Thomas Steger tested a few weeks ago 92.6 ml/kg/min in the lab starting at 230 W with a 20 W step increase every minute arriving at 510 W after 14’ (64 kg).
Tests are tests but he averaged 6.4 W/kg for 27 mins yesterday in Mendelpass to beat Sivakov’s time by more than 30". All top 10 are pro riders. Very serious numbers.
Crazy numbers.
I think it’s important to put that KOM in context, though.
All of the top 20 on that leaderboard did that in the middle of stage 2 of the Tour of the Alpes or the middle of stage 16 of the Giro. It’s not like they were fresh and riding the KOM only for the fastest time. They were in the middle of a stage in the middle of a stage race/grand tour.
Pro cyclists are a different breed.
If he really has that kind of engine, he should try to make living as a cyclist.
Rowers or Nordic skiers have been making that move for a few years. A pro contract could give him $100k to $600k. Very hard to match those earnings in tri with race prizes and sponsorships.
Comparing VO2max numbers between different elite athletes is not a very meaningful exercise. The type and quality of laboratory equipment, expertise of the personnel administering the test, the testing protocol and the software analytics can all significantly influence the final result. Furthermore, the freshness of the athlete, their current weight, and current fitness can also result in significantly intraathlete testing fluctuations. I would be very interested to hear from any athlete or coach who actually relies on a vo2max test to influence their training decisions. It certainly has a rough correlation to endurance athletic performance, but I would never tell an athlete who had a vo2max of 70 who had an ftp of 6 w/kg that they are only beating the person with a vo2max of 95 but an ftp of 5 w/kg because they are working harder/smarter. The reality is there are plenty of athletes who have had a very high vo2max measured, but their performances are not similarly stratospheric despite training hard for years. The best marker for talent is a great result not a test.
Comparing VO2max numbers between different elite athletes is not a very meaningful exercise. The type and quality of laboratory equipment, expertise of the personnel administering the test, the testing protocol and the software analytics can all significantly influence the final result. Furthermore, the freshness of the athlete, their current weight, and current fitness can also result in significantly intraathlete testing fluctuations. I would be very interested to hear from any athlete or coach who actually relies on a vo2max test to influence their training decisions. It certainly has a rough correlation to endurance athletic performance, but I would never tell an athlete who had a vo2max of 70 who had an ftp of 6 w/kg that they are only beating the person with a vo2max of 95 but an ftp of 5 w/kg because they are working harder/smarter. The reality is there are plenty of athletes who have had a very high vo2max measured, but their performances are not similarly stratospheric despite training hard for years. The best marker for talent is a great result not a test.
There is an interesting paper floating somewhere about this topic. They tested the VO2 Max of various successful professional cyclists. By successful, they would have had to win a stage at the Tour, Giro or Vuelta. Interestingly enough, VO2 max varied from (IIRC) low 60s to high 80s.
VO2Max is over-rated as a measurement because in the end it doesn’t win races and it’s absolutely the wrong thing to be focused on in training. You have to be in the ball park of other athletes racing, but it is the least likely to determine success.
Vo2 max alone, compared to others is overrated. 6.4 w/kg for 27min confirms there’s a lot going right for this guy.
anynone got the name of this guys doctor? I want to get booked in
anynone got the name of this guys doctor? I want to get booked in
Haha, definitely raises some eyebrows 
anynone got the name of this guys doctor? I want to get booked in
Haha, definitely raises some eyebrows
Been thinking the same thing, just didn’t want to be that person and first to say it.
Vo2 max alone, compared to others is overrated. 6.4 w/kg for 27min confirms there’s a lot going right for this guy.His record of racing performance speaks for itself:
https://stats.protriathletes.org/athlete/thomas-steger
None yet in 2023. Next race is . . .
Now we know how: https://www.nada.at/de/boxnewsshow31-thomas-steger-triathlon-fuer-1-jahr-gesperrt
.
Thanks for that. So now it’s official but still unknown which substance it was, although it is “just” possession and he hasn’t tested positive…
Now we know how: https://www.nada.at/...fuer-1-jahr-gesperrt
From the article:
“NADA Austria has been informed that Thomas STEGER (triathlon) has been banned for 2 year due to a violation of anti-doping regulations (Article 6.1 - Possession of a prohibited substance).
The ban starts on 07 October 2022 and ends on 06 October 2023.”
Isn’t that a 1 year ban?
Thanks for that. So now it’s official but still unknown which substance it was, although it is “just” possession and he hasn’t tested positive…Steger’s insta info share: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvMnd32N_Xx/
“In the summer, NADA opened a procedure for an asthma spray found during the house search (expired in 2014). This one is from my father’s practice (still living with my parents) and I assure I have never used it!”
Athletes living with parents: beware what’s in the ‘keep it in case’ medicine cupboard.
Thanks for that. So now it’s official but still unknown which substance it was, although it is “just” possession and he hasn’t tested positive…Steger’s insta info share: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvMnd32N_Xx/
“In the summer, NADA opened a procedure for an asthma spray found during the house search (expired in 2014). This one is from my father’s practice (still living with my parents) and I assure I have never used it!”
Athletes living with parents: beware what’s in the ‘keep it in case’ medicine cupboard.
Based on his recent VO2 max on Insta, it looks like he’s on the good shit now. Screw an expired inhaler.
Gotta watch those Pewag boys. Funny how his teammate and training partner is Ivan Tutukin, who has a private Instagram account. It wasn’t private a few weeks ago. I don’t know a single pro triathlete with a private Instagram. The whole point is self promotion. Having it private is a self defeating purpose unless you’re hiding from something. Tutukin had his own mishap for a positive test of meldonium in 2016.
It says 1 year ban. Your translation software must have missed something.
Thanks for that. So now it’s official but still unknown which substance it was, although it is “just” possession and he hasn’t tested positive…Steger’s insta info share: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvMnd32N_Xx/
“In the summer, NADA opened a procedure for an asthma spray found during the house search (expired in 2014). This one is from my father’s practice (still living with my parents) and I assure I have never used it!”
Athletes living with parents: beware what’s in the ‘keep it in case’ medicine cupboard.
His statement begs to ask a few questions:
-Don’t know anything about law enforcement in Austria, but is a single tip by a snitch sufficient for a judge to execute a search warrant? I would think
-If he was in fact acquitted in 2022 due to lack of evidence, what new evidence was discovered or put forward by NADA to support the suspension?
As usual, this is never good for the sport.
Thanks for that. So now it’s official but still unknown which substance it was, although it is “just” possession and he hasn’t tested positive…Steger’s insta info share: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvMnd32N_Xx/
“In the summer, NADA opened a procedure for an asthma spray found during the house search (expired in 2014). This one is from my father’s practice (still living with my parents) and I assure I have never used it!”
Athletes living with parents: beware what’s in the ‘keep it in case’ medicine cupboard.
His statement begs to ask a few questions:
-Don’t know anything about law enforcement in Austria, but is a single tip by a snitch sufficient for a judge to execute a search warrant? I would think
-If he was in fact acquitted in 2022 due to lack of evidence, what new evidence was discovered or put forward by NADA to support the suspension?
As usual, this is never good for the sport.
I’m interested in the applicability of general criminal law to doping violations. I guess it’s “fraud” or something along those lines, and I’ve definitely been living under a rock, but do dopers ever get prosecuted outside of a governing body’s jurisdiction?
Depends on where you are at. In France convicted dopers are for instance are prosecuted.*