Manuel Mateo-March

Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche | UMH · Centro de Investigación del Deporte

Muriel, X, Hernández-Belmonte, A, Mateo-March, M, Valenzuela, PL, Zabala, M, Barranco-Gil, D, Lucia, A, and Pallares, JG. Is the record power profile repeatable? A practical analysis and interpretation in professional cyclists. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2022-This study assessed the repeatability of the Record Power Profile (RPP, i.e., the...

In Bicycle Motocross (BMX) performance is determined by the riders’ sprint ability and power output. Therefore, descriptive and predictive performance assessments through laboratory and field tests are of interest. Twelve members of the Spanish BMX National Team performed 4 laboratory tests, including 1RM in squat, a Wingate test, a 5x6-s repeated...

Purpose: No information is available on the torque/cadence relationship in road cyclists. We aimed to establish whether this relationship differs between cyclists of different performance levels or team roles. Methods: Mean maximal power (MMP) output data from 177 riders were obtained from 2012 to 2021 from training and competitions. Cyclists we...

Workload is calculated from exercise volume and intensity. In endurance sports, intensity has been measured using heart rate or RPE, giving rise to load indexes such as sRPE or TRIMP. In cycling, the advent of power meters led to new indexes, such as TSS. All these indexes have limitations, especially for high intensity exercise. Therefore, a new i...

Objective To investigate the influence of road gradient on cycling power output in male professional cyclists, and to determine whether cyclist typology (i.e., flat or climbing specialist, respectively) moderates this influence. Design Observational study. Methods Ninety-eight professional cyclists (27 ± 6 years) were included in the analyses, of...

Purpose Certain anthropometric characteristics are required for athletes to successfully perform in elite endurance sports. The present study aims to analyse the anthropometric characteristics of professional cyclists according to their specialty. Method Anthropometric measurements were conducted of the body composition of seventy-six male profess...

The first aim of the present study was to assess the dietary intake of professional cyclists during pre-season. The second aim was to assess the dietary habits of this population during a complete season. Fifteen elite male (age: 23.2 ± 5.4 years) and twenty-three elite female (age: 20.1 ± 7.0 years) cyclists volunteered to participate in the study...

Purpose: To compare endurance, strength and body composition indicators between cyclists of three different competition age categories. Methods: Fifty-one male road cyclists classified as either junior ( n = 13, age 16.4 ± 0.5 years), under-23 [(U23), n = 24, 19.2 ± 1.3 years] or professional ( n = 14, 26.1 ± 4.8 years) were studied. Endurance (ass...

TO THE EDITOR: Podlogar et al. (1) have nicely discussed cur- rent methods for classifying athletes in applied physiology studies attending to their training or performance level. We agree with them that relying on a single physiological marker such as maximum oxygen uptake is not without limi- tations and endorse the use of more performance-based...

Background: The use of inertial measurement sensors (IMUs), in the search for a more ecological measure, is spreading among sports professionals with the aim of improving the sports performance of cyclists. The kinematic evaluation using the Leomo system (TYPE-R, Leomo, Boulder, CO, USA) has become popular. Purpose: The present study aimed to ev...

The aim of this study was to describe individual training strategies in preparation to Giro d’Italia of three world class road cyclists who achieved a top 5 in the general classification. Day‐to‐day power meter training and racing data of three road cyclists (age: 26, 27, 25 years; relative maximum oxygen consumption: 81, 82, 80 mL·min‐1·kg‐1; rela...

A new method to monitor internal training load from muscle oxygen saturation using near-infrared spectroscopy could be of practical application for research and training purposes. This technology has been validated in different scientific fields, including sport science, and Humon Hex and Moxy are two leading brands. However, its relationship with...

The aim was to compare the training characteristics of junior, under 23 and professional road cyclists. Training data collected during the 2019 competitive season of thirty male cyclists, divided into three age-related categories (JUN; U23; PRO), were retrospectively analyzed for training characteristics, external and internal training load. Higher...

Purpose: To investigate the relationship of field-derived power and physical performance parameters with competition success in road cycling climbing specialists of age-related categories and to explore cross-sectional differences between high-ranked (HIGHR) climbing specialists of each category. Methods: Fifty-three male climbers participated in t...

Purpose: Ambient temperature affects endurance exercise performance. However, most research has been conducted in a laboratory-based setting, and whether there are sex-specific trends remains unclear. The present study aimed to analyze the influence of ambient temperature on cycling performance in male and female professional cyclists using field-...

The use of near-infrared spectroscopy could be an interesting alternative to other invasive or expensive methods to estimate the second lactate threshold. Our objective was to compare the intensities of the muscle oxygen saturation breakpoint obtained with the Humon Hex and the second lactate threshold in elite cyclists. Ninety cyclists performed a...

