Along with all Canadian sport organizations, Cycling Canada has adopted the Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model as its framework for athlete and sport development . LTAD is based on sport science research combined with the practical experience of working with thousands of athletes and coaches to develop a comprehensive set of principles for effective athlete development. In fact LTAD is more than a model – it is a system and philosophy of sport development .
- LTAD recognizes the continuum of growth and participation in sport, from the earliest stages of developing physical literacy, through high performance, to lifelong participation .
- For competitive cyclists, LTAD means optimal training, competition and recovery programming with attention to biological development and maturation.
- LTAD is athlete-centred, coach-driven, and administration-supported.
Cycling Canada’s Cycling Long Term Athlete Development Model
Cycling Canada has worked closely with the 5 Olympic disciplines to create cycling sport-specific LTAD documents. These documents target the specific pathway for athletes, coaches and officials within the LTAD framework.
LTAD Documents
LTAD Document
MTB-XC Cycling
Track Cycling
BMX Cycling
Para Cycling