In cycling, we often hear about FTP (Functional Threshold Power), power records or big thighs. But what distinguishes a cyclist capable of performing over time is not just their ability to ride or climb fast. It is their aerobic base, built through regular training in zone 2. Too many riders neglect this zone, which is essential, and see their progress slow.tagner. Here's why.
By Guillaume Judas – Photos: depositphotos.com
What is Zone 2?
Zone 2 corresponds to moderate intensity, usually between 75 and 85% of your maximum heart rate or at about 55-75% of your FTPAt this pace, you can talk without getting out of breath, but the effort remains sustained (it's not a freewheeling stroll). This is the zone where your aerobic system works efficiently, to develop endurance and energy efficiency without accumulating excessive fatigue.
How do you see if you are missing time spent in Zone 2?
A practitioner who neglects the time spent in Zone 2 shows revealing weaknesses, well beyond a level thattagover the months. When the aerobic base is insufficient, several phenomena are observed:
- A less efficient heart : an underdeveloped aerobic system limits the progression of VO₂max (maximum capacity to use oxygen) and reduces the number of mitochondria, the energy factories of cells (Holloszy, J.O., & Coyle, E.F. (1984). Adaptations of skeletal muscle to endurance exercise and their metabolic consequences. Journal of Applied Physiology.). Result: you get tired more quickly.
- No more reliance on glycogen : with too little Zone 2 training, your body burns primarily glycogen during exercise, rather than fat, which can lead to hunger pangs and early fatigue on long rides (Brooks, G.A. (2018). The science and translation of lactate shuttle theory. Cell Metabolism).
- Slower recovery : a weak base overloads the nervous system, slows recovery and increases the risk oftagnation or injuries (Seiler, S. (2010). What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance).
- Less tolerance to heavy training loads : without a solid foundation, long efforts become difficult, and you quickly reach a plateau.
- Rapid shortness of breath : poor aerobic capacity accelerates lactate production, making high-intensity efforts very difficult (Billat, VL (2001). Interval training for performance: A scientific and empirical practice. Sports Medicine).
- Greater risk of injury : fatigue resulting from violent efforts without sufficient preparation beforehand increases the risks of tendonitis or overtraining (Meeusen, R., et al. (2013). Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the overtraining syndrome. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise).
- Limited technical progress : without long, low-intensity rides, you lack time to refine your position, pedaling technique, or ridingtage.
Why driving in Zone 2 changes the game
Zone 2 is a training intensity that underpins all sustainable cycling performance.. Even before the advent of heart rate monitors, power meters, analysis tools, or books offering training plans, cyclists made their basic fitness a prerequisite for a successful season. They spoke in number of terminals, or hours in the saddle, but were ultimately not so far from reality. Even today, those who ride only by sensation or who accumulate rides at a good pace but without a precise plan do not do worse than those who practically only do high-intensity home trainers.
Zone 2, as defined above, allows you to significantly improve your endurance. By strengthening your aerobic system, you can ride longer without exhausting yourself. Raising your endurance level also allows you to better use fat as fuel and conserve glycogen reserves. This delays fatigue, and you conserve more energy for the decisive efforts at the end of the ride or event. Finally, riding in a controlled manner in Zone 2 allows you to accumulate training volume without excessive overload, which promotes constant progress over time.
Studies show that Endurance athletes like professional cyclists spend about 80% of their training time at low to moderate intensities, such as Zone 2, to maximize their energy efficiency and recovery (Stöggl, T., & Sperlich, B. (2015). The training intensity distribution among well-trained and elite endurance athletes. Frontiers in Physiology).
How to integrate Zone 2 into your training?
To be sure to increase your training time in Zone 2, you must first determine it. Use a heart rate monitor or power meter, and base it on your maximum heart rate (Zone 2 is between 75 and 85% of your max HR) or your FTP (between 55 and 75%). You will find that Zone 2 is not a walk in the park, but that you are a little occupied, focused on a steady effort, not difficult but not completely trivial either. If you don't have a sensor, trust your feelings: you should be able to talk without being out of breath, but you remain slightly engaged. To optimize the time spent in Zone 2, know how to take your foot off the pedal in the ascending sections to stay comfortable, but also pedal energetically in the descending sections, to stay in the zone.
Plan two to three outings per week in Zone 2 only, including one of at least three hours, or even more depending on your level. The goal is to accumulate time at this intensity.
Riding in Zone 2 should represent about 80% of your weekly volume. But you need to supplement with interval training or threshold work sessions to work on power, in addition to the active recovery sequences of course.
Finally, be patient. The benefits of this type of training build over several weeks. Consistency in training remains the key to progress.
Reorient training intensities
Thanks to or because of modern training tools and applications, more and more practitioners have become aware of the need to calibrate sessions so that each outing is productive.. But by wanting too much, some forget the essential: without solid foundations, it is impossible to make lasting progress. This is what we often see among those who ride a lot on home trainers, only on circuits with other cyclists (like at Longchamp), or who ride alone without the guidance of a coach. They think No Pain No Gain, but often end up getting discouraged due to lack of results.
Driving in Zone 2 is not very exciting but it is essentialBy building a solid aerobic base, you improve your endurance, delay fatigue, and reduce the risk of injury. It's the foundation that allows intense efforts to make all the difference.
