ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Which laboratory variable is related with time trial performance time in the Tour de France?

A Lucia¹, J Hoyos², M Pérez¹, A Santalla³, C P Earnest⁴, J L Chicharro⁵

¹ Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
² Asociación Deportiva Banesto, Madrid, Spain
³ Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, Madrid, Spain
⁴ The Cooper Institute Center for Integrated Health Research, Dallas, TX, USA
⁵ Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Alajandro Lucia
Universidad Europea de Madrid (Polideportivo), 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, Spain; alejandro.lucia{at}mrfs.cisa.uem.es

Objective: To investigate the relationship between several physiological variables that can be easily obtained during cycle ergometer gradual testing (for example, peak power output (W_peak), VO_2max, or ventilatory threshold (VT)) and actual (>50 km) time trials (TT) time performance during the Tour de France.

Methods: We collected data in professional cyclists from the first TT of the 1998 Tour de France (TT1, 58 km distance; n = 6 cyclists) and the first (TT2, 56.5 km; n = 5) and second TT of the 1999 Tour de France (TT3, 57 km; n = 5).

Results: A negative relationship was found between power output (W) at VT (VT_Watt) and TT final time (s) in TT1 (r = –0.864; p = 0.026; standard error of estimate (SEE) of 73 s; and 95% confidence limits (95% CL) –0.98; –0.18), TT2 (r = –0.77; p = 0.27; SEE of 139 s; and 95% CL –0.98; 0.35), and TT3 (r = –0.923; p = 0.025; SEE of 94 s; and 95% CL –1.00; –0.22).

Conclusions: Actual performance in long TT during the Tour de France (>50 km distance, performed after at least 1–2 weeks of continuous competition), in which some cumulative fatigue inevitably occurs, is related, at least in part, to the power output that elicits the VT. No other routine physiological variable (for example, VO_2max or W_peak) is related to performance in this type of event.

Abbreviations: 95% CL, 95% confidence limits; SEE, standard error of estimate; TT, time trials; VT, ventilatory threshold; W_peak, peak power output

Keywords: cycling; endurance performance; power output; ventilatory threshold; Vo2max

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Ramsbottom, R., Kinch, R. F. T., Morris, M. G., Dennis, A. M. (2007). Practical application of fundamental concepts in exercise physiology. Adv. Physiol. Educ. 31: 347-351 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Impellizzeri, F M, Marcora, S M, Rampinini, E, Mognoni, P, Sassi, A (2005). Correlations between physiological variables and performance in high level cross country off road cyclists. Br. J. Sports. Med. 39: 747-751 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lucia, A., Gomez-Gallego, F., Barroso, I., Rabadan, M., Bandres, F., San Juan, A. F., Chicharro, J. L., Ekelund, U., Brage, S., Earnest, C. P., Wareham, N. J., Franks, P. W. (2005). PPARGC1A genotype (Gly482Ser) predicts exceptional endurance capacity in European men. J. Appl. Physiol. 99: 344-348 [Abstract] [Full Text]