En el pasado, prácticamente no se le prestaba atención a todo lo relacionado ni con la ergonomía ni con el rendimiento de las mujeres ciclistas. El interés principal recaía en el ciclismo masculino, buscando mejoras ergonómicas que se tradujeran en un mejor confort y rendimiento. De hecho, no era habitual encontrar bicicletas específicas para mujer...

Purpose: The present study aimed to determine the influence of fatigue on the record power profile of professional male cyclists. We also assessed whether fatigue could differently affect cyclists of 2 competition categories. Methods: We analyzed the record power profile in 112 professional cyclists (n = 46 and n = 66 in the ProTeam [PT] and Wor...

Background: The evaluation of performance in endurance athletes and the subsequent individualization of training is based on the determination of individual physiological thresholds during incremental tests. Gas exchange or blood lactate analysis are usually implemented for this purpose, but these methodologies are expensive and invasive. The shor...

Purpose: To present normative data for the record power profile of male professional cyclists attending to team categories and riding typologies. Methods: Power output data registered from 4 professional teams during 8 years (N = 144 cyclists, 129,262 files, and 1062 total seasons [7 (5) per cyclist] corresponding to both training and competitio...

Purpose: To describe the record power profile of professional female cyclists and to assess potential differences based on the type of rider. Methods: Power output data (32,028 files containing both training and competition sessions recorded) in 44 female professional cyclists during 1-6 years were analyzed. Cyclists were categorized as all-roun...

Introduction: Acute altitude exposure influences exercise performance, although most research, especially regarding altitude natives, comes from laboratory data in non-athletes. Purpose: We analyzed the influence of altitude on real-world cycling performance in top-level professional cyclists attending to whether they were altitude natives or not....

Background: Despite previous research suggesting that certain anthropometric characteristics are required to successfully perform in track cycling, current literature fails to describe these characteristics in depth in large cohorts of professional UCI cyclists. The main aims of the present study were to determine the anthropometric characteristic...

Background and objective : Heart rate variability (HRV) has been proposed as a useful marker that can show the performance adaptation and optimize the training process in elite athletes. The development of wearable technology permits the measurement of this marker through smartphone applications. The purpose of this study is to assess the validity...

Purpose: To compare the race demands of junior (JUN), under 23 (U23), and professional (PRO) road cyclists. Methods: Thirty male cyclists, divided into 3 age-related categories (JUN, n = 10; U23, n = 10; and PRO, n = 10), participated in this study. Race data collected during the 2019 competitive season were retrospectively analyzed for race cha...

There is a lack of research assessing Motion Performance Indicators (MPIs), which have been recently made commercially available. Therefore, this study explored: (1) the influence of incremented exercise on MPIs and; (2) the relationships between MPIs and cycling performance at different intensities during a graded exercise test (GXT) in profession...

Purpose Cyclists need to measure aerodynamic resistance accurately and reliably, as well as economically. Devices such as Notio Aerostick, an equipment device that includes one pitot tube, have appeared for this purpose. The aim of this study is, therefore, to test the reliability and degree of agreement in the evaluation of the CdA (coefficient of...

Durability and repeatability (i.e., the ability to sustain high power output values under fatigue and to endure repeated high-intensity efforts, respectively) are emerging as cycling performance determinants. We aimed to analyze whether these markers differ between professional cyclists of two competition levels (WorldTour [WT] and Proteam [PT]) du...

Altitude training is a common strategy to improve performance in endurance athletes. In this context, the monitoring of training and the athletes’ response is essential to ensure positive adaptations. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been proposed as a tool to evaluate stress and the response to training. In this regard, many smartphone application...

A methodology to study bike handling of cyclists during individual time trials (ITT) is presented. Lateral and longitudinal accelerations were estimated from GPS data of professional cyclists (n=53) racing in two ITT of different length and technical content. Acceleration points were plotted on a plot (g-g diagram) and they were enclosed in an elli...

Purpose: To compare the physical demands and performance indicators of male professional cyclists of 2 different categories (Union Cycliste Internationale WorldTour [WT] and ProTeam [PT]) during a cycling grand tour. Methods: A WT team (n = 8, 31.4 [5.4] y) and a PT team (n = 7, 26.9 [3.3] y) that completed "La Vuelta 2020" volunteered to partic...

Purpose The present study aimed to compare the physiological responses of high-intensity race-pace continuous vs. interval workouts commonly used in middle-distance athletics, by means of analyzing post-exercise cardiac autonomic regulation and lactate. Methods Nineteen highly-trained 800-m male runners were asked to run a 600-m race-pace continuo...

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 crisis also affected elite sport severely, as elite athletes either stopped or drastically reduced their training regimen due to the lack of competitions and the mandatory lockdown. The aim of this study was to test whether heart rate variability was a reliable index of training load, which was dramatically altered due to the...

