Reproducibility of a Laboratory Based 20-km Time Trial Evaluation in Competitive Cyclists Using the Velotron Pro Ergometer

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of a 20-km cycling time trial using the Velotron cycle ergometer in competitive cyclists. Twenty male cyclists (V·O_2max = 68.5 ± 3.6 ml · kg^-1 · min^-1; peak power (P_peak) = 469 ± 33 W) participated in this study. Each subject performed a V·O_2max test and 3 separate 20-km time trials (TT1, TT2, and TT3). Data from trials were compared using a one-way ANOVA. Coefficients of variation (CV) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated between trials. Values are mean ± SD unless otherwise noted. Performance time T_tot (30.03 ± 1.24, 30.12 ± 1.21, and 30.14 ± 1.21 min) and mean absolute power (P_mean) (326 ± 35, 323 ± 35, 322 ± 34 Watts) were not significantly different across TT1 - TT3. P_mean was highly related between TT1 - TT2 (r = 0.96; p < 0.01) and TT2 - TT3 (r = 0.97; p < 0.01). A low CV was also demonstrated between trials for P_mean (TT1 - TT2 = 2.1 %, CI = 1.6 % to 3.1 %; TT2 - TT3 = 1.9 %, CI = 1.4 % to 2.8 %). P_peak and P_mean were both correlated to T_tot in TT1 with P_mean accounting for most of the variance in T_tot (R² = 0.993). These data show that performance in a 20-km time trial using the Velotron ergometer is highly reproducible in competitive cyclists. Furthermore, the CV variance demonstrated between trials is comparable to that expected during actual performance in elite athletes.

Key words

20 km - testing - cyclists - cycling - reproducibility

References

• 1 Balmer J, Davison R CR, Bird S R. Peak power predicts performance power during an outdoor 16.1-km cycling time trial.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;  32 1485-1490
• 2 Hawley J A, Noakes T D. Peak power output predicts maximal oxygen uptake and performance time in trained cyclists.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1992;  65 79-83
• 3 Hopkins W G, Schabort E J, Hawley J A. Reliability of power in physical performance tests.  Sports Med. 2001;  31 211-234
• 4 Hopkins W R. Measures of reliability in sports medicine and science.  Sports Med. 2000;  30 1-15
• 5 Hopkins W R. Reliability From Consecutive Pairs of Trials (Excel Spreadsheet). Accessed September 20, sportsci.org/resource/stats/xrely.xls 2000
• 6 Hopkins W R, Hawley J A, Burke L M. Design and analysis of research on sport performance enhancement.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999;  31 472-485
• 7 Impellizzeri F, Sassi A, Rodriguez-Alonso M, Mognoni P, Marcora S. Exercise intensity during off-road cycling competitions.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;  34 1808-1813
• 8 Laursen P B, Shing C M, Jenkins D G. Reproducibility of a laboratory-based 40-km cycle time-trial on a stationary wind-trainer in highly trained cyclists.  Int J Sports Med. 2003;  24 481-485
• 9 Laursen P B, Shing C M, Jenkins D G. Reproducibility of a laboratory-based 40-km cycle time-trial on a stationary wind-trainer in highly trained cyclists.  Int J Sports Med. 2003;  24 481-485
• 10 Lee H, Martin D T, Anson J M, Grundy D, Hahn A G. Physiological characteristics of successful mountain bikers and professional road cyclists.  J Sports Sci. 2002;  20 1001-1008
• 11 Mujika I, Padilla S. Physiological and performance characteristics of male professional road cyclists.  Sports Med. 2001;  31 479-487
• 12 Padilla S, Mujika I, Orbananos J, Santisteban J, Angulo F, Goiriena J J. Exercise intensity and load during mass-start stage races in professional road cycling.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;  33 796-802
• 13 Palmer G S, Dennis S C, Noakes T D, Hawley J A. Assessment of the reproducibility of performance testing on an air-braked cycle-ergometer.  Int J Sports Med. 1996;  17 293-298
• 14 Paton C D, Hopkins W G. Tests of cycling performance.  Sports Med. 2001;  31 489-496
• 15 Smith M F, Davison R C, Balmer J, Bird S R. Reliability of mean power recorded during indoor and outdoor self-paced 40-km cycling time-trials.  Int J Sports Med. 2001;  22 270-274
• 16 Smith M F, Davison R CR, Balmer J, Bird S R. Reliability of mean power recorded during indoor and outdoor self-paced 40-km cycling time-trials.  Int J Sports Med. 2001;  22 270-274
• 17 Stapelfeldt B, Schwirtz A, Schumacher Y O, Hillebrecht M. Workload demands in mountain bike racing.  Int J Sports Med. 2004;  25 294-300
• 18 Wilber R L, Zawadzki K M, Kearney J T, Shannon M P, Disalvo D. Physiological profile of elite off-road and road cyclists.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997;  29 1090-1094