VO₂max sessions for cycling
VO₂max work targets the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use, and the power you produce at that level, your maximal aerobic power. You can only hold it for a few minutes in one go, so every session on this page breaks it up, into efforts of 15 seconds to 8 minutes, to rack up more of it. The 12 formats fall into three families: short alternating efforts, such as 30/30s or Rønnestad's 30/15s; long efforts of 4 to 6 minutes, such as the Norwegian 4 × 4; and big volumes just above threshold, such as Seiler's 4 × 8.
Every target is a % of your FTP: without a recent measurement, start with an FTP test. Each page gives the exact structure, the watts for an FTP of 200, 250 or 300 W, how to ride it, and what comes from the studies and what is a Wattson choice.
5Z5 · VO2 Max
How to choose
You're new to VO₂max work
30/30s, short efforts with a proper recovery, or the Norwegian 4 × 4, the most famous protocol, checked against heart rate. Both fit into 50 minutes.
You prefer short efforts
15/15 micro-intervals, then 40/20s, then Rønnestad's 30/15s, the most studied short format in cycling.
You're preparing for climbs of a few minutes
5-minute intervals, fast-start efforts or variable-power efforts, which aim to spend more time near your VO₂max in each effort.
You're targeting a time trial or a long climb
Seiler's 4 × 8 or Stepto's 8 × 4, 32 minutes of work just above threshold.
Repeated surges in races hurt you
the Gimenez, 45 minutes without a real recovery, for riders who already have a solid base.
You want a protocol tailored to you
Laursen's intervals, whose length depends on how long you can hold your maximal aerobic power.
The sessions
30/30 intervals (2 × 10)
Two sets of 10 × 30 s at maximal aerobic power with 30 s easy between: 10 minutes of VO₂max work, the classic short-interval session on the bike.
Norwegian 4 × 4 on the bike
Four 4-minute efforts at 106–118% of FTP with 3 easy minutes between: a VO₂max protocol every rider has heard of, set in watts and checked against heart rate.
VO₂max intervals 4 × 5 min
Four 5-minute efforts at VO₂max level with 2 min 30 easy between: the reference long format, made for climbs of a few minutes.
Variable-intensity VO₂max 4 × 6 min
Four 6-minute efforts broken up by three 30-second surges at 125–130% of FTP: VO₂max work that rides like a race, with accelerations on top of a hard effort.
Rønnestad 30/15 (3 × 13)
Three sets of 13 × 30 s hard and 15 s easy: each set rides like one long 9 min 30 effort. One of the most studied VO₂max formats in cycling.
Fast-start VO₂max 5 × 5 min
Five 5-minute efforts that open with 2 minutes at 120–130% of FTP, then settle at 104–110%: the classic 4 × 5 with a hard start to reach VO₂max sooner.
Seiler 4 × 8 min
Four 8-minute efforts at the highest level you can hold evenly, 2 minutes' recovery: 32 minutes just above threshold, the format that came out on top in Seiler's study.
40/20 intervals (3 × 10 min)
Three 10-minute blocks of 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off: a cousin of the 30/15 with longer efforts, adding up to 20 minutes above maximal aerobic power.
15/15 micro-intervals (3 × 10 min)
Three 10-minute blocks of 15 seconds on, 15 seconds off: VO₂max work in micro-intervals, for riders who can't face long hard efforts.
Gimenez: 9 × (1 min MAP + 4 min)
45 minutes with no real recovery: nine times a minute at MAP, then 4 solid minutes. A French classic for learning to go again without catching your breath.
Stepto 8 × 4 min
Eight 4-minute efforts just above threshold with 2 minutes' recovery: a format tested in the lab for taking time off a 40 km time trial.
Laursen Pmax × 60% Tmax (8 × 2 min 25)
Eight efforts set by how long you last at maximal aerobic power, with double recovery: Laursen's protocol, tested in highly trained cyclists and triathletes.
Frequently asked questions
How hard should a VO₂max session be on the bike?
It depends on the format, from just over 100% of FTP for big volumes such as Seiler's 4 × 8 to around 120–140% for very short efforts. The shorter the effort, the higher the target. On these pages, maximal aerobic power is estimated at 120–130% of FTP; if you know your measured value, you can use it directly.
How many VO₂max sessions a week?
One or two in general, with at least one easy day between hard sessions, and never the day before a long ride or a race. The rest of your week is mostly easy endurance riding. These are common training guidelines, to fit to your volume, not rules drawn from studies.
Short or long efforts for VO₂max?
Both work. In Rønnestad's studies, 30/15s beat 4 × 5 minutes over several weeks. Long efforts are still closer to a climb lasting a few minutes, and simpler to ride. Alternating the two over a block is a good way to vary the stimulus.
Maximal aerobic power and VO₂max: what's the difference?
VO₂max is a rate of oxygen use, measured in a lab. Maximal aerobic power is the power you produce when you reach that VO₂max: it's the number on your power meter. Training at your maximal aerobic power means training your VO₂max, with watts as your guide.
Other types of cycling sessions
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