Training plan · Perthshire

Etape Caledonia training plan 2027

Sunday 9 May 2027, Atholl Road, Pitlochry. 136.8 km with 1,555 m of climbing on closed roads.

In short

Give yourself 12 to 16 weeks for Etape Caledonia on Sunday 9 May 2027, the UK's original closed-road sportive. The 85-mile route from Pitlochry climbs 1,555 m, with its longest climbs on the Bohespic road from Tummel Bridge and on the flank of Schiehallion, and riders must stay ahead of a 13 mph pace car. The 55 and 40-mile routes suit a first sportive. On WattPlan's model of the course, a rider with an FTP of 230 watts weighing 75 kg rides it in about 4 h 58 min, and takes 13:19 on Schiehallion Road at about 201 watts.

Etape Caledonia at a glance

Date	Sunday 9 May 2027source
Start and finish	Atholl Road, Pitlochrysource
Distance (85 miles)	136.8 km (85 miles), 1,555 m of climbingsource
Distance (55 miles)	88.5 km (55 miles), 1,166 m of climbingsource
Distance (40 miles)	64.4 km (40 miles), 860 m of climbingsource
Roads	Fully closed on all three routes for riders ahead of a 13 mph pace car, with the sweep behind it.source
Feed stations (85 miles)	Four: Kinloch Rannoch, Carie on Loch Rannoch, Glengoulandie and Weem.source
Cut-offs (2026 guide)	85-mile riders reaching Tummel Bridge after 08:30 move to the 40-mile route, and must leave Kinloch Rannoch by 09:05.source
Places	About 5,000 a year.source
Entry for 2027	Open now through Let's Do This, with no ballot.source
History	The UK's original closed-road sportive, run since 2007; 2027 is its 20th edition.source

The course and its climbs

Profile from WattPlan's model of the course (138.5 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.

4 h 58 minRiding time, without stops

168 WAverage power

6Times to eat, every 45 minutes

Climb	Summit (km)	Length	Average	Steepest	Your power	Your time
Bohespic Roadsource4.2 km at 5.1%, up to 9.8%, top at km 27	27	4.2 km	5.1%	9.8%	205 W	16:39
Schiehallion Roadsource3.4 km at 5%, up to 13.8%, top at km 82	82	3.4 km	5%	13.8%	201 W	13:19

Eat at about km 20, 40, 61, 81, 104, 126. 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 Etape Caledonia

Twelve to sixteen weeks of structured training suits most riders, so start between mid-January and mid-February for 9 May. Entries are on sale now, which leaves time to build a steady winter base first.

The organiser's blog has winter riding tips but no training plan, so WattPlan builds one to the date around the days you can ride, and adjusts it when a week goes wrong.

Training for Schiehallion and the Rannoch climbs

None of the climbs is long by Alpine standards, but they add up to 1,555 m on the 85. The Bohespic road climbs 4.2 km at about 5% from Tummel Bridge, and the Schiehallion road climbs 3.4 km at 5% from Lassintullich, with ramps up to 14%, then keeps rising to about 382 m.

Sweet spot intervals of 8 to 15 minutes build the climbing you need, and a weekly hilly ride teaches you to pace a day of repeated climbs. The organiser warns of an extremely steep climb after the left turn at Logierait, late in the day, so save something for it.

Staying ahead of the 13 mph pace car

The roads stay closed for riders ahead of a 13 mph pace car, and they reopen behind the sweep. On the 2026 timings, 85-mile riders who reached Tummel Bridge after 08:30 were switched to the 40-mile route, and riders had to leave Kinloch Rannoch by 09:05 to stay on the 85.

Start at a pace you can hold. Training rides on rolling roads at 15 or 16 mph give you a margin over the cut-offs.

Fuelling and the feed stations

The 85 has four feed stations, at Kinloch Rannoch, Carie on Loch Rannoch, Glengoulandie and Weem, with mechanics at each. Eat every 45 minutes from the start and use the feeds to top up, not to catch up.

Weather in May

The rider guide tells riders to be ready for wet, hot and cold conditions, and snow is still possible in the Highlands in May. The return along Loch Rannoch can be into the wind, so ride it in a group if you can.

Your plan to 9 May

WattPlan builds the weeks from today to Sunday 9 May 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 4 hours on Saturdays: a 16-week plan starting Monday 18 January 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 8, with a longest ride of 4 hours. Pick your own days below to see yours.

Days you can ride

Weekday rides

Weekend long ride

You ride now

Build my plan to the Etape Caledonia

Free to start, and the Etape Caledonia 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 Etape Caledonia?

Twelve to sixteen weeks suits most riders, so start structured training between mid-January and mid-February for Sunday 9 May 2027.

How hard is Etape Caledonia?

The 85-mile route climbs 1,555 m on closed roads. No climb is much longer than 4 km, but there are steep pitches, including the Schiehallion road and a very steep climb after Logierait. The 55-mile route climbs 1,166 m and the 40-mile route 860 m.

Is Etape Caledonia on closed roads?

Yes. All three routes are fully closed to traffic for riders who stay ahead of the 13 mph pace car, and the roads reopen behind the sweep.

Which Etape Caledonia route should I ride?

For a first sportive, the 40-mile route leaves out Schiehallion and has a flatter second half. The 55 adds two notable climbs, and the 85 adds the loop of Loch Rannoch and the full Schiehallion climb.

When can I enter Etape Caledonia 2027?

Entries are open now through Let's Do This, with no ballot. Cancer Research UK charity places cost £30 with a £500 fundraising pledge.

Is there a time limit for Etape Caledonia?

There is no overall finish limit apart from the 13 mph pace car and the route cut-offs. In 2026, 85-mile riders had to reach Tummel Bridge by 08:30 and leave Kinloch Rannoch by 09:05.

More event training plans

Sources

WattPlan is not connected with the Etape Caledonia 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.