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Cycling · the Free StateCycling training plans in Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein sits 1 395 m above sea level. At that altitude a plan should not ask you for sea-level numbers: an FTP of 250 W measured at the coast works out at about 241 W here, so power zones must come from a test done where you ride. Chasing coastal numbers at altitude is the commonest way riders in the Free State train too hard every day.
Build my Bloemfontein cycling plan — freeTell it where you train and it corrects for the altitude automatically.
| Altitude | 1 395 m |
|---|---|
| Province | Free State |
| Pace correction the plan applies | 6.0% slower than sea level |
Power at Bloemfontein's altitude
Coggan zones for an FTP of 250 W tested at sea level, and the same rider's zones once the FTP is corrected to 1 395 m above sea level:
| Zone | Sea-level test · Here |
|---|---|
| Endurance | 140–188 W · 135–181 W |
| Sweet spot | 220–235 W · 212–227 W |
| Threshold | 238–263 W · 229–253 W |
| VO₂max | 265–300 W · 255–289 W |
The engine takes about 6% per 1 000 m above 500 m off power, and less for a rider who lives and trains at altitude. The simplest fix is not to correct at all: test where you ride.
Training through the year in Bloemfontein
A high, open interior climate: warm to hot summers with thunderstorms, and cold, dry winters with frost common on clear nights.
Winter mornings can be properly cold, so the long session often moves to late morning; summer sessions go early, before the heat and the storms.
Common questions
Do I need to adjust my training for altitude in Bloemfontein?
Yes. The plan slows prescribed paces by roughly 2% for every 300 m above 500 m, which at 1 395 m is about 6.0%. It is a planning estimate — acclimatised athletes and individuals vary — but training to sea-level numbers here reliably means training too hard.
When is the best time of year to train in Bloemfontein?
Winter mornings can be properly cold, so the long session often moves to late morning; summer sessions go early, before the heat and the storms.
Where do my paces come from?
From a power test you do where you ride — 20 minutes, 8 minutes or a ramp. No power meter, and the plan works off heart rate instead.
Cycling plans elsewhere in South Africa
- Johannesburg — 1 753 m
- Pretoria — 1 339 m
- Cape Town — 25 m
- Durban — 8 m
- Gqeberha — 60 m
- Nelspruit — 660 m