Assessment of the power performance of racing cyclists |
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| Authors: | John A White Mohammed A AL‐Dawalibi |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Human and Environmental Sciences , West London Institute of Higher Education , Borough Road, Isleworth, Middlesex, TW7 5DU, UK;2. Department of Physical Education , Al‐Mosul University , Mosul, Iraq |
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| Abstract: | A 30‐s ‘all‐out’ power protocol was studied in four groups of racing cyclists including internationals (n = 8), Category 1 (n = 10), Category 2 (n = 15) and Category 3 (n = 11). Following warm‐up each subject completed five trials interspersed by 3 min of low intensity exercise on an ergowheel racing cycle ergometry system at a power output of 15 W kg–1 body weight, generated at 130 rev min–1. Temporal indices of performance included delay time (DT) to achieve the power criterion, total time (TT) of the maintenance of the power criterion and the ratio of TT/DT. ‘Explosive’ leg strength was assessed from a vertical jump. The results indicated that international and Category 1 cyclists had lower DT (2.2 ± 0.1s and 2.1 +0.0s, respectively; P<0.05), higher TT (28.1 ±0.7s and 27.0+0.7s, respectively; P<0.05) and elevated TT/DT (12.8 and 12.9, respectively; P<0.01). ‘Explosive’ leg strength was also higher (P<0.05) in the internationals than in the other groups of cyclists. The protocol provides a sport‐related method for the assessment of short term endurance performance ability in racing cyclists which may be of value in identifying the anaerobic capability of individual cyclists. |
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| Keywords: | Assessment protocol power cyclists |
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