A comparison of the cycling performance of cyclists and triathletes

The aim of this study was to compare the cycling perfonnance of cyclists and triathletes. Each week for 3 weeks, and on different days, 25 highly trained male cyclists and 18 highly trained male triathletes perfonned: (1) an incremental exercise test on a cycle ergometer for the detennination of peak oxygen consumption (VOzpeaJ, peak power output and the first and second ventilatory thresholds, followed 15 min later by a sprint to volitional fatigue at 150% of peak power output; (2) a cycle to exhaustion test at the VOzpeak power output; and (3) a 40km cycle time-trial. There were no differences in VOzpeak, peak power output, time to volitional fatigue at 150% of peak power output or time to exhaustion at VOzpeak power output between the two groups. However, the cyclists had a significantly faster time to complete the 40-km time-trial (56: 18 (plus-minus) 2:31 min:s; mean (plus-minus) s) than the triathletes (58:57 (plus-minus) 3:06 min:s; P < 0.01), which could be partially explained (r= 0.34-0.51; P < 0.05) by a significantly higher first (3.32 (plus-minus) 0.36 vs 3.08 (plus-minus) 0.36 I(bullet) min^-1) and second ventilatory threshold (4.05 (plus-minus) 0.36 vs 3.81 (plus-minus) 0.29 I(bullet) min^-1; both P < 0.05) in the cyclists compared with the triathletes. In conclusion, cyclists may be able to perfonn better than triathletes in cycling time-trial events because they have higher first and second ventilatory thresholds.