Week 19 of the British Cycling Sportive Training Plans for beginners and week14 for intermediate and advanced riders starts on Monday - download yours today.

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BEGINNERS
The eighteenth of 25 weeks of prescribed training sessions designed to get you to your first sportive in the best possible shape.

You’ll be pleased to know that you get a break from the hills this week. The focus of the Saturday ride are two solid tempo efforts on the flat. Being able to ride strongly on the flat is as important to sportive success as climbing ability. It might fall to you to keep the pace of a group up or you could find yourself on your own battling a headwind. Either way, strong riding will maximise gains and minimise losses.

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INTERMEDIATE
Depending on your chosen cross training activity, this week gives you the option of an additional bike session. Be honest about how you’ve been coping with the training load and only add in this session if you’ve been recovering well and are feeling strong. There’s no point in adding an extra session in just for the sake of it if your core workouts suffer. Remember it’s quality of training not quantity that’ll get you results.

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ADVANCED
Last week was your toughest yet, so make the most of your Monday rest day and maybe consider booking in for a massage. From this week, you get the choice of an additional bike session but, if you’re already finding the schedule a struggle, leave it a week or so before adding it. Remember quality is far more important than quantity and if you’re unable to complete the workouts at the specified intensities, you won’t be gaining maximum benefit from them.

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By following the plans, British Cycling members will benefit from the same expert knowhow that has propelled Britain to the top of World cycling.

Developed by British Cycling’s expert coaches and using sessions ridden by the top riders; it’s a structured, scientific and proven route to cycling success which, together with advice from British Cycling’s Insight Zone, forms a powerful cycling knowledgebase.

FOLLOW THE PLAN
British Cycling members can start following our training plans at any time – match the plans to the date of your event and your ability level and see your cycling improve.

If you’re new to cycling or it has been a while since you were last in the saddle, the British Cycling Sportive Training Plan for beginners is the ideal way for you to train for and complete up to a 60-mile sportive. Using heart rate to gauge intensity, you’ll always be training at the right level and ensuring you’re riding and recovering optimally to make maximum fitness gains.

If you’re an experienced sportive rider, looking to take your cycling to the next level and maybe start hitting some gold standards, the British Cycling Sportive intermediate and advanced training plans are for you. With a less prescriptive, user-driven four-week rolling structure, you get expert coaching and proven British Cycling training sessions, but it’s more flexible and easier to mould round your target events. Whether you train using heart rate or power, you can guarantee every pedal stroke will be propelling you effectively towards your cycling goals.

Whether you’re a sportive regular or aspiring to take part in your first ever event, British Cycling’s sportive tips and advice pages have all the information you’ll need.

If you're following the beginner plans, being able to ride strongly on the flat is as important to sportive success as climbing ability. It might fall to you to keep the pace of a group up or you could find yourself on your own battling a headwind. Either way, strong riding will maximise gains and minimise losses.