Work loads demands in mass start endurance events in track cycling: a pilot study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
Three mass start endurance events exist in international track cycling: Scratch, Points Race and Madison. Only one study has described power output for one of these events (Craig & Norton, 2001). With the description of power output and cadence the physiological demands of these events can be determined, which can have implications for training. Goal of this study is to describe power output for the three mass start endurance events in track cycling.
METHODS
Power was measured during 7 international track races with 5 riders (3 men, 2 women) in the 3 mass start endurance events (Scratch, Points Race and Madison) using power meters. An incremental exercise test provided six relative intensity zones.
RESULTS
Average power in the Scratch was 277 W for men and 194 W for women, in the Points Race it was 341 W for men and 199 W for women, and in the Madison it was 270 W (men only). Time ridden in the relative intensity zones I-VI in the Scratch was respectively 37.4% (±7.1%), 12.8% (±2.1%), 8.3% (±1.9%), 7.4% (±1.3%), 6.5% (±1.0%), 27.5% (±2.7%) for men and 45.4% (±10.8%), 14.0% (±1.3%), 9.1% (±1.7%), 7.6% (±1.8%), 6.0% (±1.9%), 17.9% (±6.8%) for women. For the Points Race this was 30.1%, 12.2%, 8.1%, 8.6%, 8.3%, 3.2% for men and 41.3% (±6.2%), 15.2% (±1.1%), 10.1% (±0.9%), 8.0% (±1.0%), 7.0% (±0.9%), 18.4% (±5.2%) for women. In the Madison this was 44.7% (±4.3%), 10.5% (±1.7%), 7.2% (±1.3%), 6.7% (±0.8%), 5.4% (±0.5%), 25.6% (±1.2%).
Male riders who finished top 5 rode with a higher average power output (312 ± 31 W) than non top 5 riders (259 ± 15 W).
DISCUSSION
Riders spent most of the time either in the lowest intensity zone or in the highest intensity zone. This shows great similarities with men’s (Vogt et al., 2006), and women’s (Ebert et al., 2005) road cycling and mountain biking (Stapelfeldt et al., 2004), where the greatest part of the race time was ridden in the lowest intensity zone (30-65%) and the second greatest part of the race in the highest intensity zone (15-35%), with 2-24 times longer race times than track events. These studies used 3-4 relative intensity zones, but highest and lowest zones are comparable with highest and lowest here.
Male top 5 finishers rode a higher average power output than those who finished outside the top 5, which is comparable with findings in road races where male cyclists in the first group also spent more time at higher intensity zones than riders in the peloton.
In training a part of the training time should be specific and focused on alternating low power output (relative rest) with high power output (highest intensity zone).
REFERENCES
Craig NP & KI Norton (2001). Sports Med, 31(7), 457-468.
Ebert TR, et al. (2005). Eur J Appl Phys, 95, 529-536.
Stapelfeldt B, et al. (2004). Int J Sports Med, 25, 294-300.
Vogt S, et al. (2006). Med Sci Sports Exerc, 38(1), 147-151.

Full text

Work loads demands in mass start endurance events in track cycling:
a pilot study
Albert Smit
Netherlands Olympic Comittee * Netherlands Sports Confederation
(NOC*NSF)
Arnhem, the Netherlands
INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to describe power output for the three mass start endurance events in track
cycling.
METHODS
RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS
Riders spent most of the time either in the lowest
intensity zone or in the highest intensity zone. Male
top 5 finishers rode a higher average power output
than those who finished outside the top 5.
Contact: albert.smit@noc-nsf.nl
Three mass start endurance events exist in international track cycling: Scratch, Points Race and Madison. Only one study has described power
output for one of these events
1
. With the description of power output and cadence the physiolog
ical demands of these events can be determined,
which can have implications for training.
Power was measured during 7 international track races with 5 riders (3 men, 2 women) in the 3 mass start endurance events (Scratch, Points Race and
Madison) using power meters. An incremental lab test provided six relative intensity power zones, based on the anaerobic threshold (AT):
This study is the first extensive analysis of mass start endurance events in track cycling. Not
every rider rode all races. The women both rode two Scratch races and two Points Races, one
man rode 4 Scratch races and three Madison races, while the second man rode one Points
Races and two Madison races and the third man rode two Madison races. Average power in
the Scratch was 277 W for men and 194 W for women, in the Points Race it was 341 W for
men and 199 W for women, and in the Madison it was 270 W (men only). Time spent in the
six relative intensity power zones are shown in figure 1.
The average power of the male riders was 277 (±17), 341, and 297 (±36) W respectively for
Scratch, Points Race and Madison, which is much higher than the average power in
professional road races (190-271 W)
2
or mountain bike races (246 ± 12 W)
3
. This is probably
related to race time, which is longer in mountain bike races and
much longer in road races. The
average power output with the women was 190 (±31) and 199 (±18) W respectively for
Scratch and Points Race, which is comparable to women road races on the flat (192 ±21 W)
4
,
although the race time is more than 6 times as long in the road races.
Riders spent most of the time either in the lowest intensity zone or in the highest intensity
zone. This shows great similarities with road racing
2,4
and mountain biking
3
where the
greatest part of the race time was ridden in the lowest intensity zone (30-65%) and the second
greatest part of the race in the highest intensity zone (15-35%), with 2-24 times longer race
times than track events. These studies used 3-4 relative intensity zones, but highest and lowest
zones are comparable with highest and lowest here.
Male top 5 finishers, averaged over all races, rode a higher average power output (311 ± 30
W)
then when finishing outside the top 5 (258 ± 15 W), which is comparable with findings in road
races where male cyclists in the first group also spent more time at higher intensity zones than
riders in the peloton and the duration of the high intensity is also longer
5
.
Part of the training time should be specific and focused on alternating low power output
(relative rest) with high power output (highest intensity zone). Further study into work load
demands in endurance events in track cycling requires cooperation between nations, as only 1
rider per nation or team is allowed to start in World Cup races (women 2 riders per nation or
team).
Zone 1 for intensities below 56% AT
Zone 2 for intensities between 56% and 75% AT
Zone 3 for intensities between 75% and 90% AT
Zone 4 for intensities between 90% and 105% AT
Zone 5 for intensities between 105% and 120% AT
Zone 6 for intensities above 120% AT
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
zone 1 zone 2 zone 3 zone 4 zone 5 zone 6
Men
Figure 1. Relative time spent in intensity power zones.
Top: Scratch
Middle: Points Race
Bottom: Madison
References:
1 Craig NP & KI Norton (2001). Sports Med, 31(7), 457-468
2 Vogt S. et al. (2006). MSSE, 38(1), 147-151
3 Stapelfeldt B. et al. (2004). Int J Sports Med, 25, 294-300
4 Ebert T. et al. (2005). Eur J App Phys, 95, 529-536
5 Martin DT. (2006). Presentation Endurance Sport Conference, Birmingham.
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
50.0%
55.0%
60.0%
zone 1 zone 2 zone 3 zone 4 zone 5 zone 6
Man
Women
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
30.00%
35.00%
40.00%
45.00%
50.00%
zone 1 zone 2 zone 3 zone 4 zone 5 zone 6
Man
Women