Physiological characteristics of successful mountain bikers and professional road cyclists

The aims of this study were to compare the physiological and anthropometric characteristics of successful mountain bikers and professional road cyclists and to re-examine the power-to-weight characteristics of internationally competitive mountain bikers. Internationally competitive cyclists (seven mountain bikers and seven road cyclists) completed the following tests: anthropometric measurements, an incremental cycle ergometer test and a 30 min laboratory time-trial. The mountain bikers were lighter (65.3 +/- 6.5 vs 74.7 +/- 3.8 kg, P= 0.01; mean +/- s) and leaner than the road cyclists (sum of seven skinfolds: 33.9 +/- 5.7 vs 44.5 +/- 10.8 mm, P= 0.04). The mountain bikers produced higher power outputs relative to body mass at maximal exercise (6.3 +/- 0.5 vs 5.8 +/- 0.3 W . kg(-1), P= 0.03), at the lactate threshold (5.2 +/- 0.6 vs 4.7 +/- 0.3 W . kg(-1), P= 0.048) and during the 30 min time-trial (5.5 +/- 0.5 vs 4.9 +/- 0.3 W . kg(-1), P= 0.02). Similarly, peak oxygen uptake relative to body mass was higher in the mountain bikers (78.3 +/- 4.4 vs 73.0 +/- 3.4 ml . kg(-1) . min(-1), P= 0.03). The results indicate that high power-to-weight characteristics are important for success in mountain biking. The mountain bikers possessed similar anthropometric and physiological characteristics to previously studied road cycling uphill specialists.