Ernst Albin Hansen, PhD, at the Department of Physical Performance has tested the energetically optimal pedal rate (OPR) among elite cyclists. He found that a slower pedalling rate accompanied with a larger gear usage does not reduce performance. More likely, it improves performance.

 

During road cycling, elite cyclists in competitive road cycling spend a large part of the race at relatively low intensity. During these periods, the cyclists often choose pedal rates considerably higher than OPR, which is a maximum of 80 rates per minute.   - The athletes seem to prefer a pedal rate that is higher than what is optimal from an energetically point of view. Several of the participants in the study were surprised to see that the OPR actually proved more efficient, Hansen says.

Ernst Albin Hansen

 

A question of adapting
Ernst Albin Hansen claims that adapting to a more optimal pedal rate may have substantial effects on each athlete’s race.

 

- A reduction of the pedalling rate is without a doubt an energy saver during long distance races, and does not affect the performance although it might feel so initially due to a heavier pedal rate, Hansen says.

 

He believes that the question of whether to use an optimal pedal rate or not comes into play when talking about bigger race like Tour de France and Tour of Spain.

 

A winning formula in Tour de France
- Saving energy is fundamental during long-distance races and low energy expenditure will affect the performance positively. The load on the oxygen transport system, notably heart  and respiratory muscles, would be lower and the depletion of energy sources would occur at a slower rate, Hansen says.

 

He suggests that the application of OPR may slow down the depletion of muscle glycogen with as much as 20 percent during long-distance races.

 

For instance, the Danish top cyclist Bjarne Riis adapted to slower pedalling during the preparations for the 1996 Tour de France, and he later ended up winning the Tour.

 

Considerable research work at NSSS
The study made by Ernst Albin Hansen is part of an extensive research work done at Norwegian School of Sport Sciences regarding pedal rate.

 

A PhD by Øyvind Foss has previously looked into what is optimal pedal rate during races with higher and more intensive energy output, such as Time trials.