CyclingThreshold and sweet spotIntermediate 88 min

60/60 threshold blocks on the bike (6 × 8 min)

60/60 intervals for cycling: six 8-minute blocks, each made of four rounds of 1 minute at 110% of FTP and 1 minute at 90%, with 3 minutes' recovery between blocks. 48 minutes around threshold in an 88-minute session. For trained riders wanting variety.

Written by Pierre Halloo · Updated 25 October 2026

Session profile57 blocks

At a glance

Duration: 88 min
Main target: 90–110%FTP5 Z5 · VO2 Max
Time at target: 48 min
Estimated load: 101
Structure: 6 × (4 × (1′ at 110% FTP / 1′ at 90% FTP)), 3′ between sets
Level: Intermediate
Equipment: Power meter · Smart trainer

The session in detail

FTP

Time in zone

Z130 min
Z210 min
Z324 min
Z524 min

What the targets mean

The session's targets, in watts for three reference FTPs
Target	Zone	Time	FTP 200 W	FTP 250 W	FTP 300 W
110%	5VO2 Max	24 min	220 W	275 W	330 W
90%	3Tempo	24 min	180 W	225 W	270 W
50–60%	1Recovery	15 min	100–120 W	125–150 W	150–180 W

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Try this session

What this session is for

Each block averages the same as a threshold effort, 100% of FTP, but spreads it differently: a minute a notch above, a minute a notch below. So you're training threshold, with regular surges that feel like bunch riding or rolling roads, and a session that passes faster in your head than one long fixed block.

No magic, though. The 2023 study that tested this format compared it with a steady effort and a 30/15 at the same average. The 60/60 didn't produce more time near VO₂max than the steady effort; the 30/15 did. Pick it to vary your threshold work, not to target VO₂max.

Who it's for

Trained riders with a recent FTP and several threshold sessions behind them, who find long fixed blocks a bit dull. You'll need a good endurance base: the session lasts almost an hour and a half, with 48 minutes around threshold.

When to do it

One threshold session a week is usually enough; the 60/60 can rotate with a 2 × 20 or over-unders. Keep an easy day before and after, and avoid the day before a race. To ease in, start with four blocks, then go to six once the hard minutes of the final block stay at 110%.

How to do it

Warm-up
15 min
5′ at 45–55% FTP + 5′ at 56–65% FTP + 5′ at 66–75% FTP
15 minutes building from 45 to 75% of FTP, in 5-minute steps. If you're riding outside, head for a flat, clear road: the changes come every minute.
Main set
63 min
6 × (4 × (1′ at 110% FTP / 1′ at 90% FTP)), 3′ between sets
Six 8-minute blocks. Each block runs four times through 1 minute at 110% of FTP and 1 minute at 90%, with no break; between blocks, 3 easy minutes at 50–60%. For an FTP of 250 W, you alternate 275 W and 225 W. The lower minute isn't recovery: at 90%, you're still working. On a turbo, ERG mode handles changes every minute well; outside, stay in the same gear and work the cadence.
Cool-down
10 min
10′ at 40–55% FTP
10 very easy minutes at 40–55% of FTP. After 48 minutes of work, let your breathing settle fully before you stop.

How it should feel

The first blocks feel almost playful: one hard minute, one less hard. From the third, the minutes at 110% start to sting, and the minute at 90% seems shorter every time. Overall, a long, hard session, but one that goes by faster than a continuous block. Guide: 7 to 8 out of 10.

Common mistakes

Treating the lower minute as recovery

Dropping well below 90% in the lower minute pulls the block's average under threshold. The session becomes easier intervals and loses its point.

Expecting VO₂max work

The study that tested this format didn't find more time near VO₂max than a steady effort. If that's your target, go for Rønnestad's 30/15 instead.

Sprinting the hard minutes

110% is a firm surge, not a sprint. Hammering the first seconds of each hard minute adds pointless spikes and wears your legs out for the last blocks.

Doing all six blocks first time out

48 minutes around threshold is a lot. With four blocks, you learn the format without cracking; the fifth and sixth come later.

When to skip it

Before you start

A recently measured FTP.
Several threshold sessions already done, and the endurance to ride for nearly 90 minutes.

Skip it if

You're tired, or a race or long ride is planned for the next day.
Your only road has junctions or traffic lights: minute-by-minute changes become impossible to follow.
You have doubts about your health: get medical advice before sustained hard efforts.

Origin and evidence

Level of evidence

Limited evidenceLevel 2 of 5

Study published in 2023 in the Journal of Science and Cycling, in 19 well-trained cyclists, women and men. It compares three ways of distributing the same average power over 6 × 8 min: a steady effort at 100% of FTP, 60/60 (110% / 90%) and 30/15 (118% / 60%). The 60/60 did no better than the steady effort; the 30/15 produced the most time near VO₂max. These are single-session measurements, not multi-week ones. The intensities are the study's, where FTP was defined as maximal 40-minute power. The recovery between blocks isn't given in the abstract consulted: the 3 minutes, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. The authors aren't named here, for lack of a verified full reference. Bottom line: good evidence on the structure, weak on any benefit specific to the 60/60.

Sources

Étude de 2023, Journal of Science and Cycling : trois répartitions d'une même puissance moyenne sur 6 × 8 min

Frequently asked questions

What power should I ride 60/60 intervals at?

1 minute at 110% of FTP, then 1 minute at 90%. For an FTP of 200 W: 220 W, then 180 W. For 250 W: 275 W, then 225 W. For 300 W: 330 W, then 270 W. These are the study's exact values, giving an average of 100% of FTP over each block.

Are 60/60s more effective than a steady threshold effort?

Not according to the 2023 study that tested them: at the same average, they didn't produce more time near VO₂max than a steady effort at 100% of FTP. Their value lies elsewhere: varying your threshold work, getting your legs used to surges and making a long session less monotonous.

60/60 or 30/15: what's the difference?

Rønnestad's 30/15 alternates 30 seconds well above threshold with 15 seconds of recovery: it's a VO₂max session. The 60/60 stays around threshold, with much smaller swings. In the study that compared them at the same average, the 30/15 produced the most time near VO₂max.

Can I ride 60/60s outdoors?

Yes, on a flat road or a long drag with no junctions, using a power meter. Programme the changes on your head unit so you don't have to count. Stay in the same gear and work the cadence: going from 225 to 275 W in a second becomes much easier.

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