Stephen Cheung

Stephen Cheung is a Canada Research Chair at Brock University, and has published over 110 scientific articles and book chapters dealing with the effects of thermal and hypoxic stress on human physiology and performance. Stephen’s Cutting-Edge Cycling, a book on the science of cycling, came out April 2012, and he is currently co-editing a followup book “Cycling Science” with Dr. Mikel Zabala from the Movistar Pro Cycling Team. Stephen can be reached for comments at [email protected] .

Take The Survey: How Has COVID-19 Affected Your Training?

Stephen Cheung May 19, 2020

For cyclists, this has been the strangest of all springs. Instead of races and group rides, events are cancelled and most are forced to stay indoors to train. A new survey wants to learn how COVID-19 has affected your training, and we'd…

Fitness Improvement: How Much Does Blood Volume Matter?

Stephen Cheung May 5, 2020

TOOLBOX: Yes, training does make you fitter, but how does it actually improve your fitness? How much comes down to increasing haemoglobin and blood volume to improve oxygen delivery? How might we test this?

Toolbox: Paolini’s Tactical Masterclass

Stephen Cheung Apr 7, 2020

This is the time of year when we should be reveling in the spring classics. Nothing beats these races for pure spectacle, with its 'there's no tomorrow' ethos of all-out racing. One of the best examples of great racing tactics and sport…

(De)training in a Pandemic

Stephen Cheung Mar 31, 2020

Toolbox: No bike racing and indoor training are not the end of the world - and neither is this break in your cycling fitness. Here's what to expect and how to make the most of the recent change in plans.

Improving Pain Tolerance Through HIIT

Stephen Cheung Feb 4, 2020

TOOLBOX: Cycling is lauded as a sport of suffering and who can put up with the most pain. Is this pain tolerance trainable? And if so, are some types of training better than others at increasing pain tolerance?

The Biomechanics of Climbing: Stand and Deliver

Stephen Cheung Jan 28, 2020

TOOLBOX: Cycling is built on the lore of climbing big mountains, that epic battle of humans versus the environment. But surprisingly, not that much research has explored the biomechanics of climbing, notably the differences in biomechanics…

Toolbox Top Pick – PEZ Goes Gravel: Racing Demands

Stephen Cheung Dec 31, 2019

While it is true that fitness is fitness, the best path to success in racing is to match your training and fitness to the requirements of the event. Let’s take a look at some of the gravel races I’ve done in 2018 to see what’s specific…

First Endurance Optygen HP Review

Stephen Cheung Dec 9, 2019

I have previously tested a variety of First Endurance products in isolation, but in preparation for gravel races earlier this year, I used a suite of their products. This started with their new Optygen-HP supplements, and included their EFS…

Motivational Self-Talk: Say You, Say Me?

Stephen Cheung Nov 26, 2019

Toolbox: Self-talk has been used very successfully by both scientists and athletes to improve their performance. However, does it matter HOW you talk to yourself? Is it better to keep your talk in the first person tense or distance yourself…

Paris-Ancaster 2020 – Get Ready!

Stephen Cheung Nov 19, 2019

A gravel grinder classic before such things even existed, Paris-Ancaster is a highlight of the Canadian spring cycling season. Our gravel/CX fiend Stephen Cheung looks back at his 2017 humbling on the Ontario roads and trails...

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