Training Plan — Diablo Challenge

Summit
Protocol

OCTOBER 4, 2026  ·  JUN 9 – OCT 4  ·  17 WEEKS
Target Output
255W
250–260W FOR 60 MIN
250W
Current FTP
~265W
Target FTP
10–15h
Weekly Volume
750
Peak TSS/wk
01
Phase Overview
Phase Dates TSS / Week Hours / Week FTP Ref
Rebuild Jun 9 – Jun 29 550–600 10–11 hrs 250W
Build 1 Jun 30 – Jul 27 650–700 (rec: 450) 11–13 hrs (8) 252–255W
Build 2 Jul 28 – Aug 24 700–750 (rec: 500) 13–15 hrs (9) 255–260W
Sharpening Aug 25 – Sep 21 650–700 (rec: 450) 12–14 hrs (8) 260–265W
Taper Sep 22 – Oct 4 ~550 ~10 hrs 265W
02
Training Phases
Phase 2 — Build 1 FTP ~252–255W
JUN 30 – JUL 27  ·  4 WEEKS  ·  WK 3 RECOVERY
650–700
TSS / Week
rec: 450
11–13h
Hours / Week
rec: 8h
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Key Session 1 — Midweek
Wk 1  Jun 30
4×8 min at 100% FTP, 4 min rest 252–255W
Thu Jul 3 — 3×5 × 30/90 all-out sprints Neuromuscular 400–500W
Wk 2  Jul 7
3×15 min at 95% FTP, 5 min rest 239–242W
Wk 3  Jul 14 recovery
2×15 min sweet spot, easy 220–230W
Wk 4  Jul 21
Variable effort — 5 rounds of 3 min hard / 2 min tempo, continuous 270W / 220W
Key Session 2 — Saturday Long Ride
Wk 1 (Jul 4): 4–4.5 hrs endurance. Include two separate 20–25 min efforts at tempo pace (80–85% FTP), spaced by at least 20 min easy riding between them.

Wk 2 (Jul 11): 4–4.5 hrs endurance. After 60 min easy, do one 25–30 min effort at 95% FTP on a climb or sustained flat. Remainder easy. 239–242W

Wk 3 (Jul 18, recovery): 3 hrs easy, no structured effort.

Wk 4 (Jul 25): 4.5 hrs endurance. After 90 min easy, do a single 30 min push at 95–100% FTP on a climb or flat — treat it as a standalone hard effort mid-ride.

TSS 180–210
Phase 3 — Build 2 FTP ~255–260W
JUL 28 – AUG 24  ·  4 WEEKS  ·  WK 4 RECOVERY  ·  PEAK LOAD
700–750
TSS / Week
rec: 500
13–15h
Hours / Week
rec: 9h
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Key Session 1 — Midweek
Wk 1  Jul 28
3×12 min at 100% FTP, 4 min rest 255–258W
Thu Jul 31 — Threshold/Delta 50: 2×10 min high tempo, then 5×3 min supra-threshold 270–288W
Wk 2  Aug 4
5×4 min at 115% FTP, 4 min full rest290-300W
Wk 3  Aug 11 VO2
7 rounds variable effort 3 min hard / 2 min tempo 295W / 224W
Wk 4  Aug 18 recovery
3×10 min sweet spot 225–235W
Key Session 2 — Saturday Long Ride
Wk 1 (Jul 28): 5 hrs endurance. Include two 20 min tempo efforts (80–85% FTP) in the second half, separated by 15 min easy.

Wk 2 (Aug 4) — KEY SESSION: 5 hrs total. After 60–90 min easy warmup, do 2×30 min at 95% FTP with 6 min rest between. This is the hardest session in the plan — bail to 92% if needed. Remainder of ride easy. 242–247W

Wk 3 (Aug 11): 5 hrs endurance. Include one 40 min block at 85–90% FTP in the final third of the ride — full fatigue load. Race durability simulator. 217–234W

Wk 4 (recovery): 3.5 hrs easy, no structured effort.