In 2020, the IOC released a consensus statement that provides overall guidelines for the recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in sport. Some aspects of this statement need to be further specified on a sport-by-sport basis. To extend the IOC consensus statement on methods for recording and reporting of epidemiologica...

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 crisis also affected elite sport severely, as elite athletes either stopped or drastically reduced their training regimen due to the lack of competitions and the mandatory lockdown. The aim of this study was to test whether heart rate variability was a reliable index of training load, which was dramatically altered due to the...

BACKGROUND: Pedalling asymmetries are a topic of interest to cycling coaches and athletes due to a potential link with performance and injury prevention. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to describe the bilateral asymmetry of professional cyclists during two editions of a Grand Tour. METHODS: Here we set out to determine the power balance (powe...

BACKGROUND: Sprinting at the start of a BMX race is considered one of the most important determinants of performance. Therefore, different devices and technologies have been developed to improve this ability to sprint, such as non-circular CR (CR) systems. OBJECTIVE: To compare new pedalling performance determinants for the first meters of the acce...

Accelerometers are becoming popular in sport performance, as they are easy to wear, affordable, and usable in the field. Eccentric chainrings have been commercialised to improve pedalling performance, but little is known about their possible effects in the first pedal strokes (PS) of maximal sprint starts. To analyse the effects of the Q-Ring chain...

Objectives To describe physical fitness and performance profiles of elite young road-race motorcyclists and to evaluate the effects of four specific training stages on body composition and muscular fitness. Equipments and methods Twenty-seven elite young road-race motorcyclists aged 15.6 ± 1.1 years, were evaluated on two different occasions, at t...

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to test the effect of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3-) ingestion on performance during a simulated competition on a Bicycle Motocross (BMX) track. Design: Double-blind cross-over study. Methods: Twelve elite male BMX cyclists (age: 19.2±3.4 years; height: 174.2±5.3cm; body mass: 72.4±8.4kg) ingested eit...

Regarding the importance of recovery in sport performance, assessment of post-exercise Heart Rate (HR) Dynamics has become a useful tool to understand such an individual process. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis is widely used as a non-invasive marker of Autonomic Nervous System regulation of HR, where the nonlinear methods (Detrended Fluctuat...

To analyze cardiovascular and autonomic responses in elite youngsters, 13 male cyclists (15.43±0.51 years) performed a graded-test until voluntary exhaustion. Oxygen consumption (VO2), blood lactate (BLa), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were collected, while heart rate (HR)...

This study addresses performance-enhancement drug (PED) consumption in amateur sport by investigating the relationship between psychosocial factors and PED use in amateur cyclists. Participants were asked whether they had ever taken PED. They were also asked whether they had any experience in competitive cycling, and the degree to which they partic...

Introduction The aim of this study was to understand the attitude towards performance-enhancing drugs (PED) in Spanish Sport Sciences university students and whether it varied according to the type of sport practised (individual, team, or both). Synopsis of the facts Descriptive design was carried out by means of a validated measurement instrument...

Smokeless tobacco (Snus) is a substance that contains nicotine, which has been placed on World Anti-Doping Agency's 2014 Monitoring Program. A proliferation of nicotine use in sport has been observed in recent years, but little is known regarding its effects, especially on football players' performance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to asses...

The aim was to compare attitudes towards doping in cyclists from the Spanish National road cycling teams. 33 cyclists aged 18.62±2.88 years were allocated to four groups (junior men, under-23 men, junior women, and elite women). We used the Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale (PEAS) and a qualitative open-ended questionnaire. The overall PEAS sc...

Maximising power output during the initial acceleration phase of a bicycle motocross (BMX) race increases the chance to lead the group for the rest of the race. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of non-circular chainrings (Q-ring) on performance during the initial acceleration phase of a BMX race. Sixteen male cyclists (Spanis...

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the opinions and experiences regarding doping of a sample of Spanish cycling team managers considering his previous experience as cyclists and their academic level of training. A total of 87 cycling team managers (the highest level) participated in the study. Regarding his previous cycling experien...

The aim of the present study was to know and compare the attitudes towards doping in Spanish competitive female cyclists and triathletes. All the female cyclists and triathletes who competed (U23 and elite) under license in Spain in 2012 (n = 206; 29.62±8.70 years) in the highest national competitions level comprised the sample. The total sample wa...

Actually It is known that to reach high levels of sports performance is indispensable the training. The aim of this study has been to analyze the habits of training of 27 young motorcyclists of international elite across a questionnaire. There are a high percentage of pilots who do not realize specific and systematic programs of training physical...

