ORIGINAL ARTICLE  EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2024 May;64(5):432-8

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.24.15547-8

Copyright © 2024 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Anthropometric, neuromuscular, physiologic and training variables as determinants to laboratory cycling performance

Fábio J. LANFERDINI ¹ ✉, Rafael L. KONS ², Daniele DETANICO ³, Juliano DAL PUPO ³, Ricardo D. DE LUCAS ³, Marco A. VAZ ⁴

¹ Laboratory of Biomechanics, Center of Sports, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil; ² Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil; ³ Biomechanics Laboratory, Center of Sports, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; ⁴ Exercise Research Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Physiotherapy and Dance, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to verify whether anthropometric, physiological and neuromuscular factors, as well as training characteristics, could predict cycling performance during maximal incremental and time-to-exhaustion tests.
METHODS: Twenty cyclists were evaluated: Anthropometric variables, knee extensor muscle activation and architecture, training history, and training volume were assessed. Second ventilatory threshold (VT2), maximal oxygen uptake (VO2MAX), and maximal power output (POMAX) were assessed during the incremental test. Muscle architecture of the vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) muscles was evaluated bilaterally to calculate the mean thighs’ muscle thickness, pennation angle and fascicle length, at rest condition. After that, time-to-exhaustion test at POMAX was performed. Muscle activation of the VL, RF and vastus medialis (VM) was evaluated of both legs.
RESULTS: Cyclists’ height (r²=0.37), experience time and training volume (r²=0.46) were predictors of POMAX (P<0.02), while cadence (r²=0.30) was the only predictive variable for the time-to-exhaustion performance (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that training characteristics and experience are important when training for incremental cycling conditions, whereas cadence (and its determinant variables) should be looked at during maximal and exhaustive conditions.

KEY WORDS: Bicycling; Physiological phenomena; Neuromuscular manifestations