TransPortugal Training: Preparing for a Seven-Day MTB Stage Race

Turning 60 deserves something special. For me, that celebration comes in the form of TransPortugal, a legendary seven-day mountain bike stage race that traverses Portugal from north to south. Each stage covers over 100 kilometres, making it one of the toughest endurance challenges I’ve ever attempted. My partner gifted me the entry, partly because she’s wonderful, partly to stop me talking about it endlessly! The question is, what kind of training do I need to do?

In my last article, I outlined the stages. Now it’s time to dive into the preparation: how do you train for a week-long MTB stage race when most of your racing experience is cyclo-cross, gravel, and shorter off-road events?

From Cyclo-Cross to Stage Racing

While I’ve raced short two day road stage races before, that’s nothing compared to seven consecutive days in the saddle. The only endurance event that comes close was my role in a record-breaking ride around Australia, but even then, I only rode three hours a day. TransPortugal will demand far more.

Road racing has become too fast and unforgiving for me, but off-road events are still enjoyable. The challenge now is scaling that passion into a structured plan that builds fitness, resilience, and recovery for a multi-day epic.

Coaching with Ric Stern

Enter Ric Stern of CycleCoach. Ric has been coaching for over twenty years, with athletes ranging from weekend warriors to national and world champions. He’s the creator of the ramp test, a gold-standard measure of cycling performance, and he still races himself, putting theory into practice.

I’ve worked with Ric before, and his membership coaching gave me measurable gains without the cost of full one-to-one coaching. This time, I’ll be relying on his expertise to guide me through the unique demands of TransPortugal.

Strength Training and Recovery

Ric’s advice has already taken me into the gym two to three times a week. Once sceptical about strength training, Ric now advocates it after seeing the benefits firsthand. For me, it’s about more than watts, it’s about building resilience as I get older.

Alongside gym work, I’ve added creatine supplements, increased protein intake, swapped to 0% beer, and committed to better rest. Late-night gaming sessions are being replaced with recovery-focused downtime. It’s all part of the bigger picture: preparing body and mind for the grind of stage racing.

Training Structure

At the end of my first six-week cycle, my weekly plan looks like this:

• 2 rest days
• 3 interval sessions
• 1 recovery ride
• 1 three-hour endurance ride
• 2–3 gym sessions

Working from home makes this schedule manageable, and with older kids, family life fits around training. One of my sons now joins me on rides, adding a welcome social element. Winter cyclo-cross racing continues for now, but I’ll taper that off in January to focus fully on TransPortugal.

Indoor vs Outdoor Training

I’ve tried replicating long intervals outdoors on my MTB, but muddy trails, fog, and inconsistent terrain make it difficult to hold steady power. For now, much of my winter training will be indoors or on the road, saving off-road sessions for better weather.

Looking Ahead

With 23 weeks to go, the big questions remain:

• When should I introduce back-to-back long rides?
• How do I simulate stage race fatigue?
• What kit changes will be essential for seven consecutive days in the saddle?

In my next article, I’ll explore the bike setup and equipment choices that will carry me through Portugal. Saddles, grips, and bike fit will all come under scrutiny, because comfort over seven days is just as important as fitness. I’ll also schedule a face-to-face with Ric and let him explain what I need to do to get race-fit.

Até já – see you next time!