Abstract
Objectives: This study examined how track cycling coaches, practitioners, and athletes: develop knowledge and practices; value performance areas; and, implement research into practice. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: An online REDCap survey of track cycling coaches, practitioners, and athletes was conducted involving questions related to demographics, performance area importance, knowledge acquisition and application, research relevance, and research direction. Results: A total of 159 responses were received from coaches (n = 55), practitioners (n = 29), and athletes (n = 75). Participants' highest track cycling competition level involvement ranged from local/regional (12.7%) to Olympic/Paralympic (39.9%). Respondents primarily develop practices by observing ‘the sport’ or ‘others competing/working in it’ (both 85.8%). Practitioners develop practices through self-guided learning (96.4%). The primary reason for practice use was prior experience (84.9%), whilst individuals were least likely to use practices resulting in marginal gains with potentially negative outcomes (27.3%). Areas of greatest perceived importance were Aerodynamics, Strength & Conditioning, and Tactics (all > 96% agreed/strongly agreed). Scientific evidence for Tactics (30%) and Mental Skills (26%) was perceived to be lacking, resulting in greater reliance on personal experience (74% and 62%, respectively) to inform training decisions. The main barrier to implementing research into practice was athlete buy-in (84.3%). Conclusions: Within track cycling, informal learning was most popular amongst respondents. Greater reliance on personal experience within evidence-based practice for many performance areas aligns with limited existing research. Most respondents reported multiple barriers affecting research implementation in practice.
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
10-1-2024
Volume
27
Issue
10
PubMed ID
38965003
Publication Title
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Publisher
Elsevier
School
Centre for Exercise and Sports Science Research / School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
71509
Funders
Australian Government Research Training Program
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
First Page
726
Last Page
733
Comments
Stadnyk, A. M., Impellizzeri, F. M., Stanley, J., Menaspà, P., & Slattery, K. M. (2024). Performance determinants and evidence-based practice in track cycling: A survey of coaches, practitioners, and athletes. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 27(10), 726-733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2024.06.001