The first key to gran fondo success is training, as gran fondo events are typically 75 to 100 miles long with demanding terrain, though there are plenty of gran fondo organizers that are adding shorter routes to make them more inclusive of different levels of riders.
The second key is to prepare yourself for the hustle and bustle of riding in a big crowd. That all may seem daunting, but you can be ready to roll out for that big ride with this easy-to-follow four-week training plan.
This plan assumes you’ve accumulated a riding base that includes long rides of at least three hours or about 45 miles. This is crucial to using this plan successfully. If you’re not there yet, set aside time to complete a base-building training plan before tackling the plan below.
The training rides below are designed using rate of perceived exertion (RPE) as the primary training metric. It doesn’t get any simpler than training using RPE. Essentially, training using RPE entails your tuning in to your body and quantifying how hard you feel like you’re working, as opposed to relying on what your wearable or cycling computer is telling you.
For example, on a scale of 1 to 10, an RPE rating of 1 would be coasting along on a flat road with a tailwind, easily able to carry on a conversation. An RPE of 10 is full gas, your absolute max.
The RPE scale in this training plan includes intensities ranging from 1 (easy as a Sunday morning coffee ride with chatty conversation) to 10 (barely able to gasp a few words at a time).
This plan is four weeks in duration and takes you right up to your gran fondo. The last week is a taper week that prescribes two rides in addition to your event. The details for micro intervals and steady-state intervals are at the bottom of this page.
Week 1
Skills to Practice
Practice eating and drinking so that you develop your fueling strategy. Nothing derails your day like bonking, overheating, or otherwise blowing your fueling and hydration. Practice eating on your long rides so you’re taking in about 200 calories an hour from food and bottled fluids. Need ideas? Here’s how to fuel a ride of every length.
Training Rides
- Long Endurance Ride: 3:30 to 4 hours, RPE 4
- Medium Endurance Ride: 90 minutes to 2 hours, RPE
- Micro Interval Ride: 60-minute Ride including 1 set Micro Intervals*
- 1 Long Interval Ride: 90-minute ride with 3 x 10-minute Steady-State Intervals**
Week 2
Skills to Practice
Practice pacing. A fondo is a timed event, so it’s a fast mass start. If you want to test your speed and go for a personal best, practice pacing yourself the way you will for event day. If possible, find a group who rides your goal pace and get out with them for your long ride.
On event day, avoid going out too hard and burning too many matches in the beginning; you’ll flame out before the end. If you’re not in it to race it, you should still practice steady, even pacing so you can finish as strongly as you begin.
Training Rides
- Long Endurance Ride: 4:30 to 5 hours, RPE 4
- Medium Endurance Ride: 90 minutes, RPE 4
- Micro Interval Interval Ride: 60 minute ride with 2 sets Micro Intervals*
- Long Interval Ride: 90-minute ride with 3 x 12 minute Steady-State Intervals**
Week 3
Skills to Practice
Sort out the details and prepare for a long ride. Chances are, there’s a website (and numerous rider emails) with a lot of details about your upcoming gran fondo that can feel overwhelming. Set aside time to sift through all of the materials for the pertinent information for the day of the event so you feel prepared and don’t have to stress on the day of the ride.
Things to figure out include when you need to pick up your packet, where are the feed zones are, and what the course profile looks like. Upload the course to your to your GPS, if possible. Get your gear list planned out and make sure it’s all ready to go. Advance preparation means peace of mind and less wasted energy on event day.
Training Rides
- Long Endurance Ride: 3:30 hours, RPE 4
- Medium Endurance Ride: 90 minutes to 2 hours, RPE 4
- Micro Interval Ride: 60 minute ride with 2 sets Micro Intervals*
- Long Interval Ride: 90 minute ride with 3 x 15 Steady-State Intervals**
Week 4
Skills to Practice
There will be a sea of humanity at the start line of any gran fondo. Remember, they’re mass start events. It’s a good idea to make sure you feel comfortable riding in larger groups and feel confident in your bike handling skills before you line up at the start.
If you’re in race mode and are gunning for a top slot, rolling out with the leaders is clutch. If you’re in it to enjoy the scene and just have a good ride, hang back to avoid the early chaos. In general, seed yourself where you feel you’re surrounded with similarly paced, intentioned riders.
Training Rides (taper week!)
- 1 Easy Ride: 60 minutes (easy to endurance-paced, RPE 2 to 4)
- 1 Easy Ride with 5 Micro Intervals*
- Fondo Day!
Your Guide to Micro and Steady-State Intervals
*Micro Intervals
Micro-intervals build power and train your body to recover quickly between hard pushes, like cresting a monster climb or charging to bridge a gap to your group.
How to do it: In a medium to large gear, push as hard as you can (RPE 9 to 10) for 40 seconds. Recover for 20 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Rest five minutes. Repeat as directed.
**Steady State Intervals
Increasing your power at threshold allows you to ride faster without fatiguing. One of the most effective ways to increase it is to perform long, steady intervals.
where you hover just below your current threshold. They’re relatively easy to do, but require concentration because it can be easy to let your mind (and your effort) drift.
How to do it: After a good warmup, ride at RPE 5 to 6 intensity at a steady effort. Recover for half the interval time (i.e. if the interval is 10 minutes, recover for five minutes). Repeat as directed.
Natascha Grief is Bicycling’s Health & Fitness Editor. She started in the cycling industry as a bike mechanic a couple of decades ago, earning a couple pro-mechanic certifications and her USA Cycling Race Mechanic license. She went on to apprentice for framebuilder Brent Steelman in her hometown of Redwood City, California before spending several years working for both large and not-so-large cycling brands. She then switched gears and industries to earn multiple personal training certifications while honing her skills as a trainer and coach, specializing in functional training, corrective exercise, and body positive personal training. She began contributing regularly to Runner’s World and Bicycling as a freelance writer in 2020, and joined the editorial staff of Bicycling in 2022.
