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INTRODUCTION: Pacing strategies in cross-country skiing (XCS) are largely influenced by the course topography [1]. Recent research has identified that skiing velocity during some key track sections (i.e. the micro-pacing strategy) was related to faster race times [2]. Specifically, skiing velocity during transitions between uphill, flat and downhill sections were strongly related to faster classic XCS sprint race times among female skiers [2]. Previous research has also shown that pacing strategies might vary between techniques (i.e. classic vs. skate) [1] and sexes [3]. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between micro-pacing strategies and performance during a freestyle XCS distance race in women and men.

METHODS: Nine female and 10 male XCS athletes wore a GNSS device (Catapult OptimEye S5; 10 Hz) during a senior FIS-sanctioned freestyle distance race. The race lap was 4892 m in distance with 165 m of vertical climbing. The women completed two laps (9964 m), while the men completed three laps (14678 m). The course was divided into uphill (S1, S3, S5, S7), downhill (S2, S4, S6, S8) and flat sections (S9) for analyses. In order to compare skiers’ velocities at the same track locations, GNSS positioning data were resampled at every 1-m interval along the course. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM; linear regression) was used to determine the track positions where instantaneous skiing velocity was significantly associated with race time.

RESULTS: Race time was associated with velocity during parts of S1 (the second longest climb) on lap 2 for both sexes (t ≥ 4.206, p < 0.001) and on lap 3 for men (t = 4.308, p = 0.047). By contrast, race time was unrelated to velocity during S3 (the shortest climb) for both sexes. Race time was related to velocity during parts of S5 (the longest climb) on lap 1 for women (t = 4.663, p < 0.001) and on laps 2 and 3 for men (t ≥ 4.031, p ≤ 0.009). While race time was not related to velocity during S7 (the second shortest climb) for men, it was for women on lap 1 (t = 3.871, p = 0.002). Race time was largely unrelated to velocity during all downhill sections for both sexes. Finally, race time was related to velocity through S9 (the flat section) for women (t = 3.716, p = 0.001), but not for men.

CONCLUSION: SPM analyses revealed specific uphill and flat track sections where athletes with faster race times skied with higher velocities, compared to athletes with slower race times. Specifically, more successful women adopted more aggressive micro-pacing strategies on some parts of the three longer uphill sections (S1, S5, S7), as well as on the flat section of the course (S9). The more successful men also adopted more aggressive micro-pacing strategies on some parts of the two longest uphill sections (S1, S5). Coaches and athletes can use this information to optimise micro-pacing strategies and improve performance.

1. Stöggl et al. (2018); 2. Ihalainen et al. (2020); 3. Andersson et al. (2019)