AGE-RELATED DYNAMICS OF GTV PARAMETERS WITHIN LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT IN ROAD CYCLING: EVIDENCE FROM DIGITAL FOOTPRINT DATA

Purpose. To identify patterns of age-related dynamics of training activity parameters – mean road gradient, total duration of work, and mean speed – in foreign road cyclists based on digital footprint data and to substantiate these parameters as components of a structural-functional model of long-term training.

Methods and organization of the research. The study was based on open-access Strava data reflecting the recorded portion of training activity of male and female athletes over a full season. The unit of observation was an annual dataset of an individual athlete’s training activity. The analysis was conducted using the GTV approach, including assessment of mean road gradient (G), total duration of training activity (T), mean speed (V), and the number of recorded training activities.

Research results and their discussion. The most pronounced age-related dynamics were associated with an increase in total training duration, the number of recorded training activities, and mean speed. The G parameter changed to a lesser extent compared with T and V; however, it reached relatively high values already in younger age groups and subsequently varied within a limited range. This indicates different age sensitivity of the GTV parameters: T and V reflect the main age-related changes in training activity, whereas G represents a stable characteristic of the training environment.

Conclusion. The digital footprint of training activity can be considered an empirical basis for analyzing long-term training in road cycling, while the GTV approach can serve as a tool for formalized assessment of age-related dynamics in training activity.

1. Jeffries A.C., Marcora S.M., Coutts A.J., Wallace L., McCall A., Impellizzeri F.M. Development of a revised conceptual framework of physical training for use in research and practice // Sports Medicine. 2022. Vol. 52. No. 4. P. 709-724. DOI: 10.1007/s40279-021-01551-5. 
2. Passfield L., Murias J.M., Sacchetti M., Nicolò A. Validity of the training-load concept in endurance sport // International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2022. Vol. 17. No. 4. P. 507-511. DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2021-0536. 
3. Macedo A.G., Almeida T.A.F., et al. Load monitoring methods for controlling training effectiveness on physical conditioning and planning involvement: a narrative review // Applied Sciences. 2024. Vol. 14. No. 22. Art. 10465. DOI: 10.3390/app142210465. 
4. Coyne J.O.C., Haff G.G., Coutts A.J., Newton R.U. The current state of subjective training load monitoring: follow-up and future directions // Sports Medicine – Open. 2022. Vol. 8. Art. 43. DOI: 10.1186/s40798-022-00433-y. 
5. Timmerman W.P., Abbiss C.R., Lawler N.G., Stanley M., Raynor A.J. Athlete monitoring perspectives of sports coaches and support staff: a scoping review // International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. 2024. Vol. 19. No. 4. P. 1813-1832. DOI: 10.1177/17479541241247131. 
6. Peeters W.M., Barrett M., Podlogar T. What is a cycling race simulation anyway: a review on protocols to assess durability in cycling // European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2025. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-025-05725-1. 
7. Valenzuela P.L., et al. Road gradient and cycling power: an observational study in male professional cyclists // Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2022. Vol. 25. No. 12. P. 1017-1022. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.10.001. 
8. Voet J.G., van Erp T., Viribay A., de Koning J.J., Lamberts R.P. Training characteristics related to (the changes in) durability in semiprofessional cyclists // International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2025. Vol. 20. No. 5. P. 644–652. DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2024-0321. 
9. Ford P., De Ste Croix M., Lloyd R., et al. The long-term athlete development model: physiological evidence and application // Journal of Sports Sciences. 2011. Vol. 29. No. 4. P. 389-402. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2010.536849. 
10. Lloyd R.S., Oliver J.L., et al. Long-term athletic development, part 1: a pathway for all youth // Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2015. Vol. 29. No. 5. P. 1439-1450. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000756. 
11. Lloyd R.S., Oliver J.L., et al. Long-term athletic development, part 2: barriers to success and potential solutions // Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2015. Vol. 29. No. 5. P. 1451-1464. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000757. 
12. Bergeron M.F., Mountjoy M., Armstrong N., et al. International Olympic Committee consensus statement on youth athletic development // British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015. Vol. 49. No. 13. P. 843-851. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-094962. 
13. Røsten S., Rogstad E.T. Ride, record, and share? A study of elite cyclists’ sharing practices on Strava // European Journal for Sport and Society. 2025. DOI: 10.1080/16138171.2025.2532278. 
14. De Cock F., Dardenne N., Jockin F., Jidovtseff B. Validity and reliability of Strava segments // Journal of Human Sport and Exercise. 2023. Vol. 18. No. 1. P. 1-12.
15. Формирование структуры и содержания современной системы подготовки спортсменов высокой квалификации в длительных локомоциях велосипедного спорта : монография / А. В. Кубеев, Е. Д. Горбунов, В. П. Черкашин, Е. А. Савенкова, А. А. Оганесян, Ю. С. Лемешева, Д. А. Горбунов, В. Л. Алякритский ; под общ. ред. А. В. Кубеева. – Москва : ФГБУ ФНЦ ВНИИФК, 2025. – 188 с. ISBN 978-5-908075-05-3. 
16. Кубеев А.В., Горбунов Е.Д. Модель функционирования спортсмена спортивного резерва как основа цифрового управления тренировочным процессом в шоссейном велоспорте // Наука и спорт : современные тенденции. 2026. Т. 14. № 1. С. 46-55. DOI: 10.36028/2308-8826-2026-14-1-46-55. 
17. Söker N., et al. Long-term athlete development in schools: a systematic review // Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 2025. Vol. 7. Art. 1706060. DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1706060. 
18. Valenzuela P.L., et al. Durability in professional cyclists: a field study // International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2023. Vol. 18. No. 1. P. 99-107. DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2022-0203.