A Comparison of Ultra-Endurance Cyclists in a Qualifying Ultra-Cycling Race for Paris-Brest-Paris and Race across America—Swiss Cycling Marathon

Abstract

Ultra-endurance events test the adaptation of human physiology to extreme physical and mental demands, high levels of training, motivation, and physical conditioning among participants. To understand basic differences among participants according to the severity of the race, participants in qualifying events for two ultra-endurance cycling races, differing in length and intensity, were compared on measures of anthropometry, training, and support. One race was four times longer, required supporting teams, and racers typically had little sleep, which should lead to the qualifiers being substantially more highly trained than those from the shorter race. The qualifiers in the longer race had greater intensity in training while the qualifiers in the shorter race relied more on training volume. Different strategies and types of training reflected the different demands of the races. Future studies should evaluate personality and motivational differences in ultra-endurance events and between these athletes and athletes in other sports.

Training Intensity Distribution and Changes in Performance and Physiology of a 2nd Place Finisher Team of the Race across America Over a 6 Month Preparation Period

“…According to Meyer et al (1999) and Wolpern et al (2015), we decided to use a lactate threshold orientated lower fix point for the determination of zone 1 and set the minimum power output necessary to elicit a stimulus for training adaptation to 50% of MLSS P . Applying the classic 3-zone model in the present study, weekly training time is similar to a report of athletes participating in a RAAM qualifying race (Knechtle et al, 2012b). However, when using the power specific 3-zone model in our study, total training time is reduced by 104 ± 7 h per athlete, leading to a THR TID.…”

“…Another explanation might be that this athlete had the highest relative amounts of training time in zone 2 and 3, compared to the stronger riders. It has been reported before, that the cycling speed during the training units was significantly and negatively related to race time (Knechtle et al, 2011, 2012b). Nevertheless, differences in race performances in ultra-endurance events can also result from various other influencing factors like race tactics, weather conditions, motivation (Lahart et al, 2013), sleep deprivation (Knechtle et al, 2012a), nutrition (Stewart and Stewart, 2007; Hulton et al, 2010; Bescós et al, 2012; Lahart et al, 2013; Paulin et al, 2015) and so on, which are not taken into account in this publication.…”

Participation and performance trends in ultracycling

“…In the RAAM, covering a distance of ~5000 km, the percentage of nonfinishers remained the same as in the Furnace Creek 508, which is 818 km long. The percentage of nonfinishers in the RAAM might be relatively low when looking at its distance, because the athletes have to qualify for the RAAM, as opposed to the Furnace Creek 508 or the Swiss Cycling Marathon, and so athletes participating in the RAAM might be better prepared because of successful completion of previous races 10–14,29. Further explanations in favor of the relatively low percentage of nonfinishers in the RAAM could be more cycling training hours,10–13,30 a higher cycling speed in training,13,30 or a more adequate nutrition13 than those racing in the Furnace Creek 508, so, consequently, the percentage of nonfinishers did not increase with the longer distance in the RAAM as the authors hypothesized.…”

“…This increase was due to an increase in the participation of athletes over 40 years of age,8 an increased percentage of female finishers, and an increased mean number of finishes by single participants, as one athlete participated annually in several ultraendurance races 1–3. There seemed to be differences between finishers and nonfinishers regarding race preparation10 and prerace body composition 12–14. Successful finishers in ultraendurance races were found to have invested more time in training10,13,14 and to have had a lower percentage of body fat13 than nonfinishers.…”

“…There seemed to be differences between finishers and nonfinishers regarding race preparation10 and prerace body composition 12–14. Successful finishers in ultraendurance races were found to have invested more time in training10,13,14 and to have had a lower percentage of body fat13 than nonfinishers.…”