Dig Deep Coaching 3 Week Grand Tour 2018
The Dig Deep Coaching 3 Week Grand Tour, is a Zwift virtual replication of the Tour de France which will allow people to participate and understand the demands of what it is like to ride for 3 weeks, over variances of intensity and durations.
We have looked at each individual stage and devised workouts that is comparable to the effort which the actual riders will be taking on during the Tour. We have used our expert knowledge and many hours going through Power Data and stats from previous races, to understand and approximate effort during critical times of each stage. You will be able to feel what it is like to attack on a punchy climb in Brittany, power over the cobbles of northern France and push your limits for long periods of time on Alpine climbs. All of the stages will last between 45 minutes and 1.5 hrs.
How does it work?
We have detailed the intensity and durations that are comparable to the demands the riders will be doing during each stage and replicated that into a workout for you to complete each day. You will be able to ride your own Tour de France each day, on the same day that the riders will be tackling the actual race during July.
We have picked a role which you will mimic each day. You will take on a persona of different types of riders who make up a Grand Tour and in doing so, each stage ridden will always be different than before.
You will have the following roles to play during the 3 Week Tour:
Lead-Out Rider
You are placed with the responsibility to get your team sprinter to the finish in the best position possible and use your power and speed in the last 10 minutes of the stage to make the pace fast.
Early Breakaway
It is your responsibility to be in the front from the start and make the early break. It is common on Grand Tours, that the opening kilometers in the stages can be the hardest, as the riders attack to make the prestigious break. Attack from the gun and then do your best to hold onto your lead as you approach the finish.
GC Rider (GC = General Classement)
You are the designated team leader and it is not an easy job to stay focused for the full stage. It is your responsibility to be ready for the big attacks so you need to be fresh and ready for these hard days.
Sprinter
The end of the stage is your total focus, keeping the legs as fresh as possible for the end is crucial. To win a bunch sprint requires expert positioning, you need to jump onto your opponent's wheels in the closing stages of the race, so get ready for an explosive end.
Climber
On the hilly stages you will either be the designated rider going for the win, or you will be helping your GC team leader be in the front. This means you need to be ready for longer climbs, with sustained power efforts to stay in contention. This along with being explosive on the short punchy climbs.
The intensity of every stage is made to the percentage of your FTP and it will be relevant to your current fitness. You can pick and choose the days that you would like to do, or you can tackle all 21 stages!
This is a great opportunity to not only feel part of the mythical Tour de France but also to take this opportunity to build your own fitness and see the benefits later in the year.
Select a workout, or scroll down to view all workouts.
Workout overview
Duration: 55m 35s
Stress points: 63
Zone distribution
Z1: 18m
Z2: 14m
Z3: 13m
Z4: 8m
Z5: -
Z6: 3m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 1: Dig Deep Coaching 3wk Grand Tour
Your Role: TEAM SPRINTER
You will be the team main sprinter today. Get ready for a hard finish after the easy escape is caught with 5km to go. Your teammates will lead you out and leave in in perfect position for the finish to fight it out for the win.
Workout overview
Duration: 45m 40s
Stress points: 44
Zone distribution
Z1: 22m
Z2: 4m
Z3: 7m
Z4: 6m
Z5: 5m
Z6: 3m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 2: Your Role - EARLY BREAK
On stage 2 of this Grand Tour, you are your team chosen rider for early break. You have the pleasure to be aggressive from the drop of the flag and make sure you do everything possible to get into the prestigious break away which will be in front for the majority of the stage. You will jump on the attacks at the start and it will take three big effort to make the break get a gap on the peloton. After this the break will settle their effort as you increase your lead over the chasing bunch. With the finish line approaching and the sprinters teams hunting for glory, the break away ramp up the effort as you try and get to the finish line ahead of the bunch.
Well done on getting your TV time today, your sponsors will be very happy!
Workout overview
Duration: 53m
Stress points: 61
Zone distribution
Z1: 12m
Z2: 2m
Z3: 22m
Z4: 6m
Z5: 8m
Z6: 3m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 3: Your Role - GC CONTENDER.
Stage 3 is the Team Time Trial, a crucial stage in the overall fight for the leaders jersey.
Today, the pace ramps up and the start and then you settle into a solid team effort pulling on short 1min turns like the rest of the team. Coming to the end of the stage you team needs you to start pulling bigger turns to force the pace up. Get ready for a hard end to the ride.
