Training plan · Devon
Dartmoor Classic training plan 2027
Sunday 20 June 2027, Newton Abbot Racecourse. 173 km with 2,777 m of climbing.
In short
Give yourself 16 to 20 weeks for the Dartmoor Classic on Sunday 20 June 2027, its 20th anniversary edition. The Grande is 107 miles (173 km) with 2,777 m of climbing across the high moor, with gradients of up to 20%, a climb past Haytor in the first hour and a timed, closed-road hill climb after 80 miles. Build your long ride towards six hours on hilly roads, practise climbing steep ground seated, and pace the start to be through Rundlestone, 31 miles in, by 11:00. On WattPlan's model of the course, a rider with an FTP of 230 watts weighing 75 kg rides it in about 8 h 13 min, and takes 33:20 on Haytor at about 170 watts.
The Dartmoor Classic at a glance
| Date | Sunday 20 June 2027source |
|---|---|
| Start and finish | Newton Abbot Racecoursesource |
| Distance (Grande) | 173 km (107 miles), 2,777 m of climbingsource |
| Distance (Medio) | 107 km (66.6 miles), 1,830 m of climbingsource |
| Distance (Piccolo) | 74 km (46 miles), 1,111 m of climbingsource |
| Roads | Open roads, apart from the closed-road timed hill climb from Challacombe after 80 miles on the Grande.source |
| Steepest | Gradients of up to 20% on the Grande and Medio.source |
| Start | Grande waves leave between 06:40 and 07:30, and every rider must start by 09:00.source |
| Cut-off | Grande riders must reach Rundlestone, 31 miles in, by 11:00, or they are sent onto the Medio route. Timing closes at 17:30.source |
| Feed stations | On the Grande: Princetown after 30 and 70 miles, a drink stop at Lydford after 47 and Moretonhampstead after 88.source |
| Places | 1,000 on the Grande for the 20th anniversary edition.source |
| Entry for 2027 | Register interest now: classic entry £49, 20th anniversary premium entry £89, with places kept for riders of the first edition in 2007 and those who have ridden ten or more.source |
The course and its climbs
Profile from WattPlan's model of the course (173.3 km routed over OpenStreetMap roads with SRTM heights, © OpenStreetMap contributors). The organiser's figures are in the table above, and their route is the one that counts on the day.
Your power and time on each climb
Enter your FTP and weight and WattPlan's route model rides the course for you the way a long day is best ridden: harder on the climbs, where a watt buys the most speed, and easier on the flat, at an effort you can hold to the finish. The figures below are for 230 W and 75 kg until you do.
| Checkpoint | km | Cut-off | Your riding time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rundlestonesourcekm 49.9, cut-off 11:00 in 2026 | 49.9 | 11:00 (2026) | 2 h 39 min |
| Finish (timing closes)sourcethe finish, km 173, cut-off 17:30 in 2026 | 173 | 17:30 (2026) | 8 h 13 min |
Your riding time from the start, without stops and at an even effort all day: add your start time and your stops to see where you would stand.
| Climb | Summit (km) | Length | Average | Steepest | Your power | Your time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haytorsource6.0 km at 6.1%, up to 13%, top at km 18 | 18 | 6.0 km | 6.1% | 13% | 170 W | 33:20 |
| Challacombe hill climbsource2.25 km at 5.4%, up to 8%, top at km 132 | 132 | 2.25 km | 5.4% | 8% | 169 W | 11:14 |
Eat at about km 15, 29, 42, 59, 76, 92, 109, 124, 140, 159. Riding something else? The free pacing calculator does this for any route from its GPX. In the app, Route analysis adds your own fade over a long day, the wind on the day and a pacing file for your bike computer.
How long to train for the Dartmoor Classic
Most riders need 16 to 20 weeks of structured training for the Grande, which means starting between early February and early March for 20 June. The Medio, 66.6 miles with 1,830 m of climbing, needs about twelve.
