Reliability and validity of a new variable-power performance test in road cyclists

Menthol Mouth Rinsing Improves Cycling Performance in Trained Adolescent Males Under Heat Stress

PURPOSE

This study investigated the effect of menthol (MEN) mouth rinsing (MR) on cycling performance during a modified variable cycle test (M-VCT) in adolescent athletes under hot conditions (31.4 ± 0.9 °C, 23.4 ± 3.7% relative humidity).

METHODS

Trained adolescent male cyclists (n = 11, 16.7 ± 1.3 years, height 176.6 ± 8.8 cm, body mass 65.8 ± 11.6 kg, maximal oxygen uptake 62.97 ± 7.47 ml·kg-1·min-1) voluntarily completed three trials (familiarization and two experimental) of a 30-min M-VCT, which included five 6-min laps consisting of three 6-s accelerations and three 10-s sprints throughout each lap. In a randomized crossover design, MEN (0.01%) or placebo (PLA) (crystal-light), was swilled for 5 s before the start of each lap (total of 6 MR). Power output, distance (in kilometers), core temperature, heart rate, perceptual exertion, thermal stimulation (thermal comfort and thermal sensation), and blood lactate concentration were recorded.

RESULTS

MEN MR significantly improved M-VCT mean power output by 1.81 ± 1.57% compared to PLA (MEN, 177.8 ± 31.4 W; PLA, 174.7 ± 30.5 W, p < .001, 95% confidence interval [1.73, 4.46], d = 1.53). For maximal intermittent sprints, 6- and 10-s mean power output was significantly higher with MEN than PLA (6 s, p = .041, 95% confidence interval [0.73, 27.19], d = 0.71; 10 s, p = .002, 95% confidence interval [11.08, 35.22], d = 1.29). There was no significant difference in core temperature, heart rate, blood lactate concentration, or any perceptual measure between trials (p > .05) despite significantly higher work with MEN.

CONCLUSION

64% of athletes (7/11) improved M-VCT performance with MEN. The results of this investigation suggest that a MEN MR may improve power output during a sport-specific stochastic cycling task in elite adolescent male cyclists.

A Contemporary Variable-Power Cycling Protocol to Discriminate Race-Specific Performance Ability

PURPOSE

Traditional physiological testing and monitoring tools have restricted our ability to capture parameters that best relate to cycling performance under variable-intensity race demands. This study examined the validity of a 1-h variable cycling test (VCT) to discriminate between different-performance-level cyclists.

METHODS

Ten male national- and 13 club-level cyclists (body mass, 67 [9] and 79 [6] kg; peak power output, 359 [43] and 362 [21] W, respectively) completed a VO2max test and two 1-h VCT protocols on 3 separate occasions. The VCT consisted of 10 × 6-min segments containing prescribed (3.5 W·kg-1) and open-ended phases. The open-ended phases consisted of 4 × 30-40 s of "recovery," 3 × 10 s at "hard" intensity, and 3 × 6-s "sprint" with a final 10-s "all-out" effort.

RESULTS

Power output for the 6- and 10-s phases was moderately higher for the national- compared with club-level cyclists (mean [SD] 10.4 [2.0] vs 8.6 [1.6] W·kg-1, effect size; ±90% confidence limits = -0.87; ±0.65 and mean [SD] 7.5 [0.7] vs 6.2 [1.0] W·kg-1, effect size; ±90% confidence limits = -1.24; ±0.66, respectively). Power output for the final 10-s "all-out" sprint was 15.4 (1.5) for the national- versus 13.2 (1.9) W·kg-1 for club-level cyclists.

CONCLUSION

The 1-h VCT can successfully differentiate repeat high-intensity effort performance between higher-caliber cyclists and their lower-performing counterparts.

Assessment of the physical fitness of road cyclists in the step and ramp protocols of the incremental test

BACKGROUND

The incremental test in laboratory conditions is a method commonly used to evaluate the maximal oxygen uptake and peak power output, which are the good predictors of cycling performance. But the best-designed protocol remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the physiological and biochemical responses in the incremental ramp on cycle ergometer and to compare with the commonly used step in young road cyclists.

METHODS

Fifty-seven road cyclists took part in the experiment. The tests included two visits to the laboratory during which the anthropometric measurements, incremental test on a cycle ergometer, and examination of acid-base balance and blood lactate concentration were made. A randomly selected half of the subjects made, as the first one, the STEP (50W·3min-1) Test and the RAMP Test (~0,27W·sec-1) a week later. The remaining cyclists made tests in the reverse order.

RESULTS

The peak power output obtained in the RAMP was significantly higher than obtained in the STEP by 18.13W (P<0.05). The maximal oxygen uptake was higher by 1.5 (mL∙kg-1∙min-1) during the RAMP (P<0.05). The postexercise blood lactate concentration was significantly higher by 0.94 mmol∙L-1(P<0.05) in STEP.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend the use of RAMP Test with linearly increasing workload to determine peak power output, maximal oxygen uptake and ventilatory threshold to precisely programming and control training of young road cyclists.