Riders performances, like in any sport, consists of a number of interdependent factors. Cycling at its professional level contains some of the most elite endurance athletes in the world. To achieve this level takes enormous dedication, going through years of training to develop the endurance adaptations needed to compete within the professional peloton.

It is pre-season for Formula 1 right now, so if you are a fan, your social media will be awash with images of the 2021 cars and the drivers getting in condition for the year ahead. Over the years the fitness demands of racing a Formula 1 car have changed considerably. While drivers are still able to enjoy a glamorous lifestyle, their focus has had to shift somewhat to ensure they are physically and mentally able to maximise the capabilities of the cars. Driving talent is no longer enough to ensure a seat at the pinnacle of motorsport.

Since March and the dawning realisation of the seriousness of Covid-19, 2020 has presented challenges for sport scientists. At the elite end of the profession, event cancellations, postponements and lockdowns inhibited training and monitoring plans. For those that use exercise as a health intervention, social restrictions interrupted programmes and the worry of increasing sedentary behaviour caused concern particularly among older and isolated groups. In this blog, Sport Science Agency will take a look back at some of the key developments that have shaped sports science in 2020.

Riders performances, like in any sport, consist of a number of interdependent factors. Cycling at its professional level contains some of the most elite endurance athletes in the world. To achieve this level takes enormous dedication, going through years of training to develop the endurance adaptations needed to compete within the professional peloton.

European competition has returned this week, after another hectic weekend in the Premier League. Chelsea have now opened up a three-point gap at the top of the table. So as teams prepare for the busy December and January playing schedule, it is no surprise that the ‘benefits of not being in Europe’ theories have begun to take shape.

Retirement happens to every athlete in every sport. At the end of each season or Olympic cycle, countless athletes are faced with the most difficult decision of their careers. And those in a position to make that decision for themselves are the lucky ones.

With Andy Murray now sitting on top of the world and the biggest change to the top ten in years, we at Sport Science Agency thought it would be a good time to take a look at the changing times in men’s tennis. 

It has been an interesting week in the world of high performance sport. At the Association of National Olympic Committees awards in Doha, Team GB’s Hockey success was again recognised via winning the best female team of Rio 2016. The shortlist for the IAAF athlete of the year was cut to three with Britain’s Mo Farah still in the running. Not to be outshone, football weighed in with its own take on how to recover/prepare for the stresses of professional sport by putting sex and booze under the microscope.

As International Rugby begins to grab the attention of the sporting public, Sport Science Agency takes a look at perhaps the most under developed research/support areas of modern professional sport, the role of the Captain.