{"id":1199,"date":"2016-08-17T22:57:00","date_gmt":"2016-08-17T22:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/OU-Sport\/?p=1199"},"modified":"2016-08-17T22:57:46","modified_gmt":"2016-08-17T22:57:46","slug":"how-team-gb-cyclists-peaked-at-the-olympics-and-owned-the-velodrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/OU-Sport\/?p=1199","title":{"rendered":"How Team GB cyclists peaked at the Olympics and owned the velodrome"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Candice Lingam-Willgoss<\/strong><\/p>\n

To say that Team GB have dominated the Olympic cycling would be the biggest understatement of the games. British track cyclists seem to have made peaking in line with the Olympic cycle their speciality. They won seven of the ten<\/a> gold medals on offer at both London 2012 and Beijing 2008, but this year in Rio, they have really surpassed themselves. Every member of the 15-strong squad has come away with a medal, taking the final tally to six golds, four silvers and one bronze.<\/p>\n

This remarkable success has baffled their rivals. Michael Gan\u00e9 \u2013 the French sprint coach \u2013 must have echoed the thoughts of many teams when he remarked<\/a>; \u201cthey don\u2019t exist for four years, then at the Olympics they outclass the whole world\u201d. So, how have Team GB managed, yet again, to peak at the optimum time?<\/p>\n

Training for success<\/h2>\n

It all comes down to a technique called \u201cperiodised training\u201d \u2013 a strategy which has long been used to prepare athletes for major events. The training year is divided and organised to ensure that peak performance is achieved at the optimum time \u2013 in this case, at the Olympic Games.<\/p>\n

A multi-year programme involves<\/a> a gradual increase in training intensity through the pre-competition period, followed by a reduction or tapering of training, as the competition period draws nearer.<\/p>\n

When following a multi-year periodisation plan \u2013 such as the four-year Olympic cycle \u2013 the final year is the most important one. That\u2019s when the amount of training (the distance covered or time spent) is reduced to prevent injury and fatigue, while the intensity of the workouts is increased to ensure athletes are in top form for the big event.<\/p>\n

For Team GB\u2019s cyclists, training will focus on muscular endurance, anaerobic endurance (ability to sustain high intensity exercise) and sprint power. But the real skill is to maintain the subtle balance between periods of work and recovery, which must be tailored to each rider\u2019s individual capabilities.<\/p>\n

The British Cycling team has clearly mastered this approach, having set the Olympic Games as their number one priority. This may also explain why the team are less visible on the podium at world championship events in the lead up to the games.<\/p>\n

That said, while timing athletes’ training right will unquestionably give them an edge, there are still a few other factors to consider.<\/p>\n

The price of gold<\/h2>\n

The winning streak of Team GB cyclists at successive games has brought about a significant increase<\/a> in investment from UK Sport \u2013 the organisation which allocates public funds to elite-level sports \u2013 at the expense of many others. According to sports policy expert Dr Borja Garcia, the \u201cbrutal\u201d regime is \u201cas crude as it is effective\u201d. Certainly, with a grant in the region of \u00a330m every four years, lack of funding has not been an issue for Team GB\u2019s cyclists.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nGB gold medallist Jason Kenny, looking flash.<\/span>
\nJavier Etxezarreta\/EPA<\/a><\/span>
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And it\u2019s clear that investment pays off: former Olympic gold medalist Chris Boardman said that<\/a> \u201cthe British team have always been at the head of the technology race and we\u2019ve seen that again [at Rio 2016]\u201d. This level of funding has enabling the development of bikes worth in the region of \u00a310,000, and skin suits so aerodynamic that they can produce up to a 5% performance gain, compared to those used at the world championships in London earlier this year.<\/p>\n

In post-race interviews, many of the athletes have also praised the extensive sport science support network working behind the scenes; from nutritionists to data analysts.<\/p>\n

Success breeds success<\/h2>\n

The old addage \u201csuccess breeds success\u201d clearly applies to the whole of Great Britain\u2019s Olympic team. On the track the first cycling gold in the men\u2019s team pursuit at Rio seems to have given the squad a level positivity and confidence which not only motivated them, but also potentially has intimidated their rivals.<\/p>\n

This notion was echoed by Max Whitlock, when he reflected<\/a>on the huge success that Team GB gymnasts had experienced: \u201cI\u2019m a big believer in success breeding success. The results we\u2019ve had have pushed us to get more, it\u2019s made us all believe that it\u2019s possible\u201d.<\/p>\n