Little research exists concerning Heart Rate (HR) Variability (HRV) following supramaximal efforts focused on upper-body explosive strength-endurance. Since they may be very demanding, it seems of interest to analyse the relationship among performance, lactate and HR dynamics (i.e. HR, HRV and complexity) following them; as well as to know how base...

Attitudes towards doping are considered an influence of doping intentions. The aims of the present study were 1) to discover and compare the attitudes towards doping among Spanish national team cyclists from different Olympic disciplines, as well as 2) to get some complementary information that could better explain the context. The sample was compr...

Objectif En cyclisme BMX, il est connu que l’utilisation de pédales automatiques (CP) par rapport à des pédales plates (FP) peut améliorer la performance lors d’un sprint, mais il n’y a pas de consensus sur l’âge pour lequel il serait intéressant de commencer à les utiliser et si leur utilisation devrait être en relation avec l’âge des sujets, leur...

In the present study, we investigated the relation between cognitive performance and heart rate variability as a function of fitness level. We measured the effect of three cognitive tasks (the psychomotor vigilance task, a temporal orienting task, and a duration discrimination task) on the heart rate variability of two groups of participants: a hig...

In the motorcycling sport specialty, scientific literature has focused on technology, safety or even on injury variables; however there is little information regarding psychological variables. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of a technical and physical intervention on psychological variables such as self-esteem, self-assessment, app...

Little is known about the influence of speed-endurance workouts on the improvement of pacing strategies in the 800-m running event. This study aims to analyze it, comparing continuous repetitions vs. interval training workouts. Since we hypothesize that pacing is susceptible to expertise, there might be age-differences. 19 male 800-m runners (age:...

The objectives of this study were 1) to describe the technical requirements of different tracks where classifying points are disputed for the Olympics as the European continent tracks (E), world championship competitions tracks (W), and Olympic Games track -Beijing, 2008-(O); and 2) to compare and estab-lish differences or similarities between the...

Introduction The quotation of our ancestors “mens sana in corpora sano” is supported by recent studies suggesting that physical activity has an important role as a protective factor at the physical and mental health (Albinet, Boucard, Bouquet, & Audiffren, 2010). The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between exercise, hea...

Objectif L’objectif de cette étude était d’observer les différences entre les différentes configurations du plateau non-circulaire Q-Ring (OCP) et un plateau normal sur le couple de force produit dans les premiers coups de pédales d’une course de BMX. Patients et résultats Les résultats ont montré des différences statistiquement significatives pou...

This paper analyzes whether lactate production presents a specific dynamic according to the phases of a BMX race, and its possible relationship to the difficulty / design of the track. Nine Spanish national team athletes performed three types of bouts: No pedaling (NP), Pedaling only the Exit Ramp (PRS) and Pedaling Freely (PL) in three days and tr...

The aim of the study was to describe anthropometric and physical characteristics of elite young road-race motorcyclists (MC). 27 riders (15.6±1.1 years, 54.6±6.9 kg, 166.9±6.7 cm) competing at international elite level participated in this study. Anthropometric variables, hand grip and lumbar isometric strength, and lower-body muscular strength wer...

Mateo, M, Blasco-Lafarga, C, and Zabala, M. Pedaling power and speed production vs. technical factors and track difficulty in BMX cycling. J Strength Cond Res 25(12): 3248-3256, 2011-This article analyzes whether there is a determined profile in the production of cyclic and acyclic periods in relation to the phases of a bicycle motocross (BMX) race...

Altered neural mechanisms implying autonomic functioning have been described related to anxiety. Pre-competitive stress may be considered as an anxiety-state associated with disorders (i.e. somatic and cognitive alterations, and self-confidence worsening) that severely impair sport performance, conditioning short-lasting strength-related discipline...

Heart Rate Dynamics analysis has become a useful tool to understand the cardiac autonomic regulation inside the sport performance recovery processes. Emerging nonlinear methods have been employed to analyze recovery following different supramaximal exercises, although there is little information about upper-limb explosive-strength endurance efforts...

p align="justify">El objetivo de este estudio ha sido evaluar los efectos de un sistema de plato no circular de desarrollo variable Q-Ring (Q) frente a uno convencional (NQ) sobre el rendimiento en el sprint ciclista de Bicicleta de Moto Cross (BMX). Catorce deportistas pertenecientes a la Selección Nacional Española han realizado un test de sprint...

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the administration of external feedback (FB) on the time used to execute the gate start skill in BMX cycling discipline. The sample used was n = 6 riders from the Spanish national team (19.3 ± 2.1 years). An intragroup experimental design with repeated measures was used to compare the evol...

The aims of the present study pilot were 1) to determine in the BMX cycling discipline the possible effects of the application of the start technique named Slingshot (SS) in comparison with the traditional Holeshot (HS) skill, 2) to study the relation with athlete's performance in the 25 first meters after the start, and 3) to determine the percent...