The aim of this study was to evaluate the demands of riding a "Grand Tour" by monitoring both heart rate and power output in 15 professional cyclists. SRM power output profiles (SRM Trainingsystem, Jülich, Germany) were collected during 148 mass start stages during the 2005 Tour de France and analyzed to establish average power, heart rate (HR) and cadence produced in different terrain categories (flat [FLT]; semi-mountainous [SMT]; mountainous [MT]). The maximal mean power (MMP) for progressively longer durations was quantified. Average HR was similar between FLT (133 ± 10 bpm) and SMT (134 ± 8 bpm) but higher during MT (140 ± 3 bpm). Average power output revealed a similar trend (FLT 218 ± 21 W [3.1 ± 0.3 W/kg], SMT 228 ± 22 W [3.3 ± 0.3 W/kg], and MT 234 ± 13 W [3.3 ± 0.2 W/kg]). Cadence during MT was approximately 6 - 7 rpm lower (81 ± 15 rpm) compared to FLT or SMT. During MT stages, the MMP for 1800 sec. was highest (394 W vs. 342 W) but the MMP 15 was lower (836 W vs. 895 W) compared to FLT. The data document comprehensively the power output demands during the Tour de France.
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