Multi-Day Cycling Touring
Completing multi-day tours such as LEJOG, Mallorca 312, and end-to-end routes across Portugal, France, and Italy has given me a clear understanding of what it really takes to prepare well. Simply getting on the bike and hoping to “ride into it” won’t get you there.
Each plan focuses on what matters most so you can meet the challenge confidently and ride at your best.
The programmes here are designed to build the stamina, resilience, and steady pacing needed for long days in the saddle, along with the specific strength required for the terrain, whether that’s steep UK lanes, long European climbs, or the short, sharp ramps you find in Portugal and Italy.
Each plan focuses on what matters most so you can meet the challenge confidently and ride at your best.
Prepare Properly for Your Cycling Tour
Multi-day tours are designed to be achievable, but they still demand real fitness. You’ll be riding for 7+ hours, holding 11–13 mph, and climbing big days, often up to 7,000 feet. If you rely on weekend riding alone, fitness will plateau, motivation can drop, and the tour can shift from enjoyable to a grind.
Why This Happens
- Unstructured riding only goes so far before improvements stall.
- Long days and varied terrain, from Cornish lanes to the Alps or the steep cobbled ramps in Portugal and Italy require targeted preparation.
- You can’t “ride into fitness” on these tours; the demands are too high from day one.
- Busy lives mean time is limited, so inefficient training quickly becomes frustrating.
A focused training process that:
- Builds the endurance needed for consecutive long days
- Improves climbing strength at low cadences
- Develops consistency and fatigue resistance
- Fits around work and family life
- Removes junk miles, every session has a clear purpose
- Matches the specific demands of your chosen tour
- Enjoy the tour rather than just surviving it
- Ride confidently within the group and contribute to the team feel
- Handle the long climbs, steep ramps, and daily elevation with far less stress
- Experience the scenery, culture, food, and adventure with energy to spare
- Finish each day feeling proud, not broken
We realise that this maybe a lot of take in at once, so why not book time for a 30 minute free, no-obligation consultation call with Grant Goodman, Elite Coach at Basecamp. We will discuss your goals and concerns, provide advice based on your current fitness level and experience, what training you may require to get to into the best shape you can.
Multi-Day Training Packages - 2026
The choice of plan is yours, however if new to cycling you may simply choose to follow the logical progression of the Go the Distance Plan, followed by the Mastering the Climbs to take you up to your event; in each instance we will aim to be as flexible and pragmatic as possible to ensure that the plan is right for you.
After all, we want you to be in the best shape you can be; truly enjoy each day’s ride and complete your challenge with smiles..
After all, we want you to be in the best shape you can be; truly enjoy each day’s ride and complete your challenge with smiles..
Go the Distance - 3 Months
Ideal if you’re new to cycling or unsure you can maintain 11–13 mph for 6 hours.
This is a foundation plan to build depth of fitness. The plan includes indoor- and road-based workouts to help you build resilience (what we call “aerobic fitness”) and stamina, plus skill-based exercises to help you become highly efficient on the bike.
With this plan you will achieve significant benefits to your endurance levels; you will be fitter with greater stamina and confident to cope with whatever the day’s ride has in store.
Once completed, a natural progression is to the "Master the Climbs" plan.
Mastering the Climbs - 3 Months
Perfect if you’re generally fit but want confidence on hills and sustained climbing.
This plan prepares you for the climbs you will meet, helping you savour their challenge.You do not have to live in a hilly part of the world for this plan as we combine indoor sessions that improve your ability to climb steep hills, plus sessions that build muscular endurance and resistance to fatigue for the longer hills.
Note that if you have any doubt to the depth of your fitness, for example there is a significant decrease in your pace or power in relation to your heart rate over a training ride, or have yet to do a four hour ride, we would encourage you to prioritise the "Go the Distance" Plan.