Most studies dealing with triathlon have looked at male triathletes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the endurance performance of 11 female (25±3yrs., 58±7kg, 167±7cm) and 17 male (30±7yrs., 76±7 kg, 184±7cm), very well-trained triathletes who completed a maximal cycle ergometer test and a special developed Triathlon-Triple-Test. Methods: 1) Graded maximal cycle ergometry: 1 W/kg bw method (Nowacki 1974); performance indices: heart rate, blood pressure, gas exchange and blood lactate. 2) Triathlon-Triple-Test: gas exchange measurements during the cycling and running part; heart rate, blood pressure and blood lactate measurements during the whole test. The steady state results for heart rate (% peak HR) and oxygen uptake (% peak VO2) of each part of the Triple-Test were compared to peak heart rate (peak HR) and peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) reached in the maximal cycle ergometer test. Additionally, percent peak HR and % peak VO2 during swimming, cycling on the athletes own bicycles under "simulating road conditions" and running on a treadmill were compared. Findings: Cycle ergometry: Mean peak HR was higher in the female (186/min) than in the male group (176/min). Mean peak VO2 was 57.9 ml/kg/min for the women, 60.1 ml/kg/min for the men. Triple-Test: During swimming the female triathletes reached 90-100 % peak HR, the male athletes only 80-90 % peak HR. During cycling and running the results were very similar for both groups with 90-95 % peak HR (cycling) and 97 % peak HR (running). Our main findings were the results regarding %peak VO2 during cycling. The women completed this part with just 60% peak VO2, the men with 74%. During running these differences were getting smaller. These results show that the cycling performance level in spite of similar % peak HR is clearly lower in our female triathletes compared to the male control group. Our results go in line with other studies (i.e. O`Toole et al. 1989) showing a high correlation of cycling economy and peak VO2 during cycling to finish time in cyclists and triathletes. Based on this a major goal for female triathletes should be the improvement of their cycling performance in order to improve their competition performance ability.
© Copyright 1999 5th IOC World Congress on Sport Sciences with the Annual Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport 1999. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.