How Important Is Anthropometric Characteristics of a Cyclist

The physiology of a road cyclist is measured in various levels- on leveled terrain, uphill and downhill roads. A cyclist’s anthropometric characteristics contribute to his or her performance. BM determines uphill cycling performance while FA affects the individual performance on a terrain. (Swain et al. 1987). The morphological characteristics differ from person to person. Here morphotype specialists have a role to play during each phase of a race. They can be flat terrain riders who perform on flat roads; uphill riders who ride on hills; all terrain riders who are comfortable on all types of terrain; time trial specialists meant for individually raced events and sprinters who ride in the final part of the race.

The information regarding the anthropometric characteristics of flat terrain riders, hill climbers, time trial specialists and all terrain riders is given in Padilla et al(1999). But no data on sprinters is available. There is sizeable difference in absolute Wmax, WLT, WOBLA and VO2max values among these riders. Flat terrain riders and time trial specialists showed the highest values. These show the superior performance ability of the riders. Scaling of the values relative to BM and BM 0_79 changed the differences among groups. Uphill riders and time trial specialists showed the highest value when Wmax, WLT and WOBLA were reported relative to BM and BM079. These groups share a similar aptitude in uphill cycling.

Time trial specialists perform as good as flat terrain riders and uphill specialists. A professional cyclist is not determined by optimal morphotype but by his or her individual morph type in competitions and events. The anthropometric characteristics differ from person to person.

The results of three-week stage races (Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a Espaha) are determined by performances in the time trial. The overall performance of these competitions shows an optimum compromise between the cyclist’s anthropometric characteristics and his or her physiological attributes. You can imagine three competitors. It was noted that in these competitions a time trial specialist emerged the winner. Therefore they not only have advantage on performance but also on the outcome of the race. Other variables like thermoregulatory, recovery, and psychological capacities; health condition and race strategy also affects the performance.

It has been proved based on data and experience that cyclists are seldom pure hill climbers or pure time trial specialists. Each type of a road cyclist is judged by external characteristics like BM, body dimensions, and internal characteristics like aerobic and anaerobic capacities. The performance is mostly determined by internal characteristics.

Cyclists who have different external characteristics perform similarly in competitions. There are times, situations and training states where a cyclist can perform as an optimum climber, an optimum time trial specialist or both rather than optimum morphotype for climbing or time trial.

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Tagged with: cycling • cycling training methods • cyclist • exercise • flat terrain riders • Health & Fitness • roads • specialists • sports

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