UCI World Cycling Centre’s Partnership With Wahoo Is Taking Talent Identification To A New Level
UCI World Cycling Centre’s Partnership With Wahoo Is Taking Talent Identification To A New Level. Aigle, Switzerland’s UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) is dedicated to developing cycling in all parts of the world and hence, has incorporated high-end testing protocols in their center. This facilitates the monitoring of the performance, potential, and progress of the athletes across different continents.
The Official Supplier of UCI World Cycling Centre, Wahoo Fitness, has contributed a donation of 120 of its KICKR Smart Trainers and 12 KICKR BIKEs to the UCI Solidarity Programme for 2021-2022. The equipment has been shipped to several continents such as the National Federations in America, Europe, and Africa, the UCI WCC Africa satellite in Paarl, South Africa, and the African Cycling Confederation. Deliveries are being planned for the National Federations in Aia as well.
Innovation In UCI World Cycling Centre
Jean-Jacques Henry, the Project Coordinator of the UCI WCC Education and Detection, added that the National Federations (NFs) who have received the equipment must use the same program to assess their athletes which are called Wahoo SYSTM Full Frontal test. The results must be sent by the NF coaches to the UCI WCC where the received data will be compared with the UCI WCC’s resident athletes and analyzed.
He further stated, “First of all this test enables us to assess the riders’ potential.” It is said that this test is done several times a year to identify their progress. He added, “They then do the test several times a year so we can see their progression. The best riders will be invited to a training camp at one of our continental satellite centers and if their talent is confirmed, they will stay as long-term trainees. The very best from these satellites are invited to join our training groups at the UCI WCC in Aigle, Switzerland where they have access to European racing and can prepare for major international competitions.”
To him, it was interesting to learn that the testing system can recognize and monitor talent from an age of 17-19. This applies to the African National Federations at present who are preparing their athletes for Rwanda’s 2025 UCI Road World Championships. He owes UCI World Cycling Centre’s successful unearthing of talent to similar testing methods.
He is training coaches all around the world on how to use the Wahoo system because a test like this that requires a lot of attention to detail and precision must be implemented properly for efficiency. A strict process must be followed for the test to be functional and effective.
Several coaches have already received training under the UCI WCC expert at a course in Egypt’s Sharm-el-Sheikh during the African Continental Championships that was held in March. The Championship was held at the UCI WCC satellite in Portugal’s Anadia in April. Next week, the training will proceed to Nigeria to train the coaches from the African National Federations.
Wahoo SYSTM Full Frontal test
There are four separate maximal efforts across which this test measures the performance of athletes which are as follows:
- Neuromuscular Power: 5-seconds SPRINT
- Anaerobic capacity: 1-minute high-intensity efforts
- Maximal Aerobic Power: 5-minute max effort
- Functional Threshold Power: 20-minutes steady effort
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