Athlete Type – Knowledgebase

Athlete Type in Xert represents the specific performance you aim to improve, linked to a particular Focus Duration on your power-duration curve. It customizes training recommendations, targets, and planning, and can be set manually via XATA or automatically by Forecast AI based on your chosen goal or event.

Summary Generated by AI

Definition

Athlete Type represents the type of performance you want to improve.

Each Athlete Type corresponds to a specific Focus Duration on your power-duration curve. Selecting an Athlete Type tells Xert which type of efforts you wish to prioritize in your training.

What It Means

Different athletes excel at different durations:

Sprinters perform best at short, explosive efforts
Climbers and GC riders excel at sustained hard efforts

When you choose an Athlete Type, you are telling Xert:

“This is the type of effort I want to get better at.”

Xert then adjusts training recommendations and long-term planning to support that goal.

Athlete Types by Duration

Below are the primary cycling-focused Athlete Types and their associated Focus Durations:

Short-Duration (Sprint & Attackers)

Road Sprinter – ~2-minute power
Pursuiter – ~3-minute power
Puncheur – ~4-minute power

All-Rounders

Breakaway Specialist – ~5-minute power
Rouleur – ~6-minute power
GC Specialist – ~8-minute power

Long-Duration / Endurance

Climber – ~10-minute power
Sprint Time-Trialist – ~20-minute power

Note: For simplicity, workouts with Focus greater than ~20 minutes are generally labeled as Endurance.

XATA vs Forecast AI

How Athlete Type is managed depends on your training program settings:

Using XATA - You can manually select and change your Athlete Type at any time in Program settings — ideal if your goals shift, you enter a new phase, or want to experiment with different Focus targets.
Using Forecast AI - Your Athlete Type is set automatically based on your selected Goal, Event, or Race. Forecast AI determines the appropriate Focus and Specificity for you - no manual selection required.

How Xert Uses It

Athlete Type influences:

Training XSS recommendations
Training Suitability scoring
Long-term progression

It connects your past performance to the type of performance you want to improve.

Not Sure Which Athlete Type to Choose?

If you’re training with XATA and unsure which Athlete Type best matches your goals, see:

How Do I Choose the Right Athlete Type for My Training? (link to upcoming article)

If you’re using Forecast AI, selecting your Race or Event will automatically align your training.

Where You’ll See It

In Profile Header
In the Program tab

Related Terms

Focus Duration
Specificity Rating
Training Suitability