Double poling kinematic changes during the course of a long-distance race: effect of performance level.

We aimed to evaluate the changes in double poling (DP) kinematics due to a long-distance cross-country skiing race in athletes with different performance levels. A total of 100 cross-country skiers, belonging to 10 different performance groups, were filmed on flat terrain 7 and 55 km after the start line, during a 58-km classical race. Cycle velocity, frequency and length decreased from the best to the lower-ranked group, while duty cycle increased (all P <.001). Between track sections, cycle velocity and length decreased, duty cycles increased (all P <.001) while frequency was unaltered (P =.782). Group*section interactions resulted for cycle velocity (P =.005). Considering all the participants together, % change in cycle velocity between sections correlated with % change in length and duty cycle (all P <.001). Thus i) skiers in better groups showed longer and more frequent cycles as well as shorter duty cycles than skiers in slower groups; ii) throughout the race all the groups maintained the same cycle frequency while decreasing cycle velocity and length; iii) better groups showed a lower reduction in cycle velocity. Individually, a low reduction in cycle velocity during the race related to the capacity to maintain long cycles and short duty cycles.