Multiple seasons of heavy strength training → strength + cycling sprint power in elite cyclists

n=4 elite cyclists in part one (two performed heavy strength training (HST) across two preparatory periods, ~1.5 years; two continued endurance training only). Part two follows two of them further: one continued HST for two more years; the other started HST and performed it across the last two preparatory periods.

Rønnestad tracked elite XCO-MTB riders who combined heavy strength training with their endurance work over several preparatory periods.

By the end of preparatory period one (November to April), leg-press force and cycling sprint power rose on average by 16% with HST, and this gain held through the competition period; once the next preparatory period was done, the gain over the first test reached 22% for leg-press force and 19% for sprint power. Neither measure changed in the two cyclists who did no HST.

One rider who continued HST over four preparatory periods finished 3.5 years later at +44% leg-press force, with sprint power up 25% after levelling off between the third and fourth period; the rider who started HST later improved force by 24% and sprint power by 22% after 1.5 years — similar to part one.

As the authors read it, HST yields reasonable strength gains in elite cyclists over multiple preparatory periods, these adaptations survive competition periods, and sprint power roughly tracks leg-press performance.