Race Shape › Races › Cape Town Cycle Tour
Cycling · Cape TownCape Town Cycle Tour training plan
The Cape Town Cycle Tour is 109 km in Cape Town, next held on 14 March 2027. A 24-week block for it starts on Monday 28 September 2026. Race-day targets below come from the same engine that writes the plan.
Build my own Cape Town Cycle Tour plan — freeThe date, distance and altitude are filled in for you. See the whole block free before you unlock it.
The race
| Distance | 109 km |
|---|---|
| Where | Cape Town |
| Altitude | 20 m |
| Next edition | Sunday, 14 March 2027 (expected — not yet confirmed with the organiser) |
109 km. The biggest timed cycle race in the world by entries.
Not yet confirmed by the organiser, so it is shown as expected rather than fact. Last checked 2026-09-11. Check the official entry page before booking anything.
Your calendar to race day
A 24-week block, laid out against the 14 March 2027 race date:
| Block starts | Monday 28 September 2026 — week 1 |
|---|---|
| Harder sessions arrive | Monday 30 November 2026 — week 10 |
| Peak weeks begin | Monday 8 February 2027 — week 20 |
| Taper begins | Monday 22 February 2027 — week 22 |
| Race day | Sunday, 14 March 2027 |
Volume rises no more than 10% a week and every fourth week is lighter. The full week-by-week table for this distance is on the distance page.
Race-day targets
| The race | 5:23/km for the first third, then hold or lift Start slower than feels right. On a long day the race does not begin until two thirds in, and every place lost in the first hour comes back. Nothing lost in the last hour ever does. |
|---|
Worked out for an experienced runner on 60 km a week with a 3:45 marathon behind them. Yours come from your own time trial.
Predict your Cape Town Cycle Tour time
Filled in with an example. Type your own numbers and it recalculates.
| Your FTP | Rough finish |
|---|---|
| 196 W | 4:27:39 |
| 207 W | 4:20:16 |
| 230 W | 4:06:45 |
| 242 W | 4:00:35 |
| 253 W | 3:55:21 |
Riding time from a power balance at about 78% of FTP. Bunches, wind and the start batch change a mass-start ride far more than watts do: treat this as the shape of the day, not a target.
Cycle Tour and 947 time predictor →
Common questions
When should I start training for the Cape Town Cycle Tour?
For a 24-week block, on Monday 28 September 2026. Starting later still works — the plan shortens the base phase to fit — but inside about six weeks the block stops being able to add fitness and becomes about arriving healthy.
Does altitude matter at the Cape Town Cycle Tour?
Not for coastal athletes. At 20 m there is no correction to make. Athletes who train at altitude, in Gauteng or the Free State, should expect the same effort to produce a quicker pace on the day.
What should I know about the Cape Town Cycle Tour?
109 km. The biggest timed cycle race in the world by entries.