Race craft: A qualitative exploration of the development, implementation and reflection of tactical decision making in road cycling

Abstract

Historically, research that has aimed to understand the determinants of road cycling performance has focused primarily on the physiological characteristics of successful performers. To date, little research has been conducted on the tactical strategies that underpin successful road cycling, especially from a qualitative perspective. This study reports the practices of seven high-performing Australian cyclists and coaches to inform how they prepare for competition, the tactical decisions they make during and reflective practices they use following a road cycling competition. Inductive qualitative one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted using open-ended questions via an online meeting platform. A robust thematic analysis of the interviews was undertaken resulting in the establishment of themes aligned with pre-race, in-race and reflection upon tactical decision making. Prior to the race, themes related to the specificity of training, planning of a race strategy and use of training data emerged from the interviews. During the race, themes of the cyclist’s role within a team, in-race communication and race craft were established. Post-race, a theme related to the reflective practice implemented by each participant was evident. These results and discussion provide novel insights into the process of developing, implementing and reflecting upon tactical decision making used in high-level road cycling. This information is valuable for teams and governing bodies to inform and enhance coaching development and practice within the sport of road cycling.

Uncovering Success Patterns in Track Cycling: Integrating Performance Data with Coaches and Athletes’ Perspectives

“…For the qualitative data analysis, the participants were recruited using the snowball method and by consulting the national and international databases linked to national teams and independent cycling teams following a protocol similar to that described in a recently published study [12,17]. A total of ten individuals; six coaches, and four athletes, comprising members from the national teams of France, Italy, and Lithuania known to the research team, participated in the study.…”

“…However, to date, little attention has been paid to characterizing the success rate of youth talent transitioning to the elite categories and elucidating the performance indicators that unveil their potential in the realm of track cycling [5]. Furthermore, the majority of the studies in this field rely on retrospective database analyses, effectively tracing career trajectories and identifying potential performance indicators [5,8,9], yet they often overlook significant additional aspects such as the interpersonal experiences among coaches in talent identification and selection and the athletes themselves [12].…”