TY - JOUR

T1 - Development of cycling performance-variables and durability in female and male national team cyclists: From junior to senior

AU - Almquist, Nicki Winfield

AU - Hansen, Joar

AU - Rønnestad, Bent R

N1 - Copyright © 2023 by the American College of Sports Medicine.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Aim: This study investigated the development of power profiles and performance-related measures from the junior level (<19 years) via U23 (19-23 years) to senior level (>23 years) in 19 female and 100 male Norwegian national team cyclists.Methods: A total of 285 tests were performed in a 3-day laboratory-standardized testing regime. The tests included power profiles with shorter duration (6-60 s) and longer durations (12-30 min) together with performance-related measures: Critical power (CP), work capacity above CP (W'), power output at 4 and 2 mmol·L-1 [BLa-] (L4 and L2), maximal aerobic power (Wmax), and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), gross efficiency (GE), and pedalling efficiency.Results: Females and males evolve similarly when maturing from junior via U23 to senior categories (all p > 0.07), except for VO2max which increased in females (but not males) from junior to senior level (534 ± 436 ml·min-1, p = 0.013). In general, only performances of longer durations improved with age (12-min and 30-min, p = 0.028, and p = 0.042, respectively). Performance-related measures like Wmax, VO2max, CP, L4, L2, and pedalling efficiency in the fresh state improved with age (all p ≤ 0.025). Importantly, performance in the semi-fatigued state during a 5-min maximal test, was also improved with age (p = 0.045) despite a higher external energy expenditure prior to the test (p = 0.026).Conclusions: Junior cyclists show highly developed sprint-abilities, and the primary improvements of absolute power outputs and performance-related measures are seen for durations >60 s when maturing to U23 and senior categories. However, the durability, i.e., the capacity to maintain performance in a semi-fatigued state is improved with age.

AB - Aim: This study investigated the development of power profiles and performance-related measures from the junior level (<19 years) via U23 (19-23 years) to senior level (>23 years) in 19 female and 100 male Norwegian national team cyclists.Methods: A total of 285 tests were performed in a 3-day laboratory-standardized testing regime. The tests included power profiles with shorter duration (6-60 s) and longer durations (12-30 min) together with performance-related measures: Critical power (CP), work capacity above CP (W'), power output at 4 and 2 mmol·L-1 [BLa-] (L4 and L2), maximal aerobic power (Wmax), and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), gross efficiency (GE), and pedalling efficiency.Results: Females and males evolve similarly when maturing from junior via U23 to senior categories (all p > 0.07), except for VO2max which increased in females (but not males) from junior to senior level (534 ± 436 ml·min-1, p = 0.013). In general, only performances of longer durations improved with age (12-min and 30-min, p = 0.028, and p = 0.042, respectively). Performance-related measures like Wmax, VO2max, CP, L4, L2, and pedalling efficiency in the fresh state improved with age (all p ≤ 0.025). Importantly, performance in the semi-fatigued state during a 5-min maximal test, was also improved with age (p = 0.045) despite a higher external energy expenditure prior to the test (p = 0.026).Conclusions: Junior cyclists show highly developed sprint-abilities, and the primary improvements of absolute power outputs and performance-related measures are seen for durations >60 s when maturing to U23 and senior categories. However, the durability, i.e., the capacity to maintain performance in a semi-fatigued state is improved with age.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Fatigue-resistance

KW - Cycling economy

KW - TT

KW - Laboratory testing

KW - Elite cyclists

U2 - 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003232

DO - 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003232

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37259247

VL - 55

SP - 2053

EP - 2063

JO - Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise

JF - Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise

SN - 0195-9131

IS - 11

ER -