{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]],"date-time":"2026-08-05T01:38:09Z","timestamp":1785893889685,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,25]],"date-time":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1616630400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100005416","name":"Norges Forskningsr\u00e5d","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100005416","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Physiol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>The most common race format in cross-country (XC) skiing is the mass-start event, which is under-explored in the scientific literature. To explore factors important for XC skiing mass-starts, the main purpose of this study was to investigate physiological and biomechanical determinants of sprint ability following variable intensity exercise when roller ski skating. Thirteen elite male XC skiers performed a simulated mass-start competition while roller ski skating on a treadmill. The protocol consisted of an initial 21-min bout with a varying track profile, designed as a competition track with preset inclines and speeds, directly followed by an all-out sprint (AOS) with gradually increased speed to rank their performance. The initial part was projected to simulate the \u201cstay-in-the-group\u201d condition during a mass-start, while the AOS was designed to assess the residual physiological capacities required to perform well during the final part of a mass-start race. Cardiorespiratory variables, kinematics and pole forces were measured continuously, and the cycles were automatically detected and classified into skating sub-techniques through a machine learning model. Better performance ranking was associated with higher VO<jats:sub>2<jats:italic>Max<\/jats:italic><\/jats:sub> (<jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic> = 0.68) and gross efficiency (<jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic> = 0.70) measured on separate days, as well as the ability to ski on a lower relative intensity [i.e., %HR<jats:sub><jats:italic>Max<\/jats:italic><\/jats:sub> (<jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic> = 0.87), %VO<jats:sub>2<jats:italic>Max<\/jats:italic><\/jats:sub> (<jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic> = 0.89), and rating of perceived exertion (<jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic> = 0.73)] during the initial 21-min of the simulated mass-start (all <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>-values &amp;lt; 0.05). Accordingly, the ability to increase HR (<jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic> = 0.76) and VO<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub> (<jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic> = 0.72), beyond the corresponding values achieved during the initial 21-min, in the AOS correlated positively with performance (both <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.05). In addition, greater utilization of the G3 sub-technique in the steepest uphill (<jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic> = 0.69, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.05), as well as a trend for longer cycle lengths (CLs) during the AOS (<jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic> = 0.52, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.07), were associated with performance. In conclusion, VO<jats:sub>2<jats:italic>Max<\/jats:italic><\/jats:sub> and gross efficiency were the most significant performance-determining variables of simulated mass-start performance, enabling lower relative intensity and less accumulation of fatigue before entering the final AOS. Subsequently, better performance ranking was associated with more utilization of the demanding G3 sub-technique in the steepest uphill, and physiological reserves allowing better-performing skiers to utilize a larger portion of their aerobic potential and achieve longer CLs and higher speed during the AOS.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2021.638499","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,25]],"date-time":"2021-03-25T08:29:33Z","timestamp":1616660973000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Physiological and Biomechanical Determinants of Sprint Ability Following Variable Intensity Exercise When Roller Ski Skating"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Trine M.","family":"Seeberg","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jan","family":"Kocbach","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"J\u00f8rgen","family":"Danielsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dionne A.","family":"Noordhof","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Knut","family":"Skovereng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"P\u00e5l","family":"Haugnes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Johannes","family":"Tj\u00f8nn\u00e5s","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"\u00d8yvind","family":"Sandbakk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2544","DOI":"10.1249\/mss.0000000000001037","article-title":"Metabolic responses and pacing strategies during successive sprint skiing time trials.","volume":"48","author":"Andersson","year":"2016","journal-title":"Med. 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