Table 1 Descriptive statistics of the different technical skills developed in the three different tracks, and total mean values (E, W & O). Data are means (±SD). E W O (E, W & O) 2007 2008 Avg 2007 2008 Avg 2007 2008 Avg 2007 2008 Avg NAT 4.1 (4.0) 3.7 (1.9) 3.9 (2.9) 2.2 (1.9) 2.4 (1.8) 2.3 (1.9) 2.2 (1.8) .8 (.8) 1.5 (1.3) 2.8 (2.6) 2.3 (15) 2.6 (2.0) ABS .13 (.35) 4.9 (.8) 2.5 (.6) .75 (.89) 2.6 (.5) 1.7 (.7) 1.4 (1.2) .5 (.5) .9 (.9) .8 (.8) 2.7 (.6) 1.7 (.7) MAN 10.0 (2.2) 5.8 (1.0) 7.9 (1.6) 4.5 (2.0) 5.0 (.8) 4.8 (1.4) 4.5 (1.9) 1.6 (.5) 3.1 (1.2) 6.3 (2.0) 4.1 (.8) 5.2 (1.4) PULL 3.6 (1.7) 2.1 (.8) 2.9 (1.3) 2.5 (.8) 1.6 (.5) 2.1 (.6) 1.9 (1.0) 1.3 (.5) 1.6 (.7) 2.7 (1.2) 1.7 (.6) 2.2 (.9) ABS-C 2.5 (.9) 2.1 (.8) 2.3 (.9) 1.1 (1.0) .4 (.5) .8 (.8) 1.1 (.8) 0 (0) .6 (.4) 1.6 (.9) .8 (.5) 1.2 (.7) AT 2.5 (1.2) 2.1 (2.0) 2.3 (1.6) 4.6 (3.3) 5.3 (5.1) 5.0 (4.5) 4.5 (3.5) 4.2 (4.3) 4.3 (3.9) 3.9 (2.8) 3.9 (3.8) 3.9 (3.3) SJ 2.6 (1.4) .25 (.46) 1.4 (.9) 1.0 (.8) .4 (.5) .7 (.6) 1.4 (.7) 0.0 (.7) .7 (.7) 1.7 1.0) .2 (.6) .9 (.8) TJ 2.4 (1.1) 4.0 (.8) 3.2 (.9) 8.3 (.9) 10.3 (.7) 9.3 (.8) 7.6 (1.8) 8.8 (.7) 8.2 (1.2) 6.1 (1.2) 7.7 (.7) 6.9 1.0) MT & OM MT - .13 (.35) .06 (.18) .13 (.35) - .07 (.18) .8 (.9) - .4 (.5) .3 (.4) .04 (.12) .2 (.3 OM 1.4 (.7) .6 (.7) 1.0 (.7) 1.6 (.9) 1.0 (.8) 1.3 (.8) 1.8 (.7) 1.3 (.7) 1.5 (.7) 1.6 (.8) 1.0 (.7) 1.3 (.8) PC PC1 8.8 (.7) 3.9 (.4) 6.3 (.6) 6.4 (.7) 5.8 (.5) 6.1 (.6) 7.0 (.8) 5.1 (.6) 6.1 (.7) 7.4 (.7) 4.9 (.5) 6.2 (.6) PC2 12.1 (1.0) 8.5 (.5) 10.3 (.8) 12.0 (.9) 8.4 (.5) 10.2 (.7) 12.3 (1.7) 5.3 (.9) 8.8 (1.3) 12.1 (1.2) 7.4 (.7) 9.8 (.9) PC3 36.8 (4.1) 20.9 (.8) 28.8 (2.5) 31.9 (3.6) 20.0 (.8) 25.9 (2.2) 30.1 (2.2) 16.3 (.7) 23.2 (1.5) 32.9 (3.3) 19.0 (.8) 26.0 (2.0) ET ET1 3.1 (.1) 3.3 (.1) 3.2 (.1) 2.2 (.2) 2.3 (.1) 2.3 (.1) 2.6 (.1) 2.8 (.1) 2.7 (.1) 2.7 (.1) 2.8 (.1) 2.7 (.1) ET2 6.6 (.1) 8.1 (.1) 7.3 (.1) 6.5 (.1) 7.6 (.2) 7.1 (.1) 8.1 (.3) 7.8 (.2) 7.9 (.21) 7.1 (.2) 7.8 (.1) 7.4 (.2) ET3 32.3 (.6) 33.6 (.4) 32.9 (.5) 34.7 (.4) 35.4 (.1) 35.1 (.3) 37.0 (.4) 37.3 (1.4) 37.2 (.9) 34.7 (.5) 35.4 (.62) 35.1 (.5) CP 4 3 3.5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3.3 3 3.2 NAT (Non Aerial Techniques): ABS (Absorption), MAN (manual), PULL (pull), ABS-C (complete absorptions); AT (Aerial Techniques): SJ (simple jump), TJ (technical jump); MT (mixed techniques), OM (overtaking). PC (Pedalling Cycles): PC1 (pedalling cycles to the first obstacle), PC2 (pedalling cycles on the first straight), PC3 (pedalling cycles in the complete race); ET (Effort Times): ET1 (effort time from gate start to first obstacle), ET2 (time from gate start to first curve), ET3 (time from gate start to finishing line); CP (curve passes).