Oxygen uptake at different intensities and sub-techniques predicts sprint performance in elite male cross-country skiers

• PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between sprint-prologue performance (using the classical technique) and the oxygen uptake at the lactate threshold (V̇O2obla), maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), and mean oxygen uptake during double poling (V̇O2dp).METHODS: Eight elite male cross-country skiers [age 24.8 ± 4.8 years, (mean ± SD)] completed two treadmill roller-skiing tests using the diagonal-stride technique and a 60 s double-poling test on a ski-ergometer to determine their V̇O2obla, V̇O2max, and V̇O2dp. Performance data were generated from a 1.25 km sprint prologue. Power-function modelling was used to predict the skiers' race speeds based on the oxygen-uptake variables and body mass.RESULTS: There were correlations between the race speed and the absolute expression of the V̇O2obla (r = 0.79, P = 0.021), V̇O2max (r = 0.86, P = 0.0069), and V̇O2dp (r = 0.94, P = 0.00062). The following power-function models were established for race-speed prediction: 1.09 · V̇O2obla(0.21), 1.05 · V̇O2max(0.21), and 1.19 · V̇O2dp(0.20); these models explained 60 % (P = 0.024), 73 % (P = 0.0073), and 87 % (P = 0.00073), respectively, of the variance in the race speed. However, body mass did not contribute to any of the models (P = 0.97, 0.88, and 0.21, respectively).CONCLUSIONS: Oxygen uptake at different intensities and sub-techniques is an indicator of elite male sprint-prologue performance. The absolute expression of the investigated oxygen-uptake variables should be used when evaluating elite male sprint-prologue performances; if skiers oxygen uptake differs by 1 %, their performances will likely differ by 0.2 % in favour of the skier with higher oxygen uptake.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Idrottsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Sport and Fitness Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

double poling

sprint skiing

scaling

V̇O2max

lactate threshold

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