Decoding Victory in Cycling's Grand Monuments: A Performance Analysis of Top-5 Versus Top-6-30 Finishers

This study aimed to examine the key performance metrics and durability differences between cyclists finishing in the top-5 and those ranked between 6th and 30th in the Five Monuments of Cycling (Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and Il Lombardia). Data from 64 professional male cyclists were analyzed. Cyclists were categorized into top-5 finishers (n = 14) and top-6-30 finishers (n = 50). Race data were extracted from .fit files, including power output (PO), mean maximal power (MMP) across multiple durations (5 s, 30 s, 1 min, 5 min, 10 min, and 20 min), and power decay after accumulated workloads (30, 40, 50, and 60 kJ kg^-1). Top-5 finishers exhibited significantly higher MMP for 5-min (d = 0.7; p = 0.02), 10-min (d = 0.8; p = 0.01), and 20-min efforts (d = 1.0; p = 0.01) compared to top-6-30 finishers. No significant differences were found in shorter durations (p > 0.05). Power decay analysis revealed that top-6-30 cyclists experienced greater reductions in MMP at 60 kJ kg^-1, particularly for 10-min (d = 1.3; p < 0.01) and 20-min efforts (d = 1.2; p < 0.01). No significant differences were observed in total energy expenditure or time spent in power zones between groups. Top-5 finishers showed higher durability, with less power decay compared to top-6-30 finishers in the Five Monuments. These findings highlight functional performance differences (e.g., MMP, power decay) associated with top-5 finishes, though physiological mechanisms remain speculative. This study extends prior research by focusing on elite finishers in the Five Monuments.