RACLET: the Ramp Above Critical Level Endurance Test to evaluate critical power in cycling

Abstract

This study introduces the Ramp Above Critical Level Endurance Test (RACLET), a novel method for evaluating critical power model parameters, and tests its reliability and concurrent validity. Twenty-three participants completed several RACLET and time-to-exhaustion tests (TTE). The RACLET involves a decreasing power ramp with intermittent maximal sprints, inducing moderate fatigue without exhaustion. The test demonstrated excellent reliability for the initial power (P_i) and critical power (P_c) (ICC > 0.97), with acceptable reliability for the time constant (τ) (ICC = 0.70). The concurrent validity against TTE was excellent for P_i and P_c (systematic errors: 1.7% and 3.0%, respectively), but moderate for τ and maximum work above the critical power (systematic errors ≈ 10%). The RACLET showed excellent predictive capacity for time-to-exhaustion (systematic error = −0.6%; random error = 10.3%). These results suggest that the RACLET is a reliable, valid, and efficient alternative to traditional critical power testing methods, offering comparable accuracy with a single test without inducing exhaustion. This approach could be particularly beneficial for populations in which exhaustive testing is challenging or impractical.