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Purpose: The aims of this study were to: (i) describe the time course of the decrease in power output at the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition during prolonged exercise; (ii) investigate the association between durability of the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition and exercise capacity; and (iii) explore physiological correlates of durability of the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition., Methods: Twelve trained cyclists (age: 40 ± 8 y, V ˙ O 2 peak: 52.3 ± 5.2 mL·min -1 ·kg -1 ) performed an exhaustive cycling protocol involving alternating incremental exercise tests to determine power output at the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition via the first ventilatory threshold (VT 1 ), and 30-min bouts at 90% of the power output at the previously estimated VT 1 in the rested state. The individual time course of VT 1 was modelled using linear and second-order polynomial functions, and time to a 5% decrease in VT 1 (Δ5%VT 1 ) was estimated using the best-fitting model., Results: Power output at VT 1 decreased according to a second-order polynomial function in 11 of 12 participants. Time-to-task failure (234 ± 66 min) was correlated with Δ5%VT 1 (139 ± 78 min, r s  = 0.676, p = 0.016), and these were strongly correlated with absolute and relative rates of fat oxidation at specific exercise intensities measured during the incremental test performed in the rested state., Conclusions: These data: (i) identify a non-linear time course of decreases in the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition during prolonged exercise; (ii) support the importance of durability of the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition in prolonged exercise capacity; and (iii) suggest durability of the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition is related to fat oxidation rates., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the day-by-day training and racing characteristics in preparation for the Giro d'Italia of 1 world-class road cyclist who achieved a place on the podium in the final general classification of the Giro d'Italia., Methods: Day-by-day power meter training and racing data of 1 study subject (road cyclist; age 25 y; relative maximum oxygen consumption 81 mL·min-1·kg-1; relative 20-min record power output 6.6 W·kg-1) covering the 152 days leading up to the podium in the Giro d'Italia final general classification were retrospectively analyzed. Daily load, daily volume, and intensity distribution were considered., Results: During training a pattern alternating "hard days" versus "easy days" was observed, as significant amounts of medium or high intensity, or load, were not performed for more than 2 consecutive days This pattern was achieved combining high volume (>4 h) with a significant amount of medium and high intensity within the same training sessions. During training, when training load and intensity increased, the density of "easy days" augmented. In 1-week stage races and the Giro d'Italia, 3 to 8 consecutive days with significant amounts of medium and high intensity were performed. A high number of training sessions with small amounts of medium- and high-intensity volume was observed: 38 days accumulating 3 to 10 minutes at medium intensity and 29 days spending 1 to 9 minutes at high intensity., Conclusion: These data provide novel insights about the day-by-day periodization strategies leading to a top 3 in the Giro d'Italia general classification.

Purpose: To analyze the anthropometric and physiological characteristics of competitive 15- to 16-year-old young male road cyclists and scale them according to a dichotomous category of successful/unsuccessful riders., Methods: A total of 103 15- to 16-year-old male road cyclists competing in the Italian national under 17 category performed a laboratory incremental exercise test during the in-season period. Age, height, body mass, body mass index, peak height velocity, and absolute and relative power output at 2 mmol/L and 4 mmol/L of blood lactate concentration were compared between 2 subgroups, including those scoring at least 1 point (successful, n = 70) and those that did not score points (unsuccessful, n = 61) in the general season ranking., Results: Successful and unsuccessful riders did not differ anthropometrically. Successful riders recorded significantly higher absolute and relative power output at 2 mmol/L and 4 mmol/L of blood lactate concentration compared with unsuccessful riders. Successful riders were also significantly older and had advanced biological maturation compared with their unsuccessful counterparts., Conclusion: Power associated with blood lactate profiles, together with chronological age and peak height velocity, plays an important role in determining race results in under 17 road cycling. Physiological tests could be helpful for coaches to measure these performance predictors.

