For many road cyclists, the start of the season is the moment when goals become more concrete again: more structure in training, building up form until the summer or perhaps even a competition calendar. In this context, the question quickly arises as to whether performance diagnostics make sense right at the start of the season. The honest answer is a clear one: it depends. After all, diagnostics are only really valuable if the results are subsequently used to better manage training.
For whom diagnostics are really worthwhile
For riders who are involved in competitive sport or would like to be, performance diagnostics are generally worthwhile at the start of the season. It provides a clear assessment of the current situation and creates a basis on which training areas can be precisely defined. With these values, a training plan can be tailored much more precisely to the individual requirements so that units are neither too hard nor too loose and the build-up of form is more efficient. Particularly in the early stages of the season, this can help to avoid typical mistakes, such as too much intensity too early or too little clear structure in the basic block.
Also useful for ambitious goals - but only with a plan
Ambitious road cyclists without a purely competitive focus can also benefit if they have a specific, major goal in mind, for example a cycling marathon, a crossing of the Alps or a race. In this case, the diagnostics provide orientation as to whether the training is going in the right direction and make progress easier to measure. However, the crucial point remains here too: The numbers are not an end in themselves, but a tool. Whoever translates the values into training wins. If you only know them but don't apply them, you won't gain much in the end.
When performance diagnostics is rather overrated
Performance diagnostics are less useful for those for whom the fun of cycling is clearly in the foreground and the idea of performance plays only a secondary role or none at all. In such cases, diagnostics often do not provide any real added value because the data is not consistent. Especially when it is only a matter of knowing a single value, the result can fall flat. In case of doubt, the values from the performance diagnostics are of no use to you if you cannot or do not want to utilise them in a meaningful way.
Tip: If you are accompanied by a trainer, you should always pass on the results of performance diagnostics. This will enable them to structure the training in a sensible way and categorise the performance zones.
Alternative for many: Indoor test instead of laboratory
A pragmatic tip is therefore: If you don't want to actively use performance values and data, but just want to know the pure value, you can save yourself the trouble. In this case, an indoor test on one of the popular indoor cycling platforms is often enough to get a rough idea.
Conclusion
Performance diagnostics at the start of the season are neither mandatory nor overrated. For performance-orientated road cyclists, it is a very useful way of determining where you stand, and it can also be a real benefit for ambitious goals. The decisive factor is whether you are able to derive practical decisions for your training from the figures.
Leon Weidner
Working student
