Climbing Performance in U23 and Professional Cyclists during a Multi-stage Race

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Cycling Performance Analysis

Background:

• Climbing performance is crucial in multistage professional road cycling races.
• Understanding factors influencing climbing, such as workload and intensity, is vital for training and race strategy.
• Differences between elite U23 and professional cyclists' climbing capabilities require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze climbing performance in professional road cycling across different climb categories.
• To assess the impact of prior workload and intensity on climbing performance in U23 and professional cyclists.
• To determine if climbing performance can be predicted by workload and intensity measures.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of climbing performance metrics (power output, ascent velocity, speed) between U23 and professional cyclists.
• Analysis of workload and intensity measures (total work, elevation gain, eTRIMP) in both groups.
• Statistical modeling to identify predictors of climbing performance based on climb category, workload, and intensity.

Main Results:

• Professional cyclists demonstrated higher power output, ascent velocity, and speed on Category 1 and 2 climbs compared to U23 cyclists.
• U23 cyclists exhibited higher overall workload and intensity measures than professionals.
• Prior workload and intensity significantly predicted climbing performance for Category 1 and 2 climbs (R²=0.27–0.89), but not Category 3.

Conclusions:

• Climbing performance in professional cycling is influenced by the climb's category and the cyclist's prior workload and intensity.
• Category 1 and 2 climbing performance can be predicted using workload and intensity data.
• These findings offer insights into training load management and performance prediction in elite cycling.