The aim of this four‐armed parallel group randomized‐controlled trial was to evaluate if plyometric training could have different effects on running performance and physiological adaptations depending on the training intensity distribution (TID) in an 8‐week intervention in endurance athletes. Sixty well‐trained male runners (age: 34 ± 6 years, relative ⩒O2peak: 69 ± 3 ml kg−1 min−1) were recruited and allocated to a pyramidal (PYR), pyramidal + plyometric training (PYR + PLY), polarized (POL), and polarized + plyometric training (POL + PLY) periodization. The periodization patterns were isolated manipulations of TID, while training load was kept constant. Participants were tested pre‐ and post‐intervention for body mass, velocity at 2 and 4 mmol·L−1 of blood lactate concentration (vBLa2, vBLa4), absolute and relative ⩒O2peak and 5‐km running time trial performance, counter movement jump and squat jump. There were significant group × time interactions for vBla4 (p = 0.0235), CMJ (p = 0.0234), SJ (p = 0.0168), and 5‐km running time trial performance (p = 0.0035). Specifically, vBla4 and 5‐km running time trial performance showed the largest post‐intervention improvements in PYR + PLY (2.4% and 1.6%) and POL + PLY (2.1% and 1.8%), respectively. No significant interactions were observed for body mass, absolute and relative ⩒O2peak, peak heart rate, lactate peak and rating of perceived exertion. In conclusion, an 8‐week training periodization seems to be effective in improving performance of well‐trained endurance runners. Including plyometric training once a week appeared to be more efficacious in maximizing running performance improvements, independently from the TID adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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; relative 20‐min record power output: 6.6, 6.6, 6.4 W kg−1) of the 22 weeks (December–May) leading up to the top 5 in Giro d'Italia general classification were retrospectively analyzed. Weekly volume and intensity distribution were considered. Cyclists completed 17, 22, 29 races, trained averagely for 19.7 (7.9), 16.2 (7.0), 14.7 (6.2) hours per week, with a training intensity distribution of 91.3–6.5‐2.2, 83.6–10.6‐5.8, 86.7–8.9‐4.4 in zone 1‐zone 2‐zone 3 before the Giro d'Italia. Two cyclists spent 55 and 39 days at altitude, one did not attend any altitude camp. Cyclists adopted an overall pyramidal intensity distribution with a relevant increase in high‐intensity volume and polarization index in races weeks. Tapering phases seem to be dictated by race schedule instead of literature prescription, with no strength training performed by the three cyclists throughout the entire periodization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of four different training periodizations, based on two different training intensity distributions during a 16‐week training block in well‐trained endurance runners. Sixty well‐trained male runners were divided into four groups. Each runner completed one of the following 16‐week training interventions: a pyramidal periodization (PYR); a polarized periodization (POL); a pyramidal periodization followed by a polarized periodization (PYR → POL); and a polarized periodization followed by a pyramidal periodization (POL → PYR). The PYR and POL groups trained with a pyramidal or polarized distribution for 16 weeks. To allow for the change in periodization for the PYR → POL and POL → PYR groups, the 16‐week intervention was split into two 8‐week phases, starting with pyramidal or polarized distribution and then switching to the other. The periodization patterns were isolated manipulations of training intensity distribution, while training load was kept constant. Participants were tested pre‐, mid‐ and post‐intervention for body mass, velocity at 2 and 4 mmol·L−1 of blood lactate concentration (vBLa2, vBLa4), absolute and relative peak oxygen consumption (V˙O2peak) and 5‐km running time trial performance. There were significant group × time interactions for relative V˙O2peak (p < 0.0001), vBLa2 (p < 0.0001) and vBLa4 (p < 0.0001) and 5‐km running time trial performance (p = 0.0001). Specifically, participants in the PYR → POL group showed the largest improvement in all these variables (~3.0% for relative V˙O2peak, ~1.7% for vBLa2, ~1.5% for vBLa4, ~1.5% for 5‐km running time trial performance). No significant interactions were observed for body mass, absolute V˙O2peak, peak heart rate, lactate peak and rating of perceived exertion. Each intervention effectively improved endurance surrogates and performance in well‐trained endurance runners. However, the change from pyramidal to polarized distribution maximized performance improvements, with relative V˙O2peak representing the only physiological correlate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]