Workout overview
Duration: 58m
Stress points: 52
Zone distribution
Z1: 25m
Z2: 2m
Z3: 22m
Z4: -
Z5: 6m
Z6: 3m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 4: Your Role - LEAD OUT MAN.
Today will start as a steady tempo within the peloton as you conserve energy for the last 20km.
As the race approaches the final, yuo start to make efforts to keep your team sprinter out of the wind and close to the front.
On the approach to the last 4km, you start doing big 1min turns with your teammates as you power along the front of the bunch keeping pace high.
You finish off your job with a large 1min powerful effort dropping your sprinter off with 300m to go. Job well done.
Workout overview
Duration: 54m 30s
Stress points: 60
Zone distribution
Z1: 16m
Z2: 10m
Z3: 10m
Z4: 9m
Z5: 7m
Z6: 2m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 5: Your Role - CLIMBER
On today's stage you will be hitting the punchy climbs in the west of France. With some shorter climbs early in the stage to warm you up, the big climb of the day is at Cote Menez Quelerc'h and it has a steep middle section to force the cadence down.
The finish is on a long 2km climb which is were you will contest a long drawn out sprint. Make sure you save some powder for that last 30sec burst to the line.
Workout overview
Duration: 57m 15s
Stress points: 56
Zone distribution
Z1: 26m
Z2: 6m
Z3: 12m
Z4: 4m
Z5: 6m
Z6: 5m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 6: Your Role - CLIMBER
Today see's you tackle the Mûr de Bretagne twice with the finish at the top of the climb on the second lap.
The race starts with some hard attacks, you need to make the effort just to stay on the wheels in bunch as the early break goes clear.
The pace ramps up over the stage until you hit the Mur for the first time. On the first ascension, the pace is hard at the bottom in it's steepest section. This is enough for you to make the lead group. On the final climb to finish the pace is again hard at the bottom but backs off in the middle as everyone waits for the move to happen. You attack hard in last 400m to line hitting a big effort for 45sec. Hard day out.
Workout overview
Duration: 45m 35s
Stress points: 56
Zone distribution
Z1: 20m
Z2: 8m
Z3: 6m
Z4: 8m
Z5: 1m
Z6: 3m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 7: Your Role - SPRINTER
You will be the team main sprinter today. Today is all about getting to the finish line as fresh as possible, you need to stay on the wheels as the pace ramps up as they peloton catch the early break.
Get ready for an explosive last few kilometers as you fight to keep position and get ready for a fast final 200m.
Workout overview
Duration: 47m 40s
Stress points: 53
Zone distribution
Z1: 22m
Z2: 1m
Z3: 7m
Z4: 11m
Z5: 4m
Z6: 3m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 8: Your Role - EARLY BREAK
On stage 8 of this Grand Tour, you are your team chosen rider for early break. To do this the start of the race will be very intensive and hard. Make sure you are ready to attack and make the big jumps to get into the break.
Once the break is formed you will be riding a solid tempo before the pace ramps up as you try and hold off the chasing peloton.
Good luck..
Workout overview
Duration: 1h 8m 15s
Stress points: 73
Zone distribution
Z1: 37m
Z2: 1m
Z3: 11m
Z4: 6m
Z5: 6m
Z6: 7m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 9: Your Role - GC RIDER
Today is cobbles, you need to be focused and be able to hold position and power over cobbles. We are going to tackle the last 8 sections of pave as you ride to stay in contention with the leaders. It is all about power and getting through the sections with the leaders. Focus on each section to get the power out and you will have 2-3min rest between each sector.
Good luck.
Workout overview
Duration: 1h 15m 40s
Stress points: 86
Zone distribution
Z1: 26m
Z2: -
Z3: 21m
Z4: 17m
Z5: 9m
Z6: 3m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 10: Your Role - CLIMBER
Today is the first day in the high mountains and it is a hard one. With our stage consisting of 2 major climbs and then a short downhill before a finish in the valley.
Today we go up the Col de la Crox Fry and then the combination of Col de Romme and Col del la Colombiere. We have taking 70% of the fastest times on Strava on each of these climbs and replicating this duration on this workout. The first climb taking 20min and the second 30min.
Today you are on the attack halfway up the first climb, then you keep position in the front after some hard accelerations on the last climb. The finish is on the flat so be prepared to sprint at high velocity at the end.
