Pacing strategy and exercise intensity in cross-country skiing

Abstract

Background: The pacing strategy employed by athletes have significant effect on their performance in endurance sports. Although several studies have investigated pacing in these kind of sports, little information exists with regard to and pacing strategies are applied in cross-country (XC) skiing. This paper presents a novel approach to investigate the relationship between pacing strategies and physiological demands in XC skiing. We estimate the skiers’ O2-demand by combining real-time positioning and physiological data from roller ski treadmill testing. Methods: On separate days, eight male XC skiers (age: 23.0 ± 4.8 years, height: 183.8 ± 6.8 cm, weight: 77.1 ± 6.1 kg) completed a 15-km individual time trial in a World Cup XC ski course and a standardized treadmill protocol on roller skis. Differential global navigation satellite system data was used to determine position and speed. O2- demand was estimated in seven sections of the time trial course by extrapolation of individual relationships between O2-cost and external work rate for levelled and inclined skiing determined in the treadmill protocol.