Aerobic and anaerobic indices contributing to track endurance cycling performance

Abstract

A group of 18 male high performance track endurance and sprint cyclists were assessed to provide a descriptive training season specific physiological profile, to examine the relationship between selected physiological and anthropometric variables and cycling performance in a 4000-m individual pursuit (IP4000) and to propose a functional model for predicting success in the IP4000. Anthropometric characteristics, absolute and relative measurements of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), blood lactate transition thresholds (Thla- and Th(an),i), VO2 kinetics, cycling economy and maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) were assessed, with cyclists also performing a IP4000 under competition conditions. Peak post-competition blood lactate concentrations and acid-base values were measured. Although all corresponding indices of Thla- and Th(an),i occurred at significantly different intensities there were high intercorrelations between them (0.51-0.85). There was no significant difference in MAOD when assessed using a 2 or 5 min protocol (61.4 vs 60.2 ml.kg-1, respectively). The highest significant correlations were found among IP4000 and the following: VO2max (ml.kg-2/3.min-1; r = -0.79), power output at lactate threshold (Wthla) (W; r = -0.86), half time of VO2 response whilst cycling at 115% VO2max (s; r = 0.48) and MAOD when assessed using the 5 min protocol (ml.kg-1; r = -0.50). A stepwise multiple regression yielded the following equation, which had an r of 0.86 and a standard error of estimate of 5.7 s: IP4000 (s) = 462.9 - 0.366 x (Wthla) - 0.306 x (MAOD) - 0.438 x (VO2max) where Wthla is in W, MAOD is in ml.kg-1 and VO2max is in ml.kg-1 x min-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Absolute lactate threshold predicts endurance performance in master athletes

“…Because the relationship between LT abs and performance in young athletes has been described as very robust [2,[4][5][6], we hypothesize that absolute LT will predict endurance performance in master athletes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether absolute lactate threshold measurements are significant predictors of endurance performance among male master athletes.…”

Sex differences and training adaptations in relation to the lactate threshold and endurance exercise performance

“…The frequent use of measuring LT2 in athletic populations has emerged from evidence showing that it is a good indicator of endurance performance in homogeneous groups of athletes [9,10,[86][87][88] . Indeed, 'LT2 testing' is a central measurement tool used by institutes and academies of sport throughout Australia and around the world to gauge the 'fitness' of their endurance athletes at a particular point in time.…”

“…Indeed, 'LT2 testing' is a central measurement tool used by institutes and academies of sport throughout Australia and around the world to gauge the 'fitness' of their endurance athletes at a particular point in time. It is also used to establish endurance performance status [9][10][11] , to prescribe training zones [12,13] to enable athletes to improve their endurance capacity and to monitor changes in response to training [12][13][14] . Moreover, the relationship between LT2 and endurance performance appears to be stronger than the V O2max-endurance performance relationship in trained endurance athletes.…”

“…Although numerous studies have investigated physiological correlates of endurance performance in trained male athletes [6,9,74,86,87,99] , very few have done so in trained female athletes [10,298] and even fewer have directly compared this relationship between sexes in the same study. Furthermore, despite the numerous known physiological differences between men and women, some researchers have failed to distinguish the sex of their participants [329,330] .…”

“…The LT2 is commonly used to establish endurance performance status [9][10][11] , prescribe training zones [12,13] and monitor changes in response to training [12][13][14] .…”