Not every effective indoor cycling workout needs to be an hour long. Sometimes, a short session that moves through several intensity levels can provide exactly the training stimulus you’re looking for.
This week’s Sunday Smart Trainer Session is Jasper Philipsen Performance, a compact cycling workout inspired by a Zwift Workout of the Week event celebrating the racing performances of Belgian professional cyclist Jasper Philipsen.
Rather than holding one steady intensity, this workout gradually introduces harder efforts, alternating them with easier riding before finishing with two short, demanding efforts at Level V and Level V+.
It’s a useful session for cyclists and triathletes who want to maintain their aerobic conditioning, practise changing pace and challenge their ability to produce higher power without committing to a lengthy workout.
The session takes just 31 minutes and 30 seconds of cycling, making it a practical option when training time is limited.
Today’s Workout at a Glance
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Workout | Jasper Philipsen Performance |
| Discipline | Indoor Cycling |
| Duration | 31min 30sec |
| Primary focus | Variable-intensity cycling and high-intensity power |
| Intensity | Levels I–V+ |
| Structure | Progressive warm-up, alternating efforts and recovery, short high-intensity finish |
| Suitable for | Cyclists and triathletes with some experience of structured intensity training |
| Equipment | Indoor trainer or stationary bike |
The Inspiration Behind the Workout
This session was developed from Zwift’s Tour Fever – Workout of the Week: Jasper Philipsen Performance event.
The original event was part of Zwift’s Tour de France-inspired series, featuring workouts associated with riders from Alpecin-Deceuninck. Zwift listed the Jasper Philipsen Performance event as a 24-minute group workout during the week of 30 June to 6 July 2025. Zwift
My Qwik Kiwi Coaching version uses the interval structure outlined below, with a dedicated cool-down to make the session suitable as a standalone indoor cycling workout.
The idea is straightforward: start controlled, progressively introduce harder efforts, and finish with a couple of short bursts of high power.
Today’s Goal
The primary goal of Jasper Philipsen Performance is to practise transitioning between different cycling intensities while maintaining control of your effort.
Rather than riding continuously at one power output, you’ll work through several training zones, with easier riding between the harder efforts.
By the time you reach the final Level V and Level V+ efforts, your legs will already have experienced a range of workloads.
The challenge is to produce those final efforts with good technique, without wasting energy during the earlier intervals.
Why You’re Doing This Session
1. Practise changing intensity
Road cycling, mountain biking and triathlon courses aren’t always perfectly steady.
Hills, corners, changes in terrain and race situations can require adjustments in power output.
Moving between Levels I, II, III, IV and V gives you an opportunity to practise making these transitions deliberately.
2. Challenge your aerobic and high-intensity systems
The early Level II and Level III efforts provide controlled aerobic work, while the Level IV interval introduces a more demanding workload.
The final Level V and Level V+ efforts provide brief exposure to higher-intensity cycling.
Although these efforts are too short to provide a large standalone VO₂ max training stimulus, they can complement a broader training programme that includes longer aerobic and threshold sessions.
3. Develop pacing discipline
One of the easiest mistakes in a short workout is treating every interval like a maximum effort.
That isn’t the objective here.
The Level II intervals should remain controlled. Level III should feel purposeful but sustainable. Level IV is harder, and the final Level V efforts should be distinctly demanding.
Getting these differences right is part of the training.
4. Make effective use of limited training time
At just over half an hour, Jasper Philipsen Performance can fit into a busy day without requiring a long indoor cycling session.
It can be a useful supplementary workout within a structured training week, provided the higher-intensity efforts are appropriate for your current training phase.
Today’s Workout
Jasper Philipsen Performance
Warm-Up – 6 Minutes
– 6min Level II
Begin with comfortable, controlled pedalling. Gradually settle into your preferred cadence and allow your breathing and heart rate to rise naturally.
The aim is to prepare for the changes in intensity that follow, not to accumulate fatigue.
Main Set – 15 Minutes 30 Seconds
| Duration | Intensity | Coaching focus |
|---|---|---|
| 2min | Level I | Easy riding; settle your breathing |
| 2min | Level II | Comfortable aerobic effort |
| 2min | Level III | Build to a purposeful tempo |
| 2min | Level II | Return to controlled riding |
| 2min | Level IV | Strong, sustained effort |
| 2min | Level II | Regain control before the harder finish |
| 1min | Level V | High-intensity effort with good technique |
| 2min | Level I | Easy recovery |
| 30sec | Level V+ | Short, powerful finishing effort |
The workout builds in intensity without demanding that every interval be harder than the one before it.
The recovery intervals are deliberate. They allow you to prepare for the next demanding effort while keeping the session controlled.
Cool-Down – 10 Minutes
- 10min Level I–II
- 10min Stretching
After the final 30-second effort, reduce the intensity and allow your breathing and heart rate to settle.
Start with easy pedalling at Level I, then remain comfortable within Level I–II for the rest of the cool-down.
Finish with your usual stretching routine.
Coaching Focus: Control the Easy, Deliver the Hard
The biggest challenge in this workout isn’t simply producing the highest possible power during the final 30 seconds.
It’s arriving at that effort ready to execute it properly.
Keep the early intervals honest. Resist the temptation to push Level II towards Level III, or Level III towards Level IV.
When you reach the one-minute Level V effort, increase your power decisively while maintaining a stable position and smooth pedalling.
Use the following two minutes at Level I to recover before the final Level V+ effort.
