The study you are refering to, Ponch, if its the one im thinking, is flawed, as it wasnt mention what kind of training the control group was doing.
STUDY 1) Effect of heavy strength training on thigh muscle cross-sectional area, performance determinants, and performance in well-trained cyclists. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010 Mar;108(5):965-75. Epub 2009 Dec 4.
Rønnestad BR, Hansen EA, Raastad T.
University College, PB. 952, 2604, Lillehammer, Norway.
bent.ronnestad@hil.no
SUMMARY: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of heavy strength training on thigh muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), determinants of cycling performance, and cycling performance in well-trained cyclists. Twenty well-trained cyclists were assigned to either usual endurance training combined with heavy strength training [E + S; n = 11 (male symbol = 11)] or to usual endurance training only [E; n = 9 (male symbol = 7, female symbol = 2)]. The strength training performed by E + S consisted of four lower body exercises [3 x 4-10 repetition maximum (RM)], which were performed twice a week for 12 weeks. Thigh muscle CSA, maximal force in isometric half squat, power output in 30 s Wingate test, maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max)), power output at 2 mmol l(-1) blood lactate concentration ([la(-)]), and performance, as mean power production, in a 40-min all-out trial were measured before and after the intervention. E + S increased thigh muscle CSA, maximal isometric force, and peak power in the Wingate test more than E. Power output at 2 mmol l(-1) [la(-)] and mean power output in the 40-min all-out trial were improved in E + S (P < 0.05). For E, only performance in the 40-min all-out trial tended to improve (P = 0.057). The two groups showed similar increases in VO(2max) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, adding strength training to usual endurance training improved determinants of cycling performance as well as performance in well-trained cyclists. Of particular note is that the added strength training increased thigh muscle CSA without causing an increase in body mass.
Full Text:
Effect of heavy strength training on thigh muscle cross-sectional area, performance determinants, and performance in well-trained cyclists - Springer
"Training Endurance training consisted primarily of cycling, but some cross-country skiing was also performed (up to 10% of total training duration). Training duration and intensity were calculated based on recordings from heart rate (HR) monitors (Polar, Kempele, Finland). Endurance training was divided into five HR zones: (1) 60-72%, (2) 73-82%, (3) 83-87%, (4) 88-92%, and (5) 93-100% of maximal HR. An overview of the distribution of the endurance training into the five intensity zones for both groups is presented in Table 1.
The duration of the endurance training and the distribution of this training within the five training zones were similar between groups."
To the OP:
The strength exercises performed were: half squat, leg press with one leg at a time, one-legged hip flexion, and ankle plantar flexion. (Looks like they varied the reps throughout study, max reps being 10. But only 3 sets of each exercise)
For you guys who didn't quite get the SUMMARY, all it says is the guys who
added lifting performed better on most the cycling power tests.