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Cycling / FITNESS PROFILING

Strong when fresh. Strong on the final climb.

42 years · 75 kg · Eight training hours a week · 12-week block

A fresh 20-minute effort produced 315 W. After two and a half hours, the same test fell to 255 W. The rider was targeting a hilly 160 km sportive but struggled to finish strongly, with erratic pacing and only around 30 g carbohydrate/hour on usual rides.

The goalProduce at least 290 W for the final 20-minute climb after a standardised long ride.

Worked examples. Athlete details, measurements and results are simulated to demonstrate how profiling informs training.

WHAT THE PROFILE REVEALED

Build power that lasts.

Fresh fitness did not explain the whole performance. We combined metabolic profiling with a fatigued power test to target endurance, pacing and fuelling rather than chase fresh power alone.

01 / MEASURE

What we measured and why.

Read the measures together, in the context of the athlete’s goal.

Strong fresh fitness

60 mL/kg/min

SpiroFit VO₂ max and a lactate upper-threshold estimate of 286 W gave a useful baseline for training intensities.

High fuel demand

145 g/h

INSCYD modelled carbohydrate use at 220 W, alongside VLamax of 0.61 mmol/L/s. These estimates helped target the endurance block.

Force & local recovery

34 → 68 seconds

Train.Red recovery slowed after the ride. VALD DynaMo also showed lower knee-extension force when fatigued.

Condition-specific sweat loss

1.20 L/h

Sweat sodium was estimated at 950 mg/L. The rider rehearsed drinking and fuelling to suit the effort, conditions and tolerance.

SpiroFit · INSCYD · Blood lactate · VALD ForceDecks & DynaMo · Train.Red · Sweat analysis

Ochy is used for running analysis, so it was not included in this cycling scenario.

02 / APPLY

How the training changed.

A focused block, with a clear purpose behind each change.

01

Build sustained endurance

Progress one longer easy ride each week, with a controlled final block when recovery is good.

Training stimulusImprove the ability to hold output as fatigue accumulates.

02

Control the surges

Use repeatable sub-threshold work and steadier climbing efforts, alongside two short strength sessions.

Training stimulusAccumulate useful aerobic work and preserve force late in the ride.

03

Practise the fuel plan

Build tolerated carbohydrate intake towards 80 g/hour on long rides and rehearse drinking in similar conditions.

Training stimulusSupport the work consistently, with fewer late-ride energy shortfalls.

03 / REVIEW

Did it change what mattered?

Results after 12 weeks. Reassessment follows the original question.

THE CHANGE WE TRACKED

More of the engine available late

20-minute power after 150 minutes at 200 W

Baseline255 W
Week 12295 W
Higher is better. Both lab visits used the same 200 W preload and 60 g carbohydrate/hour. Improved habitual fuelling was practised separately, so the retest did not simply add more fuel.
Baseline and follow-up results
MeasureBaselineWeek 12
Fresh 20-minute power315 W320 W
Late-ride 20-minute power255 W295 W
Fresh power retained late81.0%92.2%
Lactate upper-threshold estimate286 W301 W

Fresh power changed only slightly. The meaningful difference was how much remained available at the end of the ride. The programme targeted that specific performance gap.

These examples show a combined training response, not proof that a particular test caused an improvement. The full case study explains the protocols, model estimates and measurement limitations. The assessments and follow-up span several visits.

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Explore the full case study

Eight pages of findings, graphics, training detail and supporting methods.

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A DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE QUESTION

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