Good luck
Workout overview
Duration: 1h 3m
Stress points: 77
Zone distribution
Z1: 15m
Z2: -
Z3: 28m
Z4: 10m
Z5: 9m
Z6: 2m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 11: Your Role - GC Rider
After a big mountain day yesterday, today we do the full last climb of the La Rosière with the finish at the top of this monster 17km climb. The slopes are not too steep compared to previous climbs, but the length of the climb will the hard part and maintain a solid tempo for over 40min. The fastest rider on this climb on Strava is Thibaut Pinot in 46min.
Today you are the GC rider so you can't let off the gas at any stage. Staying the the attacks at the bottom and then holding a pretty consistent tempo all the way will help you maintain position with the leaders. Get ready for a solid day.
Workout overview
Duration: 57m
Stress points: 69
Zone distribution
Z1: 15m
Z2: -
Z3: 11m
Z4: 30m
Z5: -
Z6: 2m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 12: Your Role - CLIMBER
Today finishes on the top of the legendary l’Alpe d’Huez. For today's stage we have taken data from one of the fastest climber to of went up this epic mountain, Laurens ten Dam, and mimicked his exact effort into this workout.
Today you will ride at the same percentage of effort as he did which seen him complete the full climb in just over 40min. We have broken the climb into 10-11min segments and you will pace it as he did.
It start's hard and you try to keep the pace going over the 40min period. The gradient see's you keep the cadence around 75-80rpm. Good luck.
Workout overview
Duration: 43m 35s
Stress points: 52
Zone distribution
Z1: 16m
Z2: 10m
Z3: 13m
Z4: 1m
Z5: -
Z6: 4m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 13: Your Role - SPRINTER
You will glad to know that today is a flat day, no high mountains today. We will flight it out in a bunch sprint as you lead your team in a bunch sprint. The day will start at a steady pace as you recover from a hard past 3 days, but the pace ramps up at the end. You will be in the thick of the action at the end as your team drops you off in the perfect position to sprint at end of the day.
Slightly uphill finish so leg speed will not be as high as before, but you will still need that big power to hit out at the end.
Workout overview
Duration: 59m 30s
Stress points: 65
Zone distribution
Z1: 24m
Z2: 5m
Z3: 9m
Z4: 17m
Z5: 3m
Z6: 2m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 14: Your Role - CLIMBER
Today has a really hard finish with the Cote de la Croix Nieuve summt just a few kilometers from the stage finish. Before we hit the finish we go over some hilly terrain, we have mimicked the Col de Croix Berthel which you will do early on the stage.
The climbs today are done by looking at Strava times from some of the fastest riders. We have taken 70% of the fastest time for the Col de Croix Berthel and on the Cote de la Croix Nieuve we looked at Anthony Perez data from a his time racing over this climb last September. We have mimicked his exact effort on the last climb and then finished it off with a sprint after a short descent and onto the flat finish.
Workout overview
Duration: 1h 15m
Stress points: 87
Zone distribution
Z1: 24m
Z2: 2m
Z3: 19m
Z4: 27m
Z5: -
Z6: 4m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 15: Your Role - EARLY BREAK
Today is a perfect day for an early break to get away and keep to the finish. With some hard climbs coming early and a long Cat 1 climb at the end before a flat finish, it is a perfect day for an early break to stay to the finish.
Today, we go full gas at the start with a big attack just before the first cat 3 of the day. One we get onto the first climb of Cote de Luzencon which is a 7min Threshold effort. We then settle into some through and off riding taking turns riding at the front with you fellow escapees. At the end we hit the big cat 1 climb of Pic de Nore. This is a 12km climb and we have taken 70% of the fastest Strava segment time, which is 36min done by Professional rider Lilian Calmejane. We do a solid 25min effort with a hard attack in the middle of the climb to make sure we are with a small group by the end of the stage.
The finish of the race is on the flat and we expect it to be a small group sprint so be ready for that last punch to the line.
Today is a real hard day out so be prepared for solid riding right from the gun.
Workout overview
Duration: 1h 14m
Stress points: 80
Zone distribution
Z1: 30m
Z2: -
Z3: 15m
Z4: 26m
Z5: 2m
Z6: 2m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 16: Your Role - GC RIDER
Today is the first day in the Pyrenees so we have a number of big climbs all coming at the end of the race. With you being a GC rider you will be keeping the pace at a sustained effort with little big jumps in effort. You need to save this for later in the race. But today won't be easy.
