Four-minute time trial
downward stroke
A 4-minute time trial was performed on a Wattbike cycle ergometer on both occasions to assess afternoon maximal aerobic performance. Athletes self-selected their resistance settings before the commencement of the time trial. The time trial commenced from a stationary start, with athletes selecting the foot which initiated the first downward stroke. The time trial began following a 5-second countdown followed by a verbal confirmation of “Go.” Athletes were instructed to perform maximally throughout the 4-minute test. Throughout the test, athletes were given verbal encouragement and indicators of time remaining however, athletes were blinded from all performance outcomes. HR was consistently monitored throughout the 4-minute period, with average and maximal HR recorded at the 4-minute mark for analysis. The 4-minute time trial has been shown to have strong inter-day reliability, with Driller et al. [