WattPlan builds the weeks from today to 20 June around the days you can ride, and moves them when a week goes wrong.
Training for the moor's climbs
Dartmoor climbs in short, steep pitches rather than long drags, with gradients of up to 20%. Haytor comes early: 6 km from Bovey Tracey at an average of 6.1%, rising 365 m to the rocks. Fit the lowest gears your bike takes and ride the steepest hills near you seated and steady.
Four to six efforts of three to five minutes around threshold, once a week, build the strength for the steep pitches, and a weekly hilly ride teaches you to recover over the top and keep going.
The cut-off and the hill climb
The first check comes early: Grande riders who reach Rundlestone, 31 miles in, after 11:00 are sent onto the Medio route. Ride Haytor and the climb to Princetown well within yourself, and do not linger at the first Princetown feed.
After 80 miles comes the closed-road hill climb from Challacombe, a timed segment with prizes for the fastest rider in each age category. In 2025 it ran 1.4 miles at an average of 5.4%. Save something for it if you want a time; ride it steady if you want to finish.
Long rides, fuel and the weather
Build the long ride by about 30 minutes every two or three weeks until you have ridden six hours on hilly roads, a month or so before the event. On the day there are feeds at Princetown after 30 and 70 miles, a drink stop at Lydford after 47 and Moretonhampstead after 88; eat every 45 minutes from the start, around 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate an hour.
The moor's weather changes quickly. The organiser tells riders to check the Princetown forecast, bring lights in case of mist and take care on unfenced roads, where animals wander into the road, and on cattle grids, which are slippery: keep the bike upright and straight and do not brake on them.
Your plan to 20 June
WattPlan builds the weeks from today to Sunday 20 June 2027 around the days you can ride, and eases off before the day. Take a rider with 230 W of FTP who rides 3 to 5 hours a week now and has an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays and up to 6 hours on Saturdays: a 16-week plan starting Monday 1 March 2027 has 6 weeks of base, 6 of build, 3 of peak and 1 of taper. It opens at 4 hours a week and builds to 11, with a longest ride of 6 hours. Pick your own days below to see yours.
Free to start, and the Dartmoor Classic is filled in for you. Premium adds the whole plan to race day and adjusts it when you miss a session or ride harder than planned.
Questions riders ask
How long should I train for the Dartmoor Classic?
Sixteen to twenty weeks suits most riders for the Grande, so start between early February and early March for Sunday 20 June 2027. The shorter Medio needs about twelve.
How hard is the Dartmoor Classic?
The Grande is 107 miles (173 km) with 2,777 m of climbing and gradients of up to 20%, on open roads across the moor. The Medio is 66.6 miles with 1,830 m and the Piccolo 46 miles with 1,111 m.
What is the cut-off on the Dartmoor Classic?
Grande riders must reach Rundlestone, 31 miles in, by 11:00, or they are diverted onto the Medio route. Every rider must start by 09:00, and timing closes at 17:30.
Is the Dartmoor Classic on closed roads?
No. It runs on open roads, apart from the timed hill climb from Challacombe, which is closed to traffic for the competition.
When can I enter the Dartmoor Classic 2027?
You can register interest now. Classic entry is £49 and 20th anniversary premium entry £89, and the Grande is limited to 1,000 riders.
More event training plans
Sources
- Dartmoor Classic, official site
- Dartmoor Classic ride manual: are you ready
- Dartmoor Classic ride manual: on the road
- Date
- Distance (Grande)
- Distance (Medio)
- Distance (Piccolo)
- Cut-off
- Feed stations
- Haytor
- Challacombe hill climb
WattPlan is not connected with the Dartmoor Classic or its organiser. We've done our best to make sure everything here is accurate, from the details the organiser had published when we checked on Wednesday 7 October 2026, and we'll update this page as more details come out. Confirm dates, routes and rules on the official site. Times and power figures come from a physics model and are estimates, not predictions of your result.