RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Correlations between physiological variables and performance in high level cross country off road cyclists
JF British Journal of Sports Medicine
JO Br J Sports Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
SP 747
OP 751
DO 10.1136/bjsm.2004.017236
VO 39
IS 10
A1 Impellizzeri, F M
A1 Marcora, S M
A1 Rampinini, E
A1 Mognoni, P
A1 Sassi, A
YR 2005
UL http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/39/10/747.abstract
AB Objectives: To examine the relations between maximal and submaximal indices of aerobic fitness and off road cycling performance in a homogeneous group of high level mountain bikers. Methods: 12 internationally competitive mountain bikers completed the study. Maximum oxygen uptake (V˙o2max), peak power output (PPO), power output (PO), and oxygen uptake (V˙o2) at first (VT) and second (RCT) ventilatory thresholds were measured in the laboratory, and correlated with race time during a cross country circuit race. Results: The only physiological indices of aerobic fitness correlated with off road cycling performance were PO and V˙o2 at RCT when normalised to body mass (r = −0.63 and r = −0.66, respectively; p<0.05). VT, V˙o2max, and PPO were not correlated to performance in this homogeneous group of high level mountain bikers. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that submaximal indices of aerobic fitness such as PO and V˙o2 at RCT are more important determinants of off road cycling performance than maximal indices such as PPO and V˙o2max. This study confirms the importance of body mass for mountain biking performance. As aerobic fitness explained only 40% of the variance, other physiological and technical factors should be investigated, as they may be important determinants of cross country performance among elite mountain bikers.