# Physical performance and tactical experience: determinants of competition outcomes in amateur vs. elite cyclists – a descriptive study from the UCI tour of Lithuania

## TL;DR

Amateur cyclists can complete a tough race like the UCI Tour of Lithuania, but they lag behind elites in physical conditioning and race tactics.

## Contribution

This study compares physical and tactical differences between amateur and elite cyclists during a real-world competition.

## Key findings

- Amateurs had lower aerobic capacity and critical power compared to elite cyclists.
- Amateurs spent more time above critical power and had less polarized effort profiles during the race.
- Elite cyclists showed better race strategies and overall classification results.

## Abstract

The aim of this descriptive study was to compare laboratory and in-competition performance metrics between elite and amateur cyclists competing in the 2024 UCI Tour of Lithuania with respect to physical performance, racing approach, and tactical behavior.

Two teams of five elite and five amateur cyclists completed laboratory tests 1 month before the event. Tests assessed peak oxygen uptake (
V˙O2peak
), gross efficiency, peak power in incremental and sprint protocols, and seasonal power records. During the five-stage race (870.2-km, 4,039-m elevation gain), competition data, including stage and general classification results, power data, heart rate, and gpx tracks, were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and Cohen’s d effect sizes (ES) were used to assess between-group differences.

Amateurs exhibited lower
V˙O2peak
, maximal aerobic and critical power (ES: 1.68–2.37). During competition, amateurs spent more time above critical power (ES: 2.09–3.25) and exhibited a more homogeneous power distribution within their team (ES: 0.49–1.82). In contrast, elite cyclists displayed a polarized effort profile. These differences corresponded to poorer stage and overall classification results for amateurs (ES: 1.39), while elites followed specific competition strategies, contributing to better stage and overall results. Nevertheless, all amateurs successfully completed the five-stage race.

Amateur cyclists demonstrated sufficient physical capacity to complete the Tour of Lithuania despite lower aerobic capacity and limited experience in team tactics. These findings illustrate the rising performance levels in amateur cycling while emphasizing persistent gaps in physical conditioning, race experience and execution, particularly in energy management, pacing strategies, and situational decision-making, factors that remain key competition-specific performance limitations compared to elite cyclists.