Training Strategies of World Tour Cyclists: Periodization and Load Distribution Across a Competitive Season

This study aimed to analyze training strategies, periodization, and load distribution in World Tour professional road cyclists to understand how these factors contribute to performance optimization across a competitive season. Training and racing data from 28 male World Tour cyclists were retrospectively analyzed. Performance variables (e.g., critical power (CP), functional threshold power (FTP)), volume (duration, distance, elevation gain), training load (Edwards' training impulse (eTRIMP), Training Stress Score (TSS), work in kJ), and power- and heart rate-based intensity distribution (low-intensity training (LIT), moderate-intensity training (MIT), high-intensity training (HIT)) were assessed. The season was divided into three distinct phases (pre-season, pre-competitive, competitive) based on individual racing schedules. Physiological variables, including CP, improved significantly in competitive periods compared to training periods (p ≤ 0.01). Competition exhibited greater distance, elevation gain, and load than training (p ≤ 0.001). Volume and load increased progressively across phases, peaking in the competitive phase (p ≤ 0.01), with no significant change between pre-competitive and competitive phases. Intensity distribution remained pyramidal across phases, with progressive increases in HIT percentage toward competition (p ≤ 0.001), and higher HIT percentage in races. Power- and heart rate-based intensity distributions differed significantly in MIT and HIT zones (p ≤ 0.001). World Tour cyclists employ structured training strategies with progressive volume and load increases and intensification within a pyramidal pattern, improving performance for competitive demands and supporting performance across a season.