Sweet Spot Sting
70 min · 66-81 TSS · IF 0.79 · 88-98% FTP · Zone 4 (Sweet Spot)
What this workout does
Classic two-block sweet spot with a firmer final 2 minutes in each block. Teaches you to lift the effort when the legs are already loaded - exactly what hard group rides and race finishes demand.
Long blocks at 88-93% FTP build the sub-threshold engine that determines FTP, and lifting to 94-98% FTP in the final minutes teaches your body to produce near-threshold effort on pre-fatigued legs. That end-of-block sting adds lactate tolerance on top of the aerobic base work. Best in build phases on relatively fresh legs.
How to ride it
Indoor / trainer
Warm up 10min. Ride 2x20min: 18min at 88-93% FTP, then lift to 94-98% FTP for the last 2min. 5min easy between blocks. Cool down 10min.
Outside
Use a long flat or gently rising road. Ride each block at 88-93% FTP and lift to 94-98% FTP for the final 2min - finishing firmer, not sprinting. Spin easy between blocks.
Workout structure (70 min)
- Warm-up 10m ramp 50-75% 2x - Sweet spot 18m 91% - Firm 2m 96% - 5m 55% - Cool-down 10m 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.
Related cycling workouts
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Sweet Spot Starter
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Sweet Spot Builder
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Punchy Sweet Spot
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Tempo Blocks
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Two solid blocks of tempo riding within an endurance ride. This builds your ability to sustain a steady, purposeful effort.

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