Etape Loch Ness takes place on Sun, Apr 25, 2027 in Inverness, United Kingdom. The main route is 106.2 km.
- Date
- Sun, Apr 25, 2027
- Start
- Inverness 🇬🇧
- Distance
- 106.2 km
- Climbing
- 900 m
- Level
- Open to all
The Etape Loch Ness is a 66-mile closed road cycle sportive starting and finishing in the Highland capital of Inverness.
Official event pageWhat this race demands
Etape Loch Ness demands sustained aerobic endurance over a 106.2 km closed road course in the Scottish Highlands during April.
Aerobic endurance
Covering 106.2 km requires a well-developed aerobic engine capable of maintaining steady power output over several hours in cool spring conditions.
Pacing discipline
The sportive format over a substantial distance means athletes must manage their energy expenditure carefully from the start in Inverness to avoid late fatigue.
A target intake of 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour is recommended to sustain energy levels across a duration that will likely exceed three hours for most riders.
What would it take you?
Pick the level closest to yours for an estimate of finish time on this course and the training a solid preparation needs.
Estimated finish
4:00–4:50
Peak-week training
6–8 h/week
A model estimate from distance, climbing and level, not a promise. Conditions, drafting and pacing move it.
IntervalCoach turns those weekly hours into a concrete plan built around your actual fitness. Start with this race as your goal
Your road to race day
Race day at Etape Loch Ness is 35 weeks away. This is how a coach divides that time. The first phase starts now.
01Base23 weeks · Aug 24, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027
Aerobic foundation: mostly steady endurance work that grows the aerobic engine and the durability the later phases stand on.
02Build6 weeks · Feb 1, 2027 – Mar 14, 2027
Progressive overload: training load climbs in waves, with harder weeks stacked on the base and planned recovery weeks that let the gains land.
03Peak3 weeks · Mar 15, 2027 – Apr 4, 2027
The hardest weeks of the plan: race-specific intensity at nearly full training load, sharpening exactly what this race asks for.
04Taper2 weeks · Apr 5, 2027 – Apr 18, 2027
Volume drops while intensity stays: short, sharp efforts keep the legs awake as fatigue drains away.
05Race week1 week · Apr 19, 2027 – Apr 25, 2027
Openers, rest and logistics. The work is done; the job now is arriving fresh.
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