A Comparative Analysis Between National-Level and Young Professional Road Cyclists: A Psychophysiological Approach.

Introduction: While physiological predictors like maximal oxygen uptake and lactate threshold are well established in cycling, psychological factors such as affective load and effort perception remain less studied.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the possible differences in psychophysiological responses between professional and national-level cyclists during a race simulation.

Methods: Twenty-four male cyclists (12 professionals and 12 national level) matched for V˙O2max (75.2 [5.9] vs 74.3 [7.1] mL·min-1·kg-1) performed a 60-minute treadmill cycling test simulating race-end conditions. Power output (PO), heart rate, respiratory frequency, electroencephalographic-derived neural efficiency, perceptual responses (effort, pain, pleasure), and motivation were recorded. Professionals trained 795 (120) h·y-1, compared with 388 (202) h·y-1 for nationals. Exercise intensities were determined using individualized PO values, with participants' self-regulating treadmill velocity via real-time feedback.

Results: Compared to national-level cyclists, professionals sustained higher relative PO (5.3 [1.9] vs 4.8 [1.6] W·kg-1, P < .001, d = -0.97) and affective load (2.8 [4.3] vs. 0.6 [3.7], P = .047, d = -0.75). The professionals also reported a greater perceived effort (6.0 [2.7] vs 5.1 [2.3], P = .023, d = -0.67). No significant differences were found for heart rate, respiratory frequency, or neural efficiency.

Conclusions: Professional cyclists exhibited superior PO and effort tolerance despite lower pleasure, underscoring the importance of psychological resilience in professional races. These results suggest that tailored training programs aimed at improving tolerance to high-intensity efforts may benefit national-level cyclists seeking to transition to the professional level.