Periodized Training: The Four Phases of Base / Build / Peak / Race

Introduction

“Periodization training” was formally systematized by Tudor Bompa in the 1960s and remains the core training philosophy for all endurance sports. For road cyclists, dividing the year into four phases—base, build, peak, race—allows you to reach peak fitness for your target event, rather than “training year-round without ever peaking.”

The Four-Phase Structure

Base Phase Details

The base phase is the “boring but irreplaceable” stage. Goal: accumulate aerobic hours and improve fat utilization.

• 80% Z2, 15% Z3, 5% Z4
• High weekly training volume (10–20 hours)
• Not chasing FTP gains, but pursuing a “bigger aerobic engine”
• Suitable for weight management

Build Phase Details

The build phase is the “FTP leaps forward” stage. Goal: raise lactate threshold.

• 60% Z2, 20% Z3, 15% Z4, 5% Z5
• Core workouts: 2×20, heavy SST volume
• Weekly TSS rises to 500–700
• Insert a recovery week every 4 weeks

Peak Phase Details

The peak phase is the “final sprint for neuromuscular and VO2max.”

• 50% Z2, 20% Z3, 15% Z4, 10% Z5, 5% Z6/Z7
• Core workouts: 5×5, 30/30, short efforts above FTP
• Very high intensity but shortened duration
• Race-specific simulation

Race Phase Details

Race phase = Taper + racing.

• Cut training volume by 30–50%, maintain intensity
• Short high-intensity efforts to preserve neuromuscular freshness
• Only 30–60 minutes of easy riding in the final 3 days before the event

Annual Plan Example (Wuling Summit Race in September)

Practical Advice

First, set a clear A-priority target race—without a goal, there is no periodization. Choose one event—Wuling, Tataka, KOM, Taroko, etc.—and plan your entire year around it. Second, insert a recovery week every 4 weeks—cut training volume by 50%, no exceptions. Third, don’t skip the off-season—if you don’t rest in Nov–Dec, you’ll be overtrained by May next year. Fourth, B-priority races can be placed in the base/build phases as tests, no taper needed. Fifth, most cyclists in Taiwan can only train 8–12 hours per week, so periodization can be compressed into 6 months (2 months base, 2 months build, 1 month peak, 1 month race).

Conclusion

Training without periodization is like playing music without a score—fragmented and without a climax. See the year as a musical movement: base is the bass, build is the crescendo, peak is the high note, and race is the climax. On Wuling race day, you should be at your best fitness of the year, not “barely finishing after a year of fatigue.” Write down your annual plan, post it in your living room, execute it weekly, review it monthly—next year’s Wuling result will speak for itself.

Related Reading

• The Complete Guide to Periodization Training: How to Scientifically Plan Your Annual Training Program
• Run Volume Periodization: Stacking Base, Build, Peak, and Recovery Phases
• Power Training Periodization: Scientific Workout Design for Base, Build, and Race Phases
• Annual Periodization Training for Triathlon — Complete Day-by-Day Planning for Base/Build/Peak/Taper