Track cycling entails a challenging progression from the youth categories to elite competition. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the importance of early performance and various publicly available performance indicators in predicting the success of male and female cyclists across different track disciplines. Additionally, the study enriches the findings by incorporating interviews with international-level coaches and athletes. A retrospective analysis of data from UCI track cycling databases was conducted, supplemented by interviews with international-level coaches and athletes. The success rate for highly ranked junior track cyclists was found to be less than 20%, with a majority of these athletes specializing in sprint events, regardless of gender. The study indicated that the UCI ranking and points earned during the season were not reliable indicators for distinguishing future success (p < 0.05). From the interviews, we identified three main themes: (1) trends in career success from the youth to elite categories, (2) performance markers as predictors of future success, and (3) the challenges and time involved in reaching elite categories. Junior category performance alone may not be the sole indicator of future success in track cycling. However, integrating performance analyses with practitioners and athletes’ perspectives enables a deeper understanding of the results and the developmental context.

Purpose : Short cycling time trials (TTs), such as prologues, demand maximal power and precise neuromuscular coordination from the start, making warm-up strategy crucial. This study compared the physiological, perceptual, and performance effects of a classic warm-up and a high-torque interval warm-up (WUT) before a simulated 3-km “prologue-like” TT. Methods : Fourteen competitive male cyclists (23 [6] y; ) completed both conditions in a randomized crossover design. Each warm-up was followed, after a 2-minute transition, by a 3-km TT performed on an ergometer simulating variable terrain and rolling resistance. Results : WUT elicited higher oxygen uptake (+10.7%, P = .001), greater (+31.2%, P < .001), higher heart rate (+9.9%, P < .001), and higher perceived exertion (+32%, P = .043) than the classic warm-up, indicating greater physiological and perceptual strain. However, no significant differences (all P > .05) were found in TT completion time, mean or peak power output, cadence, or time above critical power between the 2 conditions. Muscle soreness was higher after WUT ( P < .05), but this did not impair performance. Conclusions : These findings indicate that, while the WUT induces stronger physiological activation, it does not enhance short time-trial performance compared with a traditional approach. Both strategies appear equally effective in preparing cyclists for short, maximal efforts, suggesting that the choice of warm-up may depend on individual preference, event context, and practical constraints rather than expected performance gains.