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Cycling efficiency and VO2 max in elite cyclists
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There is an interesting short article on the Pez cycling news site discussing a recent investigation comparing cycling efficiency with VO2 max in elite cyclists. It concludes that those with "lesser genetic potential" (i.e., lower VO2 max) make up for same by improving cycling efficiency.

While I am not sure I agree with the conclusions of the study, it does go to one of the purported benefits of PC's, improving cycling efficiency. So, Tom ... another "scientific" reason to keep it up.

See the article at:

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=850

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks
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Re: Cycling efficiency and VO2 max in elite cyclists [Frank Day] [ In reply to ]
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Also true in running. I think it was Derek Clayton that had a rather average Vo2max (slightly below 70mlO2/min/kg) and
still had a 2h08' marathon PB...
not sure it was clayton but it was someone who held the WB
for a while.
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You are right ...[Francois] [ In reply to ]
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technique is pretty much the determining factor in all sports. They don't announce a race then award the medals to the athletes who test highest in VO2 max or who have the highest ergometer output. They still made those smaller Tampa Bay players play the game even though Oakland's players were generally bigger and stronger. The biggest sumo wrestlers are rarely the best. etc., etc.

Frank

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks
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And in fact, efficinecy leads to later gains [ In reply to ]
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Even an elite athlete tops out their VO2Maxafter about 4-6 years of high-end workouts. After that most improvement comes through developing greater efficiency, and most of that efficiency gain is from neuromuscular development, ie, training more nerves and more muscle cells to work in concert. And that is only trained through work to exhaustion, ie, long distance and/or max strength workouts.



"My strategy is to start out slow and then peter-out altogether" Walt Stack
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Re: You are right ... [Frank Day] [ In reply to ]
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I think that you either need genetics on your side or technique. Ever see any footage of Emil Zatopek running? It is almost impossible to evaluate economy by sight but I would have to say that his was not the greatest. Even though Frank shorter had a low VO2 he still won gold in Munich, with his high running economy. Pre had a VO2 of 84. Either get a high vo2 or work on technique.



andrew
Last edited by: andrew-taft: Jan 28, 03 9:44
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It was Clayton [ In reply to ]
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He went under 2.09 twice I think and had a very pedestrian V02 Max that I think was 72, cant recall but anyway if you listened to the experts he should never have run as fast as he did but he was obviously efficient and had a high paint tolerance so there is more than one way to be fast.........
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Re: And in fact, efficinecy leads to later gains [C2KRider] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
Even an elite athlete tops out their VO2Maxafter about 4-6 years of high-end workouts. After that most improvement comes through developing greater efficiency, and most of that efficiency gain is from neuromuscular development, ie, training more nerves and more muscle cells to work in concert. And that is only trained through work to exhaustion, ie, long distance and/or max strength workouts.


I don't understand how you can say that most improvement after you top out your vo2 comes from greater efficiency. What are you basing that on? I did a analysis of some of the data from the aforementioned paper comparing age vs gross efficiency and there is no correlation. R squared of .07. Although this doesn't really prove anything since the 29 year old with 22% GE could have improved with age. The funniest is the cyclist with a vo2 of 69 and a GE of 27. He was world champ in RR and TT and has also been in top 4 in Giro, tour and vuelta. Any guesses??

andrew
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Re: And in fact, efficiency leads to later gains [andrew-taft] [ In reply to ]
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-delurking-

Abraham Olano.

3 factors, IIRC, cited in the study were VO2 Max, percentage of max at LT (or some other type of threshold measurement), and efficiency.

Everybody's different, as I think Olano originally was a pretty big as a track rider (specifically, individual pursuit) compared with what he was at his road racing prime. So in other words, his absolute VO2 Max may or may not gone up (very much?), but his relative VO2 Max went up quite a bit. And obviously his efficiency was pretty high...wonder what his Type I percentage was?

-back to lurking-
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Re: Cycling efficiency and VO2 max in elite cyclists [Frank Day] [ In reply to ]
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I like this idea of efficiency over Vo2 max. It gives me some hope. :)
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