CyclingVO2maxIntermediate 70 min

Gimenez session: 9 × (1 min at MAP + 4 min)

Gimenez intervals: 45 minutes non-stop, linking nine times 1 minute at maximal aerobic power (120–130% of FTP) and 4 solid minutes (82–92%). 70 minutes with the warm-up. A tough session, for riders who already have a good base.

Written by Pierre Halloo · Updated 25 October 2026

Session profile22 blocks

At a glance

Duration: 70 min
Main target: 82–130%FTP6 Z6 · Anaerobic
Time at target: 45 min
Estimated load: 82
Structure: 9 × (1′ at 120–130% FTP / 4′ at 82–92% FTP)
Level: Intermediate
Equipment: Power meter · Smart trainer

The session in detail

FTP

Time in zone

Z115 min
Z210 min
Z336 min
Z69 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
120–130%	6Anaerobic	9 min	240–260 W	300–325 W	360–390 W
82–92%	3Tempo	36 min	164–184 W	205–230 W	246–276 W

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What this session is for

The Gimenez works your maximal aerobic power (MAP) and VO₂max, but what sets it apart is what it won't let you do: recover. The minute at MAP drives your heart and breathing towards their maximum; the following 4 minutes, at 82–92% of FTP, aren't a recovery but a counter-effort, just under threshold. Your body has to clear the fatigue from the hard minute while still pressing on.

That's exactly what racing asks of you: an attack, then riding hard behind it instead of sitting up, and doing it again. Over 45 minutes the load stays high from start to finish, which makes it one of the heaviest sessions in the library.

Who it's for

Riders with a good base who've already done simpler VO₂max sessions, such as 30/30s. Not for beginners: 45 minutes without a let-up is a long time. It suits riders who race, in sportives or road races, and who struggle with repeated surges.

When to do it

Some sources advise leaving at least 72 hours before another hard session and not doing two a week. Avoid the day before a long ride or a race. To ease into it, start with 6 or 7 reps, then build to 9 once the last one still goes at the right power.

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. No need for openers: the first minute at MAP comes straight away.
Main set
45 min
9 × (1′ at 120–130% FTP / 4′ at 82–92% FTP)
9 × (1 minute at 120–130% of FTP, then 4 minutes at 82–92%), without a break, starting with the minute at MAP. For an FTP of 250 W: 300 to 325 W, then 205 to 230 W. The first hard minutes feel manageable: stay in the range, there are nine of them. On the counter-effort, keep a steady cadence; if you crack, drop towards the bottom of the range rather than stopping. Out on the road, a steady climb of 6 to 7% suits it well: seated for the 4 minutes, out of the saddle for the minute at MAP.
Cool-down
10 min
10′ at 40–55% FTP
10 very easy minutes at 40–55% of FTP. Note which rep you held both targets to: that's your marker for next time.

How it should feel

The first reps feel manageable, the last ones are very hard. The counter-effort gets harder every lap, until by the end the 4 minutes weigh as much as the hard minute. The word recovery appears nowhere in this session, and that's not an oversight. Guide: 9 out of 10 on the minutes at MAP.

Common mistakes

Going off too hard

The first minute at MAP, on fresh legs, invites you to overshoot. Nine reps later, it's the counter-effort that falls apart. Stay within 120–130% from the start.

Turning the counter-effort into a recovery

The 4 minutes are ridden at 82–92% of FTP, not soft-pedalled. Ride them too easily and you strip out what makes a Gimenez: surging and holding on with no real recovery.

Stopping instead of adjusting

If you can't hold the counter-effort, drop it towards 82% rather than unclipping. The session keeps its point, even slightly lightened.

Doing it too often

It's one of the heaviest sessions in the library. Two in a week is a lot of fatigue for little extra benefit: leave room for endurance riding.

When to skip it

Before you start

A good endurance base and several VO₂max sessions already done.
A recently measured FTP.

Skip it if

You're new to hard training.
You're tired, or you've done another hard session in the last three days.
You have doubts about your health: get medical advice before near-maximal efforts.

Origin and evidence

Level of evidence

Established practice, no dedicated studyLevel 1 of 5

The sources consulted credit the session's name to a sports doctor and its spread to Frédéric Grappe, coach of the FDJ team and author of reference books on cycling training in % of MAP. No primary source could be consulted: the origin is unverified. The structure is very consistent across sources: 1 minute at 100% of MAP (zone I5), then 4 minutes in zone I3, whose intensity ranges from 60 to 80% of MAP depending on the author. No dedicated study has been found. The conversion into 120–130% and 82–92% of FTP, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: well established in French coaching, moderate confidence.

Frequently asked questions

How do you do Gimenez intervals on the bike?

After a 15-minute warm-up, ride nine times 1 minute at MAP and 4 solid minutes without a break, starting with the hard minute. For an FTP of 250 W, that's 300 to 325 W, then 205 to 230 W. Finish with 10 very easy minutes: 70 minutes in total.

How hard should the 4 minutes of a Gimenez be?

At 82–92% of FTP, just under threshold. French sources call it zone I3 but disagree on its intensity, from 60 to 80% of MAP depending on the author. The useful marker: a solid effort you can hold for 4 minutes after a hard minute, nine times in a row.

Where does the Gimenez session come from?

The sources consulted credit its name to a sports doctor and its spread to Frédéric Grappe, coach of the FDJ team, but no primary source could be checked. The structure itself is very consistent from one source to the next. No dedicated study has been found.

Gimenez or 30/30s: which should I choose?

30/30s for a first taste of VO₂max work: short efforts, proper recoveries, a 49-minute session. The Gimenez, longer and heavier, adds the counter-effort: it teaches you to surge without recovering. Move to the second once the first has become routine.

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