Question

Cycling Race:

Match Sprint (two racers; first one across the finish line wins)

Team Sprint (Three-person team... must cover the 1000m as fast as possible)

No one is making maximum power as they cross the finish line (in either event)... but for one of these examples, maximum force production is relatively more important? Which event and why?

What about peak power? Where is peak power achieved by the racers in the Match Sprint? What about for the people in the Team Sprint? You should think in terms of the length of the event (all are 1000m in length) ... where/what distance from the beginning or how far from the finish....?

Answer 1

In track cycling, tactics and endurance is more useful of a skill than just pure power and speed. A key tactical move is to stay just behind the lead cyclist to ride in his/her slip stream thereby reducing aerodynamic drag. Then at the last moment breaking out of this stream and using maximum power (with fresher legs than the lead cyclists) to overtake and be the winner.

For the one on one cycling.

The first few laps will be very slow. Being in front will be a huge disadvantage in the final laps. Here the maximum force production at the end of the match is crucial. If the lead cyclist can provide enough force and cycle faster and leave the 2nd cyclist far behind out of his slip stream then he will win. If the tagging cyclist can power through and overtake the lead then he will win. So the maximum force will be more important in this event. And peak power will be towards the end of the event close the finish line.

Team track event:

Here the opposing teams are cycling in opposite directions. So the tactics used in sprint track cannot be used here.

All three cyclists will start the event together. After each lap one cyclist will bank out of the track ultimately leaving the 3rd cyclist to complete the last lap alone.

The most obvious technic would be the keep the highest endurance cyclist of the team as that last 3rd cyclist and he (I say he here beacuse the 3player format is only for men) will ride in the slip stream of the other two players conserving his energy for the final lap.

The peak power and maximum force will start at the beginning of the final lap, when its just a matter of how fast he will be able to complete the last lap.