The relationship between training characteristics and durability in professional cyclists across a competitive season

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of training characteristics on the fatigued power profile in professional cyclists. Data was collected from 30 under 23 professional cyclists (age: 20.1 ± 1.1 years, body mass: 69 ± 6.9 kg, height: 182.6 ± 6.2 cm, $\dot{V}$O_2max: 73.8 ± 2.5 mL·kg^-1·min^-1, CP: 5.48 ± 0.38 W·kg^-1, W´: 17.83 ± 3.57 kJ) across a competitive season and collated in to 3 periods: early-, mid- and late-season. Two power profiles (fresh and fatigued) were created from absolute (W) and relative (W·kg^-1) 2-, 5-, and 12-min maximal mean power outputs. The fresh power profile consisted exclusively of power output values produced prior to 2000 kJ work (2MMP_fresh, 5MMP_fresh and 12MMP_fresh) while the fatigued power profile consisted of power output values produced exclusively post 2000 kJ (2MMP_fatigue 5MMP_fatigue and 12MMP_fatigue). Training characteristics were analysed to assess their influence on the power profiles. Absolute 5MMP_fatigue, 12MMP_fatigue and relative 12MMP_fatigue were significantly lower in late-season compared with early- and mid-season (p < 0.05). The difference in absolute 12MMP_fresh and 12MMP_fatigue was significantly greater in late than in early- and mid-season. A significant relationship was found between training time below the first ventilatory threshold (Time < VT1) and improvements in absolute and relative 2MMP_fatigue (r = 0.43 p = 0.018 and r = 0.376 p = 0.04 respectively); and between a shift towards a polarized training intensity distribution and improvements in absolute and relative 12MMP_fatigue (r = 0.414 p = 0.023 for both) between subsequent periods. In conclusion, there is greater variability in the fatigue power profile across a competitive season than the fresh power profile.HighlightsThe fatigued power profile varies throughout a competitive seasonThe difference between the fresh and fatigued power profiles is not fixed across a competitive seasonA tendency towards a polarized training intensity distribution is associated with an improvement in the fatigue power profile.

Keywords: Power profiling; fatigue; professional cycling; training.