Purpose: To assess the power demands of male elite triathletes during the World Championships and investigate the relationship between power output and positioning at turns. Methods: We analyzed power and position data from 5 out of 8 riders of the front group for the 2020 sprint triathlon World Championship. We created power profiles and distributions and investigated the influence of position on power output with Bayesian hierarchical models. Results: Athletes of the same bike group experienced different power demands and employed different positioning strategies. With each position further behind during a turn, athletes had a higher peak (+24.2 W [4.8 36.7]; mean [95% credibility interval]) and 10 seconds mean power (+19.3 W [10.5; 27.1]) during the following acceleration. The positioning had a smaller effect on the 20 seconds mean power (+6.3 W [-1.4; 13.6]) and a negative effect on the 20 seconds mean power prior to the turn (-13.4 W [-20.8; -4.99]). Conclusion: Positioning during cycling can influence the power demands, which may affect subsequent running performance. Athletes and their coaches should identify positioning strategies that fit the individual abilities best.
© Copyright 2023 SportRxiv Preprints. Center for Open Science. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.