Influence of COVID-19 Restrictions on Training and Physiological Characteristics in U23 Elite Cyclists.

Peter Leo,Justin Lawley,Iñigo Mujika

doi:10.3390/jfmk7010001

Abstract

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated mobility restrictions caused many athletes to adjust or reduce their usual training load. The aim of this study was to investigate how the COVID-19 restrictions affected training and performance physiology measures in U23 elite cyclists. METHODS: Twelve U23 elite cyclists (n = 12) participated in this study (mean ± SD: Age 21.2 ± 1.2 years; height 182.9 ± 4.7 cm; body mass 71.4 ± 6.5 kg). Training characteristics were assessed between 30 days pre, during, and post COVID-19 restrictions, respectively. The physiological assessment in the laboratory was 30 days pre and post COVID-19 restrictions and included maximum oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), peak power output for sprint (SprintPmax), and ramp incremental graded exercise (GXTPmax), as well as power output at ventilatory threshold (VT) and respiratory compensation point (RCP). RESULTS: Training load characteristics before, during, and after the lockdown remained statistically unchanged (p > 0.05) despite large effects (>0.8) with mean reductions of 4.7 to 25.0% during COVID-19 restrictions. There were no significant differences in maximal and submaximal power outputs, as well as relative and absolute V̇O2max between pre and post COVID-19 restrictions (p > 0.05) with small to moderate effects. DISCUSSION: These results indicate that COVID-19 restrictions did not negatively affect training characteristics and physiological performance measures in U23 elite cyclists for a period of <30 days. In contrast with recent reports on professional cyclists and other elite level athletes, these findings reveal that as long as athletes are able to maintain and/or slightly adapt their training routine, physiological performance variables remain stable.

Highlights

Endurance athletes are known for performing high training volumes throughout the year to maintain cardiovascular fitness and to attain peak performance for the competition period [1,2,3]
COVID‐19 restrictions did not negatively affect training characteristic professional cyclists and other elite level athletes, these findings reveal that as long as athlete mance measures in U23 elite cyclists a period of performance
Endurance athletes are known for performing high training volumes throughout the year to maintain cardiovascular fitness and to attain peak performance for the competi‐

Summary

Introduction

Endurance athletes are known for performing high training volumes throughout the year to maintain cardiovascular fitness and to attain peak performance for the competition period [1,2,3]. The COVID-19 pandemic has been reported to impact the athletes’ training, competition, and recovery routines [4,5,6,7,8,9]. Washif et al [4] analyzed the training habits of 12,526 athletes of various performance levels (i.e., recreational to professional) from 142 countries and six continents during the COVID-19 confinement. Muriel et al [11] studied the training and physiological characteristics of 18 male professional cyclists during the 10 weeks prior to the COVID-19 confinement and during the seven-week confinement period: Total training volume significantly decreased by 33.9% during the lockdown. Partial eta square (partial η2 ) effect size was set at 0.01 1.year

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