This study examined the relationship between Olympic distance triathlon (swim over 1.5 km, cycle over 40.0 km, and run over 10.0 km) and economy during a simulated laboratory test triathlon. Seventeen male triathletes conducted both maximal exercise tests and simulated laboratory triathlon. The latter test consisted of swimming (S), cycling (C) and running (R) stages as a continuous task using a flume-pool, a cycle ergometer and a treadmill, respectively. The exercise intensity and duration were 60% of VO2max during swimming, cycling and running for 30, 75 and 45 min, respectively. The index of economy was determined by the % VO2max at the last min of each stage during a simulated laboratory test triathlon. Results indicated that Olympic distance triathlon (total time) was correlated to swimming-VO2max (r = -0.621, p < 0.001), cycling-VO2max (r = -0.873, p < 0.001), running-VO2max (r = -0.891, p < 0.001), S-Economy (r = 0.208, ns), C-Economy (r = 0.601, p < 0.001) and R-Economy (r = 0.769, p < 0.001). There were also significant correlations between swimming time and swimming-VO2max (r = -0.648, p < 0.01), between cycling time and cycling-VO2max (r = -0.819, p <0.001), between running time and running-VO2max (r = -0.726, p < 0.001), between swimming time and S-Economy (r = 0.550, p < 0.05), between cycling time and C-Economy (r = 0.613, p < 0.01), and between running time and R-Economy (r = 0.548, p < 0.05). These results demonstrated that the larger VO2max during maximal exercise tests and smaller increment of VO2 during a simulated laboratory test triathlon indicating good economy were good predictors to determine the Olympic distance triathlon.
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