Maximum oxygen uptake and post-exercise recovery in professional road cyclists

Purpose The aim was to investigate the relationship between aerobic fitness as ascribed by maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and post-exercise recovery after incremental exercise to volitional exhaustion. Methods A sample of 17 professional cyclists (age 17.4 ± 3.1 years; VO2max 61.1 ± 7.2 ml/min/kg) were recruited. A graded exercise test was administered on a cycle ergometer. Upon termination, the participants remained seated, and oxygen uptake (VO₂), minute ventilation (VE), and heart rate (HR) were measured in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th minute of recovery. Results Post-exercise VO₂ dynamics revealed a 69% and 80.9% reduction from VO2max in the 1st and 5th minute, respectively. HR decreased only by 41% of HRmax, in the 5th minute of recovery. A positive correlation between the differential rate of recovery for VO₂ and VO2max indicated a dependency between aerobic fitness and recovery potential. Correlative strength decreased with time, and by the 5th minute of recovery a significant correlation was evidenced only between VO₂ and VE. Conclusions As recovery potential is associated with the aerobic fitness level, training effects may be monitored based on the recovery of VO₂ and HR to pre-exercise values.