Gran fondo and century training plans
Start with the goal and level that fit your current riding. Compare plan summaries and try the sample first week below; review the full calendar in Glood before starting.
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Sample week: 16-Week Century Prep
Week 1 of 16-Week Century Prep · Beginner
| Day | Workout | Total duration |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Base Builder 45 | 45 minutes |
| Day 2 | Rest | — |
| Day 3 | Easy Spin | 45 minutes |
| Day 4 | Rest | — |
| Day 5 | Rest | — |
| Day 6 | Sunday Spin 90 | 90 minutes |
| Day 7 | Rest | — |
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16-Week Century Prep
Beginner · 16 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
16-week preparation for a first 100-mile or 160km event. Prioritises volume over intensity. The Saturday long ride grows progressively from 90 minutes to 4 hours by week 14.
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First 100K Gran Fondo
Beginner · 12 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
Twelve-week preparation for a first 100 km gran fondo. Weekend ride builds progressively from 60 min to 100 km. Sweet Spot introduced week 5. Nutrition practice built into weekend rides.
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Hilly Gran Fondo Preparation
Beginner · 10 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
Ten-week plan combining mileage building with climbing-specific work for a Gran Fondo with 1,500m+ elevation. Low-cadence climbing intervals and Sweet Spot endurance support progressively longer hilly weekend rides.
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Nutrition & Pacing Practice
Beginner · 6 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
Six-week plan focused on nutrition strategy and pacing discipline for long-distance rides. Progressive practice of eating timing, product testing, and negative split pacing. Primary progression is in nutrition habits, not intensity.
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12-Week Gran Fondo Prep
Intermediate · 12 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
Systematic preparation for a gran fondo or century ride. Builds aerobic base, threshold power, and climbing strength over 12 weeks with built-in recovery weeks and a final taper.
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Century Build
Intermediate · 12 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
12-week progressive plan for completing a 100-mile century ride. Long rides build from 2 to 5.5+ hours with nutrition practice, sweet spot endurance segments, and back-to-back long ride simulation for event readiness.
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Mountain Fondo
Intermediate · 10 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
10-week mountain-focused gran fondo plan. Combines sustained sweet spot with progressive climbing volume. Target elevation milestones build from 1000m to 2000m+ elevation simulation. Prepares rider for hilly fondo events.
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Speed Fondo
Intermediate · 8 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
8-week plan for timed, fast gran fondo events. Threshold and tempo drive race pace fitness. Includes race pace simulation and full-distance rehearsal at 80% effort. Targets competitive fondo performance, not just completion.
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Fondo Distance & Power Build
Advanced · 12 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
12-week gran fondo prep with progressive long rides from 3 to 5 hours. Threshold, SS climbing, and nutrition practice. Fondo at week 12.
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Fondo Climbing Endurance
Advanced · 10 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
10-week climbing endurance for fondos with 2000m+ elevation. Progressive long rides from 3 to 4.5 hours with climbing-specific intensity. Every 3rd week recovery.
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Epic Fondo Simulation & Race Strategy
Advanced · 8 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
8-week fondo-specific plan with full 5-6 hour simulations. Race pacing, nutrition strategy, and climbing practice. Taper and fondo at week 8.
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20-Week Grand Tour Prep
Elite · 20 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
The most comprehensive plan in the library. Designed for elite riders targeting multi-day events. Five phases: aerobic volume → threshold → climbing power → stage simulation → taper. Seven-day training weeks with structured recovery. Peak CTL 90–110+.
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Ultra-Distance Gran Fondo Peak
Elite · 16 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
Sixteen-week elite gran fondo plan for competitive placings at 120-200km events. Four phases: aerobic volume build, fatigue-state race-pace efforts, mock fondo simulations, and final taper. Long rides reach 6 hours. For elite riders targeting podium at major fondos.
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Fondo Climbing Focus
Elite · 12 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
Twelve-week elite gran fondo plan with emphasis on climbing performance. Sustained threshold climbing, VO2max climb repeats, and Z2 rides with climb surges. Peak volume includes full-length climb simulations. For fondos with 2,000m+ elevation gain.
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Fondo Pace & Nutrition Mastery
Elite · 10 weeks · Goal: Gran Fondo
Ten-week elite gran fondo plan focused on sustained race-pace execution and nutrition test. Progressive extension of race-pace blocks from 2x20 min to 90 min continuous. Each ride includes fueling strategy testing. For elite riders optimizing sub-5-hour fondo performance.
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Workouts for this goal
Explore endurance cycling workouts and sweet spot cycling workouts to understand related session types. Compare all cycling training plan summaries or read how to choose and follow a plan in Glood.