The individual pursuit: demands and preparation Andrew R. Coggan, Ph.D.
Jan 14, 2015
The individual pursuit: demands and preparation
Andrew R. Coggan, Ph.D.
The individual pursuit:
a deceptively simple event favoring specialists who possess superior aerobic fitness coupled with a high anaerobic capacity, excellent aerodynamics,
and specific technical skills.
The pursuit performance ‘teeter-totter’
Neuromuscular power
Anaerobic capacity
Aerobic power
Factors
Start
Line
PacingTec
hnica
l Factors
Rolling resistance/chain friction
Inertia/kinetic energy
Aerodynamic drag
Phys
ical
Faster F
aste
rFactors
Phys
iolo
gica
l
Faster or Slower
Physical factors
The pursuit performance ‘teeter-totter’
Neuromuscular power
Anaerobic capacity
Aerobic power
Factors
Start
Line
PacingTec
hnica
l Factors
Rolling resistance/chain friction
Inertia/kinetic energy
Aerodynamic drag
Phys
ical
Faster F
aste
rFactors
Phys
iolo
gica
l
Faster or Slower
PTOT = (PAT + PKE + PRR + PWB + PPE)/Ec
PTOT = (0.5ρVa2Vg(CdA + Fw) + 0.5(mt + I/r2)(Vgf
2 - Vgi2)/(tf - ti) + VgCrrmtgCOS(TAN-
1(Gr)) + Vg(0.091+0.0087Vg) + VgmtgSIN(TAN-1(Gr)))/Ec
Where: PTOT = total power required (W) mt= total mass of bike+rider system (kg)
PAT = power required to overcome total aerodynamic drag (W) I = moment of inertia of wheels (kgm2)
PKE = power required to change kinetic energy (W) r = outside radius of tire (m)
PRR = power required to overcome rolling resistance (W) Vgf = final ground velocity (m/s)
PWB = power required to overcome drag of wheel bearings (W) Vgi = initial ground velocity (m/s)
PPE = power required to change potential energy (W) tf = final time (s)
ρ = air density (kg/m3) ti = initial (s)
Va = air velocity (relative to direction of travel) (m/s) Crr = coefficient of rolling resistance (unitless)
Vg = ground velocity (m/s) g = acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2)
Cd = coefficient of drag (dependent on wind direction) (unitless) Gr = road gradient (unitless)
A = frontal area of bike+rider system (m2) Ec = efficiency of chain drive system (unitless)
FW = wheel rotation factor (expressed as incremental frontal area) (m2)
Mathematical model of the physics of cycling
(Martin, Milliken, Cobb, McFadden, and Coggan. J Appl Biomech 14:276-291, 1998)
Validation of modelunder steady-state conditions
(Martin, Milliken, Cobb, McFadden, and Coggan. J Appl Biomech 14:276-291, 1998)
Validation of modelunder non-steady-state conditions
(Martin, Gardner, Barras, and Martin, unpublished observations)
Measured power
Measured speed
Model-predicted speed
Nominal characteristics of world class pursuiters used in modeling
• Height = 180 cm
• Weight = 75 kg
• CdA = 0.209 m2
• Pursuit power = 540 W
• 4 km time = 4 min 25 s
• Height = 170 cm
• Weight = 65 kg
• CdA = 0.197 m2
• Pursuit power = 415 W
• 3 km time = 3 min 35 s
Male Female
• Weight of bicycle, etc. = 9.0 kg
• CRR = 0.002 (i.e., wood track)
• Air density = 1.185 g/L
Absolute and relative power requirementsof world class pursuit performance
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Male (4 km) Female (3 km)
Po
we
r (W
)
Aerodynamic drag Kinetic energy Rolling resistance Drivetrain friction
86%
84%
7%
9%
5%
5%
2%
2%
Time savings resulting from 5% changes in:
Factor 4 km 3 km
Efficiency of chain (Ec)
0.1 s (0.05%) 0.1 s (0.05%)
Rolling resistance (CRR)
0.2 s (0.1%) 0.2 s (0.1%)
Total mass (mt)
0.6 s (0.3%) 0.6 s (0.3%)
Aerodynamic drag (CdA) 4.1 s (1.5% ) 3.1 s (1.4% )
Aerodynamics: the devil is in the details!
Field testing using a powermeter to determine aerodynamic drag characteristics (CdA)
0
100
200
300
400
0 5 10 15
Speed (m/s)
Pow
er (
W)
Westbound Eastbound line of best fit
Y = 3.67X + 0.1344X3
R2 = 0.998
CdA = 0.226 +/- 0.004 m2
CRR = 0.0046 +/- 0.0003
Technical factors
The pursuit performance ‘teeter-totter’
Neuromuscular power
Anaerobic capacity
Aerobic power
Factors
Start
Line
PacingTec
hnica
l Factors
Rolling resistance/chain friction
Inertia/kinetic energy
Aerodynamic drag
Phys
ical
Faster F
aste
rFactors
Phys
iolo
gica
l
Faster or Slower
Time savings resulting from improvements in:
Factor 4 km 3 km
Starting technique (negligible) (negligible)
Path on track (20 cm up from black line)
1.3 s (0.5%) 1.1 s (0.5%)
Pacing strategy (potentially large) (potentially large)
2005 World Championships - 3 km pursuit
70
72
74
76
78
80
82
84
86
1 2 3
Kilometer split
Tim
e (s
econ
ds)
Effect of pacing on 3 km pursuit performance
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240
Time (seconds)
Po
we
r (W
)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Sp
eed
(m
/s)
Qualifying power Final power Qualifying speed Final speed
Effect of pacing on 3 km pursuit performancewhen overall average power is equivalent
Average = 411 W
Average = 408 W
Time = 3:53.4
Time = 3:51.4
Coggan’s #1 rule of pursuiting:
Don’t go out too hard!
