The Influence of Course Bends on Pacing Strategy in Road Cycling

AbstractRoad cycling races in general, but particularly criteriums (short circuit race), have a considerable number of bends along the race course. Sharp bends force the rider to decelerate in order to retain the grip between the tires and the road. This study focused on how these course bends influence the optimal pacing strategy in road cycling. For this purpose, we used a numerical model that simulates cycling by solving the equation of motion. The optimisation was carried out with the Method of Moving Asymptotes, constrained with the Margaria-Morton model for human energetics and a separate course bend constraint. The results showed that sharp course bends greatly affect the pacing strategy and finishing time. The average power output and the average speed decreased with a decrease in the curve radius. Moreover, the kinetic energy lost due to braking in sharp course bends is likely to be the crucial mechanism affecting the finishing time. Therefore, we believe that the outcome of races that contain sharp bends may be strongly dependent on the athlete's pacing strategy