title: Oxygen uptake at different intensities and sub-techniques predicts sprint performance in elite male cross-country skiers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between sprint-prologue performance (using the classical technique) and the oxygen uptake at the lactate threshold (VO₂obla), maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), and mean oxygen uptake during double poling (VO₂dp).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight elite male cross-country skiers [age 24.8 ± 4.8 years, (mean ± SD)] completed two treadmill roller-skiing tests using the diagonal-stride technique and a 60 s double-poling test on a ski-ergometer to determine their VO₂obla, VO₂max, and VO₂dp. Performance data were generated from a 1.25 km sprint prologue. Power-function modelling was used to predict the skiers' race speeds based on the oxygen-uptake variables and body mass.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were correlations between the race speed and the absolute expression of the VO₂obla (r = 0.79, P = 0.021), VO₂max (r = 0.86, P = 0.0069), and VO₂dp (r = 0.94