BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between oxygen uptake (VO2) and power output at intensities below and above the lactate threshold (LT) in cyclists; and to determine the reliability of supramaximal power outputs linearly projected from these relationships. METHODS: Nine male cyclists (mean±standard deviation age: 41±8 years; mass: 77±6 kg, height: 1.79±0.05 m and VO2max: 54±7 mL/kg·min) completed two cycling trials each consisting of a step test (10×3 min stages at submaximal incremental intensities) followed by a maximal test to exhaustion. The lines of best fit for VO2 and power output were determined for: the entire step test; stages below and above the LT, and from rolling clusters of five consecutive stages. Lines were projected to determine a power output predicted to elicit 110% peak VO2. RESULTS: There were strong linear correlations (r=0.953; P<0.01) between VO2 and power output using the three approaches; with the slope, intercept, and projected values of these lines unaffected (P=0.05) by intensity. The coefficient of variation of the predicted power output at 110% VO2max was 6.7% when using all ten submaximal stages. CONCLUSIONS: Cyclists exhibit a linear VO2 and power output relationship when determined using 3 min stages, which allows for prediction of a supramaximal intensity with acceptable reliability.
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