For that final 30 seconds, focus on a strong, controlled effort rather than an uncontrolled sprint that causes your technique to deteriorate.
🚴 Coach Ray’s Ride: Putting Jasper Philipsen Performance to the Test
There’s nothing quite like riding a workout yourself to appreciate how the different intervals feel.
I completed Jasper Philipsen Performance to experience the transitions between the easier aerobic sections and the increasingly demanding efforts towards the end of the session.
What makes this workout interesting is the contrast between the controlled Level II riding and the short, sharper efforts at Levels IV, V and V+.
The final 30-second effort is particularly important. After working through the earlier intervals, the challenge is to produce a strong finish while maintaining good cycling technique.
My Workout Data
View My Ride on Strava
Want to see how I completed the workout?
You can explore my recorded workout data and compare the completed session with the prescribed intervals.
If you’re planning to ride Jasper Philipsen Performance yourself, use my data as an example rather than a target. The important thing is to complete the session at intensities appropriate for your own fitness and training goals.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Starting too aggressively: The workout begins with relatively comfortable riding for a reason. Save your highest effort for the prescribed high-intensity intervals.
Riding the recovery intervals too hard: The easier sections aren’t wasted time. They’re what allow you to produce better-quality work later.
Confusing Level V+ with an all-out sprint: This is a short, demanding effort, but it should still be executed with control and good cycling technique.
Skipping the cool-down: After the final high-intensity effort, give yourself time to return to easier riding rather than stopping abruptly.
Adding extra hard intervals unnecessarily: A short session doesn’t need to become a longer, more exhausting workout to be worthwhile.
How This Workout Fits Into Your Training
Jasper Philipsen Performance is best viewed as a short, variable-intensity session rather than a replacement for your longer endurance or threshold workouts.
During your Foundation & Injury Prevention (FI) phase, most training should focus on establishing consistent aerobic conditioning. This workout may be suitable for experienced athletes who are already tolerating some higher-intensity work, but it isn’t essential for beginners.
During the Early Quality (EQ) phase, it can provide a useful change of stimulus alongside longer Level II endurance rides.
During the Transition Quality (TQ) phase, the short Level IV and Level V efforts can complement your more substantial threshold training.
During the Final Qualification (FQ) phase, a compact session like this may help maintain exposure to higher intensities without requiring a long workout, depending on your event and recovery needs.
Because the total high-intensity work is relatively short, this session is particularly useful as a supplementary workout rather than your main quality cycling session of the week.
Who Is This Workout For?
This session may appeal to cyclists and triathletes who:
- Have limited time but want a structured indoor cycling session.
- Enjoy workouts with changing intensities rather than long steady intervals.
- Want to practise controlled transitions between aerobic and high-intensity efforts.
- Are looking for a short supplementary workout within a larger training programme.
- Have an established training base and can comfortably manage brief Level V efforts.
If you’re returning from a training break or just beginning structured cycling, consider replacing the Level V and Level V+ efforts with more manageable intensities until you’re ready for harder work.
🚴 Ride Jasper Philipsen Performance on Qwik Kiwi Velocity
Ready to put your pacing and power to the test?
Jasper Philipsen Performance packs progressive intensity changes, controlled recovery and two short, demanding finishing efforts into just over 30 minutes of structured indoor cycling.
From comfortable Level II riding through to the final Level V+ burst, every interval has a purpose. The challenge is to control the easier efforts so you can deliver quality power when it matters.
🔥 Ready to ride?
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You don’t need to train alone or guess what workout to do next.
With Qwik Kiwi Velocity, you’ll get access to an extensive library of structured indoor cycling workouts, plus live squad rides with Coach Ray on Tuesday and Thursday mornings (New Zealand time).
Whether you’re building aerobic endurance, developing threshold power or sharpening your high-intensity cycling, there’s a session to suit your training goals.
Start with Jasper Philipsen Performance, then explore what else Velocity has to offer.
Train with purpose. Ride with the squad. Get more from every session.
Happy training!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jasper Philipsen Performance a sprint workout?
Not exclusively. Although the session finishes with short Level V and Level V+ efforts, most of the workout consists of easier aerobic riding and controlled changes in intensity.
Will this workout improve my FTP?
It can contribute to overall cycling fitness, but the Level IV effort is only two minutes long. For substantial FTP development, you’ll generally need additional sessions containing longer intervals near your threshold.
Can beginners complete this workout?
Beginners may find the changing intensities manageable, but the final high-intensity efforts could be demanding. Adjusting those intervals to suit your current fitness is a sensible option.
Can I do this workout outdoors?
Yes, provided you have a safe route where you can change intensity without interruptions from traffic, intersections or technical terrain. An indoor trainer makes the precise interval changes easier to control.
How often should I complete this workout?
That depends on your training phase and other sessions. It can be used occasionally as a short supplementary session, but there is no need to repeat it frequently if you’re already completing demanding threshold or VO₂ max workouts.
Coach Ray’s Final Thoughts
Jasper Philipsen Performance is a reminder that effective training isn’t always about duration.
This session asks you to move through several intensity levels, manage your recovery and produce two short, demanding efforts towards the end.
The key is to ride the easy sections easily, respect the harder intervals and finish with good technique.
Use it as one part of a balanced training programme, alongside the longer endurance and threshold sessions that underpin cycling performance.
Happy training!
Coach Ray Head Coach & Director Qwik Kiwi Coaching