Effect of Recovery Interventions on Cycling Performance and Pacing Strategy in the Heat

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of active recovery (AR), passive rest (PR) and cold water immersion (CWI) after 90 min intensive cycling on a subsequent 12 min time-trial (TT2) and the applied pacing strategy in TT2. METHODS: After a max test and familiarization trial, 9 trained male subjects (age: 22 ± 3 years; VO2max: 62.1 ± 5.3 ml·min-1·kg-1) performed 3 experimental trials in the heat (30°C). Each trial consisted of two exercise tasks separated by 1h. The first was a 60min constant load trial at 55% of the maximal power output (Wmax) followed by a 30 min time trial (TT1). The second comprised a 12 min simulated time trial (TT2). After TT1 AR, PR or CWI was applied for 15min. RESULTS: No significant TT2 performance differences were observed, but a one sample t test (within each condition) revealed different pacing strategies during TT2. CWI resulted in an even pacing strategy, while AR and PR resulted in a gradual decline of power output after the onset of TT2 (p≤0.046). During recovery AR and CWI showed a trend towards faster blood lactate ([BLa]) removal, but during TT2 significantly higher [BLa] were only observed after CWI compared to PR (p=0.011). CONCLUSION: The pacing strategy during subsequent cycling performance in the heat is influenced by the application of different post-exercise recovery interventions. Although power was not significantly altered between groups, CWI enabled a different shaped power profile, likely due to decreased thermal strain.