Maximal intermittent cycling exercise: effects of recovery duration and gender

This study aimed to evaluate potential gender differences in recovery of power output during repeated all-out cycling exercise. Twenty men and thirteen women performed four series of two sprints ( Sp1 and Sp2) of 8 s, separated by 15-, 30-, 60-, and 120-s recovery. Peak power (P-peak), power at the 8th s, total mechanical work, and time to P-peak were calculated for each sprint. P-peak and mechanical work decreased significantly between Sp1 and Sp2 after 15- s recovery in both men (- 6.4 and - 9.4%, respectively) and women (- 7.4 and - 6.8%, respectively). Time to P-peak did not change between recovery durations, but women reached their peak power more slowly than men (on average 5.15 +/- 1.2 and 3.8 +/- 1.2 s, respectively; P < 0.01). During Sp1 and Sp2, linear regressions from P-peak to power at the 8th s showed a greater power decrease (% P-peak) in women compared with men ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, patterns of power output recovery between two consecutive short bouts were similar in men and women, despite lower overall performance and greater fatigability during sprints in women.