Loaded Threshold
90 min · 76-93 TSS · IF 0.75 · 92-97% FTP · Zone 4 (Sweet Spot)
What this workout does
Threshold work on pre-fatigued legs. Riding 2x15min after a solid endurance block trains you to produce your best efforts deep into a ride - where events are actually decided.
Threshold work on pre-fatigued legs trains durability - the ability to produce quality effort deep into a ride, when fuel stores are lower and form is degrading. The endurance preload makes the 92-97% FTP blocks a stronger adaptive signal than the same efforts done fresh. Place it in build phases for long events, on a day you can absorb deeper fatigue.
How to ride it
Indoor / trainer
Warm up 15min. Ride 30min steady at 65-70% FTP, then go straight into 2x15min at 92-97% FTP with 5min easy between. Cool down 5min.
Outside
Use a longer loop: ride the first 30 minutes steady at 65-70% FTP without surging, then find a quiet stretch and hit 2x15min at 92-97% FTP. The efforts should feel harder than fresh threshold - that is the point.
Workout structure (90 min)
- Warm-up 15m 55% - Endurance 30m 68% 2x - Effort 15m 95% - 5m 55% - Cool-down 5m 55%
Targets are a percentage of FTP. This is the same shorthand the free workout builder understands — paste it there to edit any step, or download the workout for Zwift, Garmin or any smart trainer.
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