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- Title
The Weekly Periodization of Top 5 Tour de France General Classification Finishers: A Multiple Case Study.
- Authors
Gallo, Gabriele; Mateo-March, Manuel; Gotti, Daniel; Maunder, Ed; Codella, Roberto; Ruggeri, Piero; Faelli, Emanuela; Filipas, Luca
- Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe individual training characteristics, racing strategies, and periodization in preparation for the Tour de France in 2 world-class road cyclists finishing in the top 5 of the general classification. Methods: Week‐by‐week power meter training and racing data of 2 (A and B) road cyclists (age: 29 and 23 y; maximum oxygen consumption: 83 and 81 mL·min−1·kg−1; and relative 20‐min record power output: 6.9 and 6.5 W·kg−1) in the preparation phase (December–July/August) leading up to the Tour de France were retrospectively analyzed. Weekly volume and intensity distribution in power zones were considered. Results: Cyclists A and B completed 46 and 19 races, 22.5 (6.3) and 18.2 (5.1) h·wk−1, with a pyramidal intensity distribution of 81.0%–13.3%–5.7%, and 88.8%–7.9%–3.3% in zone 1–zone 2–zone 3. Cyclist B spent 14 days at altitude. Increased high-intensity volume and polarization index occurred during race weeks. During periods without racing, training intensity progressively increased. Strength training was performed during November and December but not during the following months. During tapering, total exercise volume and time at high intensity decreased. Conclusion: These data provide novel insights into the periodization of world-class road cyclists in advance of a top 5 placing in the Tour de France general classification.
- Subjects
FRANCE; EXPERIMENTAL design; STATISTICAL power analysis; ENDURANCE sports training; PHYSICAL training &; conditioning; RETROSPECTIVE studies; ACQUISITION of data; CYCLING; COMPARATIVE studies; CASE studies; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; MEDICAL records; SPORTS events; ATHLETIC ability; DATA analysis software
- Publication
International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance, 2023, Vol 18, Issue 11, p1313
- ISSN
1555-0265
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1123/ijspp.2023-0142