Jansman, S. (Sjoerd) (2017) Increased power output at moderate intensity heart rate as a result of fatigue during Grand Tours. thesis, Sport Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Introduction: Due to the demanding nature of professional cycling monitoring fatigue is important to optimize performance and prevent overtraining. Grand Tours offer a natural model for overreaching since cyclists go from a tapered state before the race to a fatigued state after three weeks of racing. Previous research has shown that fatigue affect power output at submaximal heart rates and that this effect is unequal for different exercise intensities during a lab-test. However, this effect has not been investigated with the use of field data. The aim of the present study was therefore to gain insight in alterations of power output at different heart rate exercise intensities during Grand Tours. Methods: A total of 11 Grand Tour datasets from 8 professional cyclists were analyzed. Heart rate zones were calculated based on the maximum heart rate achieved in either training or races in that specific year (Zone 1 : 50-59%, Zone 2 : 60-69, Zone 3 : 70-79, Zone 4 : 80-89%, Zone 5 : 90-100%). Average power output in each heart rate zone was calculated per stage. Subsequently, weekly averages of each week of the Grand Tours were calculated and compared using a repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Power output in Zone 2 and Zone 3 significantly increased in the third week of the Grand Tours. No differences in power output between the three weeks for Zone 1 and Zone 4 were found. Furthermore, maximal heart rate decreased as a result of fatigue. Conclusion: A moderate increase of power output in middle intensity heart rate zones seems to indicate a state of overreaching. Therefore results indicate that monitoring fatigue using heart rate and power from field data might be a valuable tool to determine fatigue in elite cyclists.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Otter, T.A. and Erp, A.H.M. van |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 06 May 2022 12:08 |
| Last Modified: | 06 May 2022 12:08 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3240 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |