Abstract
The purpose of this study was to characterize the aerobic and anaerobic capabilities
of United States Cycling Federation cyclists in different categories. To determine
aerobic and anaerobic power, 38 competitive road cyclists (32 males, 6 females) performed
a V̇O2max test and a Wingate anaerobic test, respectively. Male cyclists in category II
had the highest V̇O2max, both in absolute and relative terms. Their V̇O2max was 6% and 10% higher than category III and IV cyclists, respectively (4.98±0.14
vs 4.72±0.15 vs 4.54±0.12l/min). A significant difference existed between category
II and IV male cyclists (p<0.05). V̇O2max for female cyclists (3.37±0.13l/min) was significantly (p<0.05) lower than those
for males. The Wingate anaerobic test revealed that male cyclists in category II also
had the highest anaerobic power output. The peak power output in category II, III
and IV was 13.86±0.23, 13.55±0.25, and 12.80±0.41 W/kg, respectively. The mean power
output in category II, III, and IV was 11.22±0.18, 11.06±0.15, and 10.40±0.30 W/kg,
respectively. The difference in the mean power output between category II and IV was
significant (p<0.05). Female cyclists recorded significantly less peak and mean power
output than their male counterparts (p<0.05). However, when expressed relative to
lean body mass, anaerobic power was similar for both sexes. No inter-correlation was
found in any measurement betweeen the aerobic and anaerobic power values. On the whole,
category II male cyclists were characterized by higher aerobic and anaerobic power
outputs. These results suggest that both aerobic and anaerobic power may be important
determinants for competitive cycling performance.
Key words
Competitive cyclists - maximal oxygen consumption - Wingate anaerobic test - peak
power output - mean power output
