Effect of different pacing strategies on 4-km cycling time trial performance

• Published in: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research Vol. 55; no. 1; p. e12351
• Main Authors: Vieira-Cavalcante, V, Venancio-Dallan, L P, Pereira-Santana, O, Bertuzzi, R, Tomazini, F, Bishop, D J, Cristina-Souza, G, Lima-Silva, A E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Associacao Brasileira de Divulgacao Cientifica (ABDC) 01-01-2022; Revista Brasileira de Pesquisas Medicas; Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica
• Subjects: Adult; All-out start strategy; Athletic Performance - physiology; Bicycling - physiology; BIOLOGY; Brain regulation; Cyclists; Even-paced strategy; Exercise - physiology; Exercise Test; Fast-start strategy; Health aspects; Heart beat; Heart rate; Heart Rate - physiology; Humans; Male; MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL; Oxidative phosphorylation; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Self-paced strategy; Brazil; Fast-start strategy; Even-paced strategy; All-out start strategy; Brain regulation; Self-paced strategy
• ISSN: 0100-879X; 1414-431X; 1414-431X; 1678-4510
• DOI: 10.1590/1414-431X2022e12351

In cycling, there is a body of evidence that supports that an all-out start strategy is superior to an even-pacing strategy, but it is unknown whether an all-out start strategy is superior to a self-paced strategy. In the present study, we investigated the effects of three different pacing strategies on 4-km cycling time trial performance. After preliminary trials (familiarization trials and a baseline 4-km cycling time trial), in a randomized and counterbalanced order, twelve male cyclists (32.3±7.2 years old, maximum rate of O2 uptake (V̇O2peak) 4.3±0.4 L/min) completed: 1) a self-paced 4-km cycling time trial; 2) an all-out start (∼10 s), followed by maintenance of the average baseline trial power for the first km and self-paced cycling for the remaining trial (all-out+mean); and 3) an all-out start (∼10 s), followed by a power 5% above the average baseline trial power for the first km and self-paced cycling for the remaining trial (all-out+5%mean). Although there was a significant interaction between power and distance (P=0.001) with different power distribution profiles throughout the trial, there was no significant difference (P=0.99) between the three strategies for overall exercise performance (self-paced 379.8±13.9 s, all-out+mean 380.0±16.0 s, and all-out+5%mean 380.2±11.5 s). Oxygen uptake, rating of perceived effort, and heart rate were also similar across the pacing strategies. Different all-out start strategies did not confer additional benefits to performance compared to a self-paced strategy.