervals.icuTap “Intervals.icu” at the top of your plan and connect your free account on intervals.icu (opens an external site). No account yet? You can create one there in a minute.
- Match your target valuesThe app checks whether Intervals.icu holds the same values as your plan (e.g. FTP, threshold heart rate or threshold pace). Any differences can be matched with one click.
- Choose a start date and sendChoose your start Monday, check the preview, send.
- Connect your deviceIn Intervals.icu, go to Settings → Connections, connect your device or platform and enable uploading of planned workouts (e.g. “Upload planned workouts”).
What arrives where
| Platform | What arrives |
|---|---|
| Garmin | Cycling as structured workouts; strength: title only, no exercises (supported) |
| Wahoo ELEMNT, BOLT, ROAM | Bike workouts (supported) |
| Zwift | Bike workouts (supported) |
| Suunto | Planned workouts (watches with SuuntoPlus Guides) (supported) |
| COROS | Planned workouts – the first time only, drag the “Intervals.icu” training plan into your calendar in the COROS app. (supported) |
| Hammerhead Karoo | Bike workouts – you set up the connection with Hammerhead (on the Karoo or in the Hammerhead dashboard) (limited) |
| Apple Watch | No official integration – only via third-party apps (e.g. Watchletic – the Intervals.icu import is a paid feature) (limited) |
| Polar, TrainerRoad | No direct transfer (not supported) |
- Most services receive roughly the next 7 days at a time. The complete plan is in your Intervals.icu calendar.
- Intervals.icu calculates the target ranges from your values there (e.g. FTP, threshold HR, threshold pace). If you change them, upcoming workouts are adjusted with the next sync.
- During setup, the Aspect App checks whether your values in Intervals.icu match your plan. You resolve any differences with one click – in either direction, with a side-by-side comparison first.
- If you move a session within its week in the Aspect App, Intervals.icu updates automatically – and so does your device at the next sync.
- Zwift uses the values in your Zwift profile (FTP, 5K time). Enter the same values there as in Intervals.icu.
- Strength sessions appear in the Intervals.icu calendar with a description and planned duration. On your watch they only show their title. You’ll find the exercises in the Aspect App.
In the Aspect App you can also download bike workouts as FIT files (e.g. for Garmin, Wahoo, COROS) or as ZWO files for Zwift.
What you get
- The complete 12-week plan70 sessions, structured week by week and day by day.
- All sessions in the Aspect AppEvery session with its full structure. In the browser on your smartphone, tablet or computer.
- Flexible within your weekIf a day doesn’t suit you, you can use a free Aspect account to move sessions to another day within the plan week or change their order – by drag & drop on a computer, or via “Move to…” on a smartphone. You can restore the original order at any time. If you’ve sent the plan to Intervals.icu, it is updated there automatically.
- Straight to your watch and bike computerAs structured workouts via your free Intervals.icu account – to Garmin, Wahoo, COROS & more. Or as a FIT/ZWO download. How it works
- 20 marked key sessionsThe sessions that matter most in each week. They take priority if you need to reschedule.
- Access with or without an accountPersonal access link by email. With a free Aspect account, saved permanently under “My plans” – and ready to send to your watch and bike computer.
How it works
- OrderAdd the plan to your basket and pay with PayPal, card and more (via Stripe) or by bank transfer.
- Check your inboxOnce your payment has been received, you’ll get your personal access link.
- Open your planThe link opens your plan straight in the Aspect App – nothing to install.
- Save it to your accountOptional and free: save the plan to your Aspect account and open it again at any time.
- Get it onto your watchOptional: send it to your calendar via Intervals.icu with your start date – and from there to your watch and bike computer. Here’s how
Created by your coach
Hi, I’m Alex – coach and the mind behind aspect®. My training plans grow out of my endurance coaching work in triathlon, cycling and running. If you’d rather have individual coaching than a ready-made plan, take a look at 1:1 coaching.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the training plan after purchase?
Once we’ve received your payment, you’ll get an email with your personal access link. Use it to open the plan directly in the Aspect App – in the browser on your smartphone, tablet or computer. You’ll also receive your invoice by email.
