Researchers from the universities of Miguel Hernández, Murcia and Alcalá have analysed the WorldTour training programmes of 16 female and 16 male WorldTour professionals over a ten-week period leading up to the start of the season. The researchers recorded performance data and heart rate during 1,696 training sessions in the 2018–2019 season. The study was published in February 2026 in the journal *Biology of Sport*. The key takeaway for amateur cyclists is that professional training involves a large proportion of low-intensity work – high-intensity intervals account for just 4.2 per cent of the men’s training.
Training volume and workload indicators
Male riders train for an average of 19.1 hours per week, whilst women train for 16.7 hours. There is little difference in the number of weekly sessions: men complete 6.0 sessions, whilst women complete 5.9 sessions. Men cover 535 kilometres per week, whilst women cover 428 kilometres. The total elevation gain during WorldTour training was 6,845 metres for men and 5,602 metres for women.
The mechanical work performed by male riders amounts to 12,397 kilojoules per week, whilst that of female riders is 7,458 kilojoules. Despite these differences, relative stress indicators show no significant differences: the Training Stress Score is 847 points for women and 848 points for men.
Intensity distribution by power and heart rate
Over 90 per cent of all cyclists follow a pyramid-shaped intensity distribution. When measured using power data, male cyclists spend 70.4 per cent of their time in low-intensity zones, whilst women spend 59.7 per cent. Men train in moderate-intensity zones for 25.4 per cent of the time, whilst women do so for 32.8 per cent. High-intensity sessions account for 4.2 per cent of men’s training and 7.4 per cent of women’s.
In absolute terms: men spend 750 minutes a week at low intensity, whilst women spend 544 minutes. Moderate-intensity activity accounts for 270 minutes for men and 305 minutes for women. High-intensity sessions last 45 minutes for men and 68 minutes for women.
The heart rate data confirm this pattern. Men train in low-intensity zones 78.8 per cent of the time, whilst women do so 69.0 per cent of the time. The polarisation index is 1.71 for men and 1.54 for women. Values below 2.0 confirm a pyramid-shaped distribution in WorldTour training.
Tapering during WorldTour training
Training volume peaks in week nine: women train for 20.1 hours, men for 22.5 hours. In the final week before the first race, women reduce their volume to 11.2 hours, which represents a 44 per cent decrease. Men train for 17.7 hours this week, a reduction of 21 per cent. For women, the reduction particularly affects medium and high intensities. This strategy in WorldTour training is designed to minimise residual fatigue ahead of the first races.
Performance data: WorldTour Training
The critical power for male riders is 380 watts, and 237 watts for female riders. The calculated maximum oxygen uptake is 73.3 millilitres per kilogram per minute for men, and 62.6 millilitres per kilogram per minute for women. There is no significant difference in maximum heart rate: men reach 194 beats per minute, whilst women reach 193 beats per minute.
The researchers determined critical power from training data using the 1/time method (inverse-time model) based on 2-, 5- and 12-minute maximum power outputs. They calculated the maximum oxygen uptake from the highest 5-minute maximum power output recorded during the study period.
Training Strategies: WorldTour Training
The authors attribute the differences to the specific demands of the races: “These gender-specific differences could also be a consequence of the particular demands of competitive racing, as men’s races are characterised by longer distances and longer riding times compared to women’s races, which requires a higher volume of endurance training for men.”
Previous studies show that women have to cope with a higher proportion of high-intensity exertion during races. Sanders et al. reported that women’s races exhibit higher training load indicators per kilometre. The study states: “Female cyclists spend a greater proportion of their time in high-intensity heart rate zones, and in women’s races, higher training load values are recorded in relation to the distance covered.”
Comparison with Grand Tour winners
The training volumes of the professional cyclists studied are on a par with those of Grand Tour winners. Case studies show that Giro d’Italia winners train for an average of more than 15 hours a week, and over 30 hours in peak weeks. An observational study (Sanders D., ‘Intensity and load characteristics of professional road cycling: Differences between men’s and women’s races’) found positive correlations between weekly training load and performance indicators such as the lactate threshold.
Data collection: WorldTour Training
The scientists recorded power data using Shimano Dura-Ace and Power2Max power metres. Before each session, the riders carried out a zero calibration. The researchers visually checked the data for outliers and corrected them manually. Heart rate was recorded using Garmin HRM Dual chest straps.
For the analysis, the riders had to record power or heart rate data for at least 80 per cent of their total training time. Power data was available for 15.3 hours per week for women and 17.8 hours for men, which corresponds to 92 per cent and 93 per cent of the total training time, respectively. Heart rate data was available for 14.4 hours for women and 16.5 hours for men.
Training intensity zones and how to determine them
The researchers defined three intensity zones: low intensity (Zone 1), moderate intensity (Zone 2) and high intensity (Zone 3). For performance-based zones, they used critical power as the threshold between moderate and high intensity. They set the boundary between low and moderate intensity at 70 per cent of Critical Power, based on a meta-analysis.
For heart rate-based zones, low intensity ranged from 60 to 82 per cent of maximum heart rate, moderate intensity from 82 to 88 per cent, and high intensity from 89 to 100 per cent. The scientists updated the critical power every four weeks based on the training data.
Implications for training practice
The study shows that cyclists of both sexes spend the majority of their training time at low intensities. The authors write: “Our findings show that, regardless of gender, cyclists spend the majority of their training time at low intensity, although women spend a higher proportion of their time at medium to high intensity.”
Limitations of the WorldTour Training Study
The authors highlight several limitations of their observational study. They were unable to establish any cause-and-effect relationships and did not monitor physical fitness using specific tests. Contextual factors such as team strategies, recovery and nutrition remained uncontrolled.
The researchers estimated critical power from training data, which could lead to an overestimation of time spent in high-intensity zones. The study did not take into account strength training or other off-bike sessions. The use of different power metre models may have introduced slight measurement variability. The scientists call for randomised controlled trials to determine the optimal training load and intensity distribution for both sexes.
Kristian Bauer
Editor