Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2021 May 1;16(5):735-738. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2020-0501. Epub 2020 Aug 19.
The COVID-19 outbreak has challenged professional athletes' training and competition routines in a way not seen before. This report aims to inform about the changes in training volume and intensity distribution and their effects on functional performance due to a 7-week home-confinement period in professional road cyclists from a Union Cycliste Internationale Pro Team.
A total of 18 male professional cyclists (mean [SD] age = 24.9 [2.8] y, body mass = 66.5 [5.6] kg, maximal aerobic power = 449 [39] W; 6.8 [0.6] W/kg) were monitored during the 10 weeks before the lockdown (outdoor cycling) and the 7-week lockdown (indoor cycling turbo trainer). Data from the mean maximal power output (in watts per kilogram) produced during the best 5-minute and best 20-minute records and the training intensity distributions (weekly volumes at power-based training zones) were collected from WKO5 software.
Total training volume decreased 33.9% during the lockdown (P < .01). Weekly volumes by standardized zones (Z1 to Z6) declined between 25.8% and 52.2% (effect size from 0.83 to 1.57), except for Z2 (P = .38). There were large reductions in best 5-minute and best 20-minute performance (effect size > 1.36; P < .001) with losses between 1% and 19% in all the cyclists.
Total indoor volumes of 12 hours per week, with 6 hours per week at low intensity (Z1 and Z2) and 2 hours per week at high intensity over the threshold (Z5 and Z6), were insufficient to maintain performance in elite road cyclists during the COVID-19 lockdown. Such performance declines should be considered to enable a safe and effective return to competition.
COVID-19 疫情以一种前所未有的方式挑战了专业运动员的训练和比赛常规。本报告旨在介绍由于国际自行车联盟职业车队的专业公路自行车手进行了为期 7 周的居家隔离，训练量和强度分布的变化及其对功能性表现的影响。
共监测了 18 名男性职业自行车手（平均[标准差]年龄=24.9[2.8]岁，体重=66.5[5.6]kg，最大有氧功率=449[39]W；6.8[0.6]W/kg）在封锁前的 10 周（户外骑行）和封锁期间的 7 周（室内骑行功率计）的情况。数据来自于 WKO5 软件中最佳 5 分钟和最佳 20 分钟记录的平均最大功率输出（以瓦特/公斤计）和训练强度分布（基于功率的训练区的每周量）。
封锁期间总训练量下降了 33.9%（P<.01）。标准化区（Z1 至 Z6）的每周量下降了 25.8%至 52.2%（效应大小为 0.83 至 1.57），除 Z2 区外（P=0.38）。最佳 5 分钟和最佳 20 分钟的成绩均有较大幅度下降（效应大小>1.36；P<.001），所有运动员的成绩下降了 1%至 19%。
每周 12 小时的室内总训练量，其中 6 小时为低强度（Z1 和 Z2），2 小时为阈上高强度（Z5 和 Z6），不足以维持 COVID-19 封锁期间精英公路自行车手的表现。这些表现的下降应该被考虑在内，以确保安全和有效的重返比赛。