How does the plan get onto my watch and bike computer?
Via Intervals.icu. Open your plan in the Aspect App, tap “Intervals.icu” at the top and follow the steps: connect your free Intervals.icu account, match your target values, choose your start Monday, check the preview and send the plan to your Intervals.icu calendar as structured workouts. From there, Intervals.icu sends the upcoming sessions to Garmin, Wahoo, Zwift, Suunto and COROS – to set this up, go to Settings → Connections in Intervals.icu, connect your device or platform and switch on the upload of planned workouts (e.g. “Upload planned workouts”). For Hammerhead Karoo, set up the connection in your Hammerhead account. Zwift uses the values in your Zwift profile (FTP, 5K time). Most services receive roughly the next 7 days at a time.
Does it work with the Apple Watch?
Not directly: there’s no official Intervals.icu integration for the Apple Watch. It’s only possible via third-party apps (e.g. Watchletic – the Intervals.icu import is a paid feature). Polar and TrainerRoad aren’t supported directly either. You can still see all your sessions in the Aspect App at any time – including in your smartphone’s browser.
Does Intervals.icu cost anything?
No. A free Intervals.icu account is all you need for the transfer. Intervals.icu also offers an optional supporter subscription – you don’t need it for this. Transferring from the Aspect App doesn’t cost anything extra either.
Do I have to keep my values up to date in two places?
No. In the plan view, the “Match target values” step (“Intervals.icu” button) checks whether Intervals.icu holds the same values as your plan – FTP, threshold HR, threshold pace or swim threshold pace (CSS), depending on what your plan uses. If anything differs, you see both values side by side, choose which one applies for each, and match them with one click. Nothing is overwritten without asking. To do this, you confirm access to your Intervals.icu sport settings once when connecting. Your indoor FTP stays unchanged, and HR zones are only recalculated if you explicitly ask for it. Zwift still uses the values in your Zwift profile.
Do I need an account in the Aspect App?
Not to view it: the access link also works without an account. With a free Aspect account, you save the plan permanently under “My plans” – and only then can you transfer it to your watch and bike computer via Intervals.icu.
When can I start the plan?
Whenever you like. The plan isn’t tied to a date but built in weeks (week 1 to 12), and each week starts on a Monday. If you have a race in mind, simply count back 12 weeks from race day. For the transfer to Intervals.icu, you choose your start Monday yourself – the Monday of the current week at the earliest.
What happens if I start later or need to reschedule?
No problem. If you want to start the whole plan later, simply choose a new start date in the plan view under “Intervals.icu” → “Reschedule” – the sessions are moved in your Intervals.icu calendar without any duplicate entries. If you no longer need the plan there, you can remove it again. Your own entries in Intervals.icu remain untouched. If just a single day doesn’t work, move the session within its week (see the next question).
Can I move sessions to other days?
Yes, within the plan week in question. With a free Aspect account, you can move a session to another day of the same week in the plan view or change the order within a day – by drag and drop on a computer, or via the “Move to…” menu on each session on a smartphone. The plan itself stays unchanged: moved sessions are marked with a small icon (e.g. “originally Tuesday”), and “Reset week” or “Reset whole plan” restores the original order. If the plan has been transferred to Intervals.icu, moves and resets are applied there automatically – and to your watch and bike computer at the next sync. If you move a transferred session within its week directly in the Intervals.icu calendar, the Aspect App picks this up (it can take about a minute). If a session ends up outside its plan week there, the app moves it back to its week and lets you know. Without an account, you can view the plan but not move sessions.
Is the plan tailored to me personally?
No – it’s a ready-made training plan that works for many athletes with a similar goal. If you’d like individual support, you’ll find 1:1 coaching at aspect-sports.com.
Do I have a right of withdrawal?
The training plan is digital content. With your express consent, it is made available before the withdrawal period has expired – your right of withdrawal then expires when provision begins (Section 356(5) of the German Civil Code, BGB). You’ll find the details in our withdrawal policy.
Gravel Racing (Heart rate)
12 weeks · 70 sessions · €19.00 (final price*)
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