Effect of ultramarathon cycling on the heart rate in elite cyclists.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the heart rate (HR) response and estimate the ultraendurance threshold-the optimum maintainable exercise intensity of ultraendurance cycling-in ultraendurance elite cyclists competing in the Race across the Alps.


METHODS
HR monitoring was performed in 10 male elite cyclists during the first Race across the Alps in 2001 (distance: 525 km; cumulative altitude difference: 12 600 m) to investigate the exercise intensity of a cycle ultramarathon and the cardiopulmonary strains involved. Four different exercise intensities were defined as percentages of maximal HR (HR(max)) as follows: recovery HR (HR(re)), <70% of HR(max); moderate aerobic HR (HR(ma)), 70-80%; intense aerobic HR (HR(ia)), 80-90%; and high intensity HR (HR(hi)), >90%.


RESULTS
All athletes investigated finished the competition. The mean racing time was 27 hours and 25 minutes, and the average speed was 18.6 km/h. The mean HR(max) was 186 beats/min, and the average value of measured HRs (HR(average)) was 126 beats/min resulting in a mean HR(average)/HR(max) ratio of 0.68, which probably corresponds to the ultraendurance threshold. The athletes spent 53% (14 hours 32 minutes) of total race time within HR(re), 25% (6 hours 51 minutes) within HR(ma), 19% (5 hours 13 minutes) within HR(ia), and only 3% (49 minutes) within HR(hi), which shows the exercise intensity to be predominantly moderate (HR(re) + HR(ma) = 78% or 21 hours 23 minutes). The HR response was influenced by the course profile as well as the duration. In all subjects, exercise intensity declined significantly during the race, as indicated by a decrease in HR(average)/HR(max) of 23% from 0.86 at the start to 0.66 at the end.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial decrease (10% every 10 hours) in the HR response is a general cardiovascular feature of ultramarathon cycling, suggesting that the ultraendurance threshold lies at about 70% of HR(max) in elite ultramarathon cyclists.
Neumayr
G
G
Institute of Sports Medicine and Cardiovascular Medicine, University Clinics of Innsbruck, Austria. guenther.neumayr@sb-bruneck.it
Pfister
R
R
Mitterbauer
G
G
Maurer
A
A
Hoertnagl
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D006454:Hemoglobins