Cycling time trial strategies considering peak power-time curve and acceleration

Abstract

The constant power pacing strategy is typically recommended for long, flat, and windless cycling time trial races. For courses with wind or hills, a variable power pacing strategy is often suggested—one that increases power during headwind or uphill sections and decreases it during tailwind or downhill sections. We analyzed 10 km and 1 km courses under various conditions, including flat and windless, windy, and hilly scenarios, and compared different pacing strategies by considering peak power–time curves and acceleration. For 10 km courses, a fast-start strategy followed by constant power was found to be effective. In contrast, the variable power pacing strategy showed no significant advantage and even worsened finish times when the course started with a downhill followed by an uphill section. For 1 km courses, the variable power pacing strategy improved performance except for the tailwind-then-headwind scenario, where it actually worsened the finish time. In contrast to 10 km courses, the downhill-then-uphill case saw a marked improvement with the variable power pacing approach.