TSS 200–230
Phase 4 — Sharpening FTP ~260–265W
AUG 25 – SEP 21  ·  4 WEEKS  ·  WK 4 RECOVERY
650–700
TSS / Week
rec: 450
12–14h
Hours / Week
rec: 8h
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Key Session 1 — Midweek
Wk 1  Aug 25 VO2
6×5 min at 108% FTP, 5 min rest 281–286W
Wk 2  Sep 1
Race sim — 50 min continuous at goal pace 252–258W
Wk 3  Sep 8 FTP TEST
20 min test or ramp test. Update all zones off this result before entering taper.
Wk 4  Sep 15 recovery
Variable effort — 4 rounds of 3 min hard / 2 min tempo 281W / 229W
Key Session 2 — Saturday Long Ride
Aug 30: 4.5 hrs. Variable effort on climbs — go hard on steep sections (108–115% FTP), settle to tempo on flatter gradient. Mimics drafting surges. No fixed intervals, ride by feel and gradient.

Sep 6: 4.5 hrs. Race sim day — ride easy for 90 min, then do two back-to-back 20–25 min climb efforts at goal race pace with minimal rest between. Closest thing to race day you'll do. 252–258W

Sep 13: 4 hrs easy endurance, one 20 min tempo effort only. Legs should feel fresh.

Sep 20: 3 hrs easy. One 20 min tempo effort, nothing more. Taper starts here mentally.

TSS 180–210
03
Race Week
Final Week
SEP 22 – OCT 4  ·  1 WEEK + RACE DAY  ·  ~10 HRS  ·  TSS ~550
Mon–Thu  Sep 22–25
Normal training volume, no heroics. Two rides of 2–2.5 hrs each. One session with 3×8 min at 100% FTP to stay sharp — this is not a hard week, just maintaining feel. 263–267W
Fri–Sun  Sep 26–Oct 4
Saturday Sep 27: 3.5 hrs endurance with two 15 min tempo efforts. Last proper ride.

Thu/Fri Oct 2–3: One short 45–60 min opener with 3×3 min at race pace. Spin the legs out, nothing more. 252–258W

Legs should feel restless by Friday evening — that's the sign you're ready.
04
Strength Training
At-Home Strength
JUN 9 – JUL 27  ·  DROP AT BUILD 2 ONSET  ·  DUMBBELLS 10–50 LB
2× PER WEEK
~30–35 MIN/SESSION
The Workout
Bulgarian split squat Rear foot elevated on a chair or couch. Hold one dumbbell in each hand. Start at 20–25 lb each, build toward 35–40 lb by week 6.
3×8 each leg  ·  90 sec rest
Single-leg Romanian deadlift Hold one 30–40 lb dumbbell in the opposite hand. Slow eccentric (3 sec down). Builds hip stability and posterior chain without the recovery cost of a bilateral deadlift.
3×8 each leg  ·  60 sec rest
Push-ups You're at 5 reps — do 3 sets to near failure (not quite failure). Add 1 rep per session when you can. At 15+ reps, add a dumbbell plate on your back or elevate your feet.
3× to near failure  ·  60 sec rest
Copenhagen plank Side plank with top foot on a chair or couch, bottom leg hanging. Start with 3×10 sec holds, build to 3×20 sec.
3×10–20 sec each side
Dead bug Core stability without spinal load. Slow and controlled — opposite arm and leg extend fully while lower back stays flat. 3×8 each side.
3×8 each side  ·  45 sec rest
Timing & Notes
Start: Jun 9, alongside Rebuild phase.

Frequency: 2× per week. Each session is 30–35 min if you move efficiently between exercises.

Schedule on: Easy riding days only. Never the day before or after a key cycling session.

Drop at: Jul 28 (Build 2 onset). When TSS hits 700–750, the recovery cost outweighs the benefit. Two months of consistent work will hold through October without maintaining it.

On the split squats: Single-leg work will feel humbling at first — start at 20 lb per hand and prioritize depth and control over load. You'll progress fast.
06
Race Day Strategy
October 4, 2026
First 15 min
248–252W
Conservative start regardless of how good you feel. Adrenaline will push you to go out 5–10W hot — resist it.
Middle 30 min
255–260W
Settle into goal race pace once you have a read on your legs and the field around you.
Final 15 min
260W+
If you have gas left, open it up. This is what all the variable effort work was building toward.
Variable gradient sections: Where you can draft, back off to 230–240W and recover actively. Match the surge when it comes — don't chase every attack in the first half. The riders who go out hard on the steep early pitches are the ones you'll pass in the final 20 minutes.
SUMMIT PROTOCOL  ·  17-WEEK UPHILL CLIMB PLAN
RACE DATE: OCTOBER 4, 2026
UPDATED JUN 2026