Time trial training plan
- 10 weeks
- Cycling
- Duration
- 10 weeks
- Sessions
- 59 in total
- avg. 5.9 per week
- Training time
- avg. 6.1 h/week
- Peak week 7.3 h
- Key sessions
- 22 key sessions
How the training load develops
Training time per week over 10 weeks. The toughest week is week 7 with 7.3 h.
Plan structure
59 sessions spread over 10 weeks, around 61 hours of training and a total load of 2,739 TSS.
- Cycling 40 sessions 1,430 km in total
- Strength training 19 sessions
| Week | Sessions | Sports | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 3 Key |
|
6.7 h |
| 2 | 6 3 Key |
|
6.9 h |
| 3 | 6 1 Key |
|
4.7 h |
| 4 | 6 3 Key |
|
7 h |
| 5 | 6 3 Key |
|
7.2 h |
| 6 | 6 1 Key |
|
4.9 h |
| 7 | 6 3 Key |
|
7.3 h |
| 8 | 6 3 Key |
|
7.2 h |
| 9 | 6 1 Key |
|
5.3 h |
| 10 | 5 1 Key |
|
3.5 h |
A look inside the plan
Sample week: week 5 of 10
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 7:14 h 175 km 3
About this training plan
Your first time trial over 10 to 20 km shouldn’t become agony after five minutes because you went off too fast. This plan teaches you to pace your effort evenly, keep pushing hard in the aero position and get to the start line with the right warm-up. Intensity is set by heart rate – a chest strap is all you need.
Who the plan is for
You’ve been riding a road bike for up to two years, have your first intervals under your belt and can ride for two hours non-stop without any trouble. Four riding days a week fit into your schedule: two interval days during the week and two days at the weekend. Your first time trial is in the calendar, and a road bike is all you need for it, ideally with clip-on aero bars. If you don’t ride any intervals at all yet, you’re better off starting with Cycling Base Building or FTP Booster. If you already train regularly with intervals, have five riding days and race over 20 to 40 km, Level 2 is the better choice.
How the plan works
A time trial is won by whoever holds the hardest effort they can sustain evenly all the way to the finish – and does it in the low, flat position that cuts aerodynamic drag. The plan builds towards exactly that in three phases.
- Base: Threshold intervals and three-minute VO2max intervals – short, very hard efforts close to your maximal oxygen uptake that raise the ceiling above your threshold. Alongside them come your first blocks in the aero position, first at endurance pace on the turbo trainer, then at Sweet Spot just below threshold.
- Aero threshold: The threshold intervals move into the aero position, up to two times 15 minutes. The VO2max intervals progress from five times three to four times four minutes, and on Saturdays you ride up to two times 15 minutes of Sweet Spot in the aero position.
- Race simulation: Race pace with sections for the start, a climb, a tailwind and the finish, followed by a 20-minute dress rehearsal including your race-day warm-up, which shows how calmly you start and whether the upper limit of your HR range holds for you in the race. On Saturdays the Sweet Spot blocks grow to two times 20 minutes.
Every week until race week, you also do core stability and strength training for trunk and legs – a stable core lets you hold the aero position for longer. Cycling-specific stretching runs throughout. Before the race, the volume drops in a taper week but the intensity stays the same. In race week, short openers keep you sharp.
What you need before you start
The whole plan is guided by heart rate: every target is given as a percentage of your threshold HR (bike), built on Joe Friel’s proven zone model. You set your threshold HR at the weekend before you start with a 30-minute test; you’ll find the exact protocol in the plan. A chest strap is enough for every session, including the dress rehearsal and the race outdoors, and you don’t need a power meter; you ride the start and the short changes of pace on climbs and in the wind by feel, because your heart rate lags behind them. You need a road bike, ideally with clip-on aero bars, or a time-trial bike. If you don’t have aero bars, or your race rules don’t allow them, ride all the aero blocks in the drops: elbows bent, forearms almost horizontal, back flat. For the midweek intervals, put the same bike on a turbo trainer and ride it in standard mode by heart rate, using gears and cadence. For the aero blocks outdoors, find a flat, quiet road without junctions. Check your race rules to see which bike and which aero bars are allowed.
Support within the plan
At the start you note down your HR range for the race and mark the hardest part of your course with a phrase that will carry you through it. One note on the aero position explains setup and safety, another covers pacing in the race, and a third your warm-up. Later you ride the race once in your head and put together a start routine to keep your nerves in check. A race-day checklist covers kit, breakfast and the timing of your warm-up, plus tips for after the race.
Which level is right for you?
- Level 1: Four riding days. You want to ride your first time trial over 10 to 20 km at an even pace from start to finish. Threshold up to two times 15 minutes in the aero position, VO2max intervals of three to four minutes, Sweet Spot in the aero position up to two times 20 minutes, a 20-minute dress rehearsal.
- Level 2: Five riding days. You ride time trials over 20 to 40 km and want to improve your time. Threshold up to two times 20 minutes in the aero position, VO2max also in a 30/15 rhythm, Sweet Spot in the aero position up to three times 20 minutes, a 30-minute dress rehearsal.
- Level 3: Six riding days. You race 40 km with a performance focus. Threshold in the aero position up to two times 20 and three times 15 minutes, VO2max up to five times five minutes and 30/15 up to three times 15 repetitions, Sweet Spot in the aero position up to two times 30 minutes, a 40-minute dress rehearsal.
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 10-week plan59 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
- 22 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 10), and each week starts on a Monday. If you have a race in mind, simply count back 10 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.
Time Trial (Heart rate)
10 weeks · 59 sessions · €18.00 (final price*)
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