Enhanced durability predicts success in amateur road cycling: evidence of power output declines.

PURPOSE

Durability refers to an athlete's capacity to sustain optimal performance levels during prolonged physical exertion. Durability has been recognized as important and remains a key factor in endurance performance, particularly among amateur athletes who make up the largest segment of the endurance sports community. In the modern era, where remote coaching has become increasingly prevalent, there is a need for new methods to measure durability effectively without the constraints of laboratory. The aim of this study was to quantify durability in well-trained age-group cycling athletes using home-based test measures, identify durability as an important predictor of endurance performance, and provide practical recommendations for improving durability through training.

METHODS

Fourteen endurance-trained cyclists (mean 37.5 ± 5.7 years; VOmax 52.0 ± 7.4 ml·kg¹·min¹; training volume 9.6 ± 2.2 h·week¹) took part in this study. Participants were divided into two groups based on less successful achievements: Power output and heart rate response for 5- and 20 min time trial (TT) efforts was measured in watt under both fresh and fatigued conditions. The fatiguing protocol involved cycling at 70%-80% of participants' initial 20 min TT power until 1,000 kJ of work was completed, followed by a 5- and 20 min TT.

RESULTS

Successful amateur cyclists have a significantly lower drop of power of in a 20 min interval in fatigued condition compared to less successful counterparts. The average drop in power is only half as high for successful athletes (6.5%) as it is for the less successful athletes (12.5%). For the 5 min interval and the heart rate response between fresh and fatigue state, no differences could be found.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study demonstrate that successful amateur cyclists exhibit better durability than less successful athletes after a defined amount of work, enabling them to sustain higher performance levels during prolonged efforts.