We kick off with the Col de Mente which takes us 23min to cover. The lead Strava time on this is just over 33min. Once we have a good recovery period we hit the big climb at the end, Col du Portillon. Team Sky rider Kenny Elissonde in a time of 24:43min, we will do 70% of that time which takes us 17min. All is done at a pretty consistent pace as we stay in contention all day.
The finish is on the flat so a short decent off the climbs before a short and fast few minutes run into the finish.
Welcome to the Pyrenees
Workout overview
Duration: 1h 19m
Stress points: 92
Zone distribution
Z1: 22m
Z2: -
Z3: 30m
Z4: 26m
Z5: -
Z6: 2m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 17: Your Role - CLIMBER
Today is one of the shortest stages in TDF history with only 65km to be raced. But it is by far easy, with some massive climbs to cover it means it will be an intensive stage. For us, it will be the same.
We have looked at Michael Valgren power data and strava times on the last two climbs of Col de Val Louron-Azet and Col de Portet. We have used the 70% rule again by taking his times and replicating this effort duration to 70%
Because you are a climber and on the attack today, the penultimate climb is the perfect place to make the move on others so you need to dig deep early on this climb This climb will be a total of 16min in length but it will be intensive. The final climb is a long climb, with the Strava PB on it held by Steven Kruijswijk in a time of 1hr 3min, this is going to be a long effort. We start the hill at a steady tempo and gradually ramp up to a top end Threshold effort in the last 10min of the climb. Be ready to use every ounce of energy at the top of the long hill to ride to your hill top victory.
Enjoy your day in the mountains.
Workout overview
Duration: 43m
Stress points: 46
Zone distribution
Z1: 22m
Z2: -
Z3: 8m
Z4: 5m
Z5: 6m
Z6: 3m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 18: Your Role - LEAD OUT RIDER
Your race starts with the Cat 4 climb with only 18km to go. This short 5 min climb is the start of the build up to the finish and it makes the pace in bunch go up.
As the race approaches the final, you start to make efforts to keep your team sprinter out of the wind and close to the front. This is doing hard surges over 3min periods and you try to hold position at front of bunch.
On the approach to the last 4km, you start doing big 1min turns with your teammates as you power along the front of the bunch keeping pace high.
You finish off your job with a large 1min powerful effort dropping your sprinter off with 300m to go. Job well done.
Workout overview
Duration: 1h 13m 30s
Stress points: 84
Zone distribution
Z1: 22m
Z2: 2m
Z3: 23m
Z4: 21m
Z5: 4m
Z6: 2m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 19: Your Role - CLIMBER
Today is the last mountain stage and it is going to be a hard one. This is a day which will decide the GC so you are going to ATTACK and go for the stage win.
We break down the two last big climbs, the Cat 2 Col Des Borders and then the Hors Cat Col d'Aubisque. We look at the Strava times from these two climbs and we take 70% of this time into our workout. The Col Des Borders has a PB of 21min on this climb and the Col d'Aubisque has a PB of 48min set by Robert Gesink.
You are the climber today going for the stage win. This means going deep at the bottom of the Aubisque and then holding the power over the long hill before a big effort at the top.
The finish is on the flat so you have a short recovery before a fast finish to go for the stage win on the last mountain stage.
Good luck
Workout overview
Duration: 48m
Stress points: 58
Zone distribution
Z1: 15m
Z2: -
Z3: 5m
Z4: 22m
Z5: 5m
Z6: 2m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 20: Your Role - GC RIDER
Today is TT day. A nasty TT as it comes at the end of the 3 weeks and it is not flat. Lot's of up's and down's and it has a nasty steep climb near the end.
You need to pace it well over this 30min effort. We go steady at the start and then hit the rolly terrain and move onto the steep climb at the end. Make the most out of any energy you have left in the final 5min to really 'Dig Deep' and get through the painful stage.
Workout overview
Duration: 46m 35s
Stress points: 57
Zone distribution
Z1: 15m
Z2: 11m
Z3: 16m
Z4: 2m
Z5: -
Z6: 3m
Author: Dig Deep Coaching
Stage 21: Your Role - SPRINTER
Today is Paris. It is a sprinters delight so let's get out sprinting legs working.
The pace is steady at the start as you ride into Paris ready for the finishing circuits. The bunch ramps up the pace as you head into the city and you work on positioning in the last 10min. A few short jumps to make sure you are on the right wheel is needed prior to your last big sprint. Jump hard in last 30sec and try to hold the power over this period.
Well done on a MASSIVE 3 weeks....time for a beer!