I have no experience doing event-type training for the bike, so keep that in mind... But for running, it's typical to start with an endurance period (slowly building distance), move to "strength" (for running, this would be hills & fartleks), and then start adding in speed (hard, timed/paced intervals). During the speed phase, overall weekly distance might decline but the distance of the long run would either be held constant or gradually keep increasing. It seems like a modified version of this, compressing the endurance phase (usually the longest) and adding in speed earlier, might suit your goals????? But I'm no expert so...

Either Runners' World or Running TImes had an interesting article a year or so ago on alternate ways to periodize training. Worth googling maybe.