Don’t go out too hard!
Don’t go out too hard!
Don’t go out too hard!
Physiological factors
The pursuit performance ‘teeter-totter’
Neuromuscular power
Anaerobic capacity
Aerobic power
Factors
Start
Line
PacingTec
hnica
l Factors
Rolling resistance/chain friction
Inertia/kinetic energy
Aerodynamic drag
Phys
ical
Faster F
aste
rFactors
Phys
iolo
gica
l
Faster or Slower
The individual pursuit: a predominantly aerobic event
4 km
3 km
Energy demands expressed in O2 equivalents
Power-VO2 relationship (efficiency)
Efficiency = 24.1%
0
1
2
3
4
5
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Power (W)
VO
2 (L
/min
)
Time savings resulting from 5% changes in:
Factor 4 km 3 km
Neuromuscular (anaerobic) power
0.3 s (0.1%) 0.2 s (0.1%)
Anaerobic capacity 0.9 s (0.3%) 0.7 s (0.3%)
Aerobic power 3.8 s (1.4%) 3.0 s (1.4%)
Role of VO2max, anaerobic capacity (MAOD) and aerodynamic drag characteristics (CdA) in determining
3 km pursuit performance
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240
Time (seconds)
Pow
er (W
)
Rider A Rider B
Maximal aerobic
VO2max = 4.47 L/min
Efficiency = 24.1%
Est. MAOD = 3.36 L
Ave. power = 397 W
CdA = 0.214 m2
3 km time = 3:47.3
Total
80%
20%
Rider A
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240
Time (seconds)
Pow
er (W
)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240
Time (seconds)
Po
we
r (W
)
Role of VO2max, anaerobic capacity (MAOD) and aerodynamic drag characteristics (CdA) in determining
3 km pursuit performanceRider A Rider B
VO2max = 4.20 L/min
Efficiency = 23.9%
Est. MAOD = 5.27 L
Ave. power = 411 W
CdA = 0.236 m2
3 km time = 3:49.7
Total
Maximal aerobic72%
28%
Maximal aerobic
VO2max = 4.47 L/min
G.E. = 24.1%
Est. MAOD = 3.36 L
Ave. power = 397 W
CdA = 0.214 m2
3 km time = 3:47.3
Total
80%
20%
Rider A Rider B
Preparation
Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Active recovery
EnduranceTempo or
fartlekLactate
thresholdVO2max Anaerobic
capacity
Neuro-muscular
power
Power ( % of maximal steady
state)<55% 56-75% 76-90% 91-105% 106-120% 121-150% >151%
Muscle enzymes
++ +++ ++++ ++ +
Lactate threshold
++ +++ ++++ ++ +
Capillaries + ++ +++ ++++ +
Plasma volume + ++ +++ ++++ +
Stroke volume & maximal
cardiac output+ ++ +++ ++++ +
VO2max + ++ +++ ++++ +
Anaerobic capacity (MAOD)
+ +++ +
Neuromuscular power
+ +++
Expected physiological adaptationsas a function of training intensity
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150
Exercise intensity (% of maximal steady state power)
Arb
itra
ry u
nit
s
L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6
Physiological strainOverall training effect
(increase in aerobic fitness)
Max. volume
Proposed relationship between training intensity and overall aerobic training effect
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Month
Tra
inin
g v
olu
me
(h/m
o)
Training volume (hours/month)
LT focus (off-season “build”)
VO2max focus (road racing season)
Pursuit-specific training R&R
Day Training
Monday 1 h 30 min recovery ride
Tuesday 2 h w/ 2 x 20 min @ TT effort
Wednesday 2 h 30 min group ride at moderate intensity
Thursday 2 h w/ 2 x 20 min @ TT effort
Friday 1 h 30 min recovery ride
Saturday 4 h hard group ride
Sunday 3 h 15 min group ride at moderate intensity
Typical week during LT focus
Typical week during VO2max focus
Day Training
Monday 1 h 15 min recovery ride
Tuesday 1 h 30 min w/ 6 x 5 min at 90+% of VO2max
Wednesday 2 h at moderate intensity
Thursday 1 h 30 min w/ 6 x 5 min at 90+% of VO2max
Friday 1 h 15 h recovery ride
Saturday Race or tempo ride
Sunday Race or hard group ride
Day Training
Monday 1 h 30 min w/ 4 x 500 m flying and 10 standing starts
TuesdayAM: 1 h 30 min w/ 4 x 4 km flying in team pursuit
formation
PM: 1 h 45 min recovery ride (road)
WednesdayAM: 1 h w/ 1 x 333.3 m standing plus 3 x 1 km
standing
PM: 2 h recovery ride (road)
ThursdayAM: 1 h 30 min w/ 4 x 4 km flying in team pursuit
formation
PM: 30 min recovery ride (rollers)
FridayAM: 2 h recovery ride (road)
PM: 1 h 45 min track racing session (keirin heat, keirn final, prime race, points race)
Saturday 1 h 30 min w/ 3 x 1 km flying and 4 x 500 m flying
Sunday Off
Typical week during pursuit-specific training
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Date
CT
L o
r A
TL
(T
SS
/d)
-100-80-60-40-20020406080100
TS
B (
TS
S/d
)
Acute training load Chronic training load Training stess balance
Use of powermeter data to manage training and plan peak performance
A happy ending!