Giro d’Italia, three-week long-race with total of 3479 racing kilometers sets ultimate challenges to cyclists’ performance levels and ability to recover between the stages. In 2011 the Firstbeat Sports software was used at Giro d’Italy to assess the recovery level for the team Colnago CSF cyclists across the whole tour.
The study was coordinated by Dr. Danilo Manari (a sports physician and a cardiologist) and operated by Prof. Michele Petranzan, who both work for the Sports Monitoring Service (SMS) company providing services for performance capacity, training load and recovery assessments.
Before and during the Tour overnight heart-rate data was collected and HRV analysis was conducted on a daily basis using Firstbeat Sports software. Also hydration level, glycogen stores, and tissue acidosis (urine pH) were monitored.
Firstbeat Sports software provided useful tool for Dr. Petranzan team and technical staff of the team Colnago CSF to know immediately the actual recovery status of the cyclists. Based on the results the roles of the cyclists were changed for the next stage if needed. “Especially in the mountain stages we were able to detect ‘responders’ from the measured data (showed actually in increased recovery level and good performance in the race)”. Below is an example report of the recovery for one cyclist after 8th and 17th stage showing the demands the Tour requires from the athletes.
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