The relation between sprint power and road time trial performance in elite para-cyclists.Show others and affiliations
2021 (English)In: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, ISSN 1440-2440, E-ISSN 1878-1861, Vol. 24, no 11, p. 1193-1198Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
OBJECTIVES: Whilst cycling performance has been studied extensively, very little is known about the performance of para-cyclists. This study assessed the relation between sprint power and road time trial performance in elite para-cyclists, and whether this relation differed based on impairment type and type of bike used.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional.
METHODS: During international para-cycling events, 168 athletes (88 bicycles, 17 tricycles, 56 recumbent handbikes and 7 kneeling handbikes) performed 20-s sport-specific sprint tests (mean power output (POmean) W), and their road time trial performance (average speed (km/h)) was taken from the official results. Multilevel regression models to assess the relation of sprint with time trial performance were composed for i. leg-cyclists: bicycle and tricycle and ii. arm-cyclists: recumbent- and kneeling handbike, adjusted for identified confounders. Furthermore, impairment type (categorized as i) muscle power/range of motion, ii) limb deficiency/leg length difference, and iii) coordination) and bike type were tested as effect modifiers.
RESULTS: POmean ranged from 303 ± 12 W for recumbent handcyclists to 482 ± 156 W for bicyclists. POmean was significantly related to time trial performance, for both leg-cyclists (β = 0.010, SE = 0.003, p < 0.01) and arm-cyclists (β = 0.029; SE = 0.005, p < 0.01), and impairment type and bike type were not found to be effect modifiers.
CONCLUSIONS: Sprint power was related to road time trial performance in all para-cyclists, with no differences found in this relation based on impairment type nor bike type. For those competing on a bicycle, tricycle, recumbent- or kneeling handbike, sprint tests might therefore be useful to predict or monitor time trial performance.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2021. Vol. 24, no 11, p. 1193-1198
Keywords [en]
Cycling, Endurance, Paralympics, Power, Speed, Sprint
National Category
Sport and Fitness Sciences
Research subject
Medicine/Technology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:gih:diva-6708DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2021.04.014ISI: 000706574300018PubMedID: 34024734OAI: oai:DiVA.org:gih-6708DiVA, id: diva2:1557522
2021-05-262021-05-262025-02-11