Analyse the factors that affect drag for a road cyclist.

Using an example from sport, outline a closed skill.

Compare and contrast the motor skill classifications of a boxer and a road cyclist.

Analyse how a road cyclist plans a macrocycle using periodization.

a tucked body position decreases surface area/size while cycling decreases drag;

decreased opposing wind decreases drag;

clothing such as tight apparel will decrease drag;

equipment for cycling such as appropriately designed/aerodynamic helmet and bicycle will decrease drag;

avoidance of turbulent air/drafting/being behind the athlete in front decreases drag;

shaving/waxing skin has a positive effect on reducing drag;

lower speed decreases drag;

Accept answers in the converse.

Award [2] max for list.

A skill which is not affected by the environment eg basketball free throw;

Accept all relevant examples.

Accept a justified answer for the relative positions of the sports on the continua

Max [3] for comparison only
Max [3] for contrast only

periodization will allow the cyclist to plan their training for a season;

a macrocycle can be broken down into smaller mesocycles/1–3-month blocks;

consisting of pre-season, competition and transition / off season;

microcycles focus on short-term goals for each component/block/mesocycle/unit of training;

this can be achieved by manipulating principles of training (progression, overload, specificity, etc) for each phase of mesocycle;

Generally candidates have a clear knowledge of this area. However, many candidates only identified factors that could affect drag and did not detail how drag was affected e.g. increase or decrease.

Many candidates only offered an example and did not define the type of skill. Or defined the type of skill and provided no example.

Well answered by all candidates.

Generally this was not well answered. Candidates do not seem to be well prepared. Many candidates linked the question to nutritional strategies.