Cycling is a popular sport, and evaluation of the validity of tests to predict performance in competitions is important for athletes and coaches. Similarity between performance in sprints in mass-start bike races and in the laboratory is found, but, to our knowledge, no studies have investigated the relationship between laboratory measurements of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and functional threshold power (FTP) with performance in official mass-start competitions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of a 20 min FTP test and VO2max as predictors for performance in an official mountain bike competition. Eleven moderately trained male cyclists at a local level participated in this study (age: 43 ± 5.1 years; height: 183.4 ± 5.4 m; weight: 84.4 ± 8.7 kg; body mass index: 25.1 ± 2.1). All subjects performed a 20 min FTP test in the laboratory to measure the mean power. In addition, the subjects completed an incremental test to exhaustion to determine VO2max. These two laboratory tests were analyzed together with the results from a 47 km mass-start mountain bike race, with a total elevation of 851 m. A significant relationship was found between the mean relative power (W/kg) for the 20 min FTP test and performance time in the race (r = −0.74, P < 0.01). No significant correlation was found between VO2max and cycling performance for these subjects (r = −0.37). These findings indicate that a 20 min FTP test is a more valid test for prediction of performance in mass-start bike races than a VO2max test for moderately trained cyclists.

Female soccer has recently experienced an impressive increase in the number of players, and an impressive improvement in the quality of elite matches. Still, studies show sex differences in match statistics on passing accuracy and the ability to control the ball in international matches, which is explained by a lower skill of level in female soccer players as compared to male players. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate if female youth soccer players had bridged the gap in technical skills to reach the level that boys have traditionally attained. Sixteen male and 17 female youth soccer players of the same age and experience level took part in technical skill tests of reception of the ball on the ground and long passes. The results show a significant difference between the sexes in reception performance in favour of the male players (p < 0.05, ES = 1.09), but no significant difference in the long pass test (p = 0.11, ES = 0.43). This leads to the conclusion that the lower score on ball reception is probably the result of experience in small-sided self-organised soccer games during childhood among the male players, which influences reception skills but not the ability to make accurate long passes.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between soccer players’ performance of receptions of passes in tests of both isolated technical skills and more match-realistic situations in small-sided games (SSGs). In addition, this study investigated whether the involvement in SSGs (number of receptions) correlated with the quality of receptions in the respective SSGs. The participants were 13 male outfield youth soccer players from teams in the first division of the regional U18 league. The quality of receptions was scored by educated coaches according to set criteria of performance. Statistical analyses of correlations were determined using Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficient (rs). The main results were (1) a significant correlation in the quality of ball reception between 4vs1 SSGs and 5vs5 SSGs (rs = −0.61, p < 0.01) and (2) a trend towards moderate correlation between the quality of ball reception using a ball projection machine and 5vs5 SSGs (rs = −0.48, p = 0.10). (3) A significant correlation was found between the number of receptions in 5vs5 SSGs and the quality score of receptions in 5vs5 SSGs (rs = −0.70, p < 0.01). The trend towards moderate correlations between 5vs5 SSGs and the isolated technical reception test could imply the importance of training in the technical aspects of ball reception. Moreover, it seems as though the players with the best reception performance are the players who are most involved in SSGs, that is, having the most receptions.

Small-sided games (SSG) have proven to be an effective method of organizing practice in team sports, and the purpose of this study was to examine if the use of SSG can contribute to enhanced sprinting and change of direction (COD) performances in 14-15 year-old female handball players. An experimental group (n= 13, age 15.6 ± 04 yrs., body height 1.68± 0.06 m, body mass 62.9±9.8 kg) trained according to the principles of small-sided games and handball activities organized to create a high volume of sprints and COD for 30 minutes, twice a week, for 7 weeks during regular handball training. A control group (n= 9, age 14.4 ± 0.3 yrs., body height 1.70± 0.03 m, body mass 60.7±4.7 kg) performed regular handball training. In pre- and post-tests, sprint (5-, 10- and 20-meters) and COD performance was measured. The results showed no significant positive development in the sprint tests (p˂0.05) in either of the groups. However, the experimental group had a significant improvement in COD (p˂0.05), while the control group had no significant change in COD. The enhanced COD performance was explained by a greater amount of training related to COD by practicing SSG, while the lack of improvement in sprint performance was probably due to a too low training load in this ability during training. The practical implication of this study was that handball training would benefit from focus upon small-sided games and handball activities with high intensity in order to improve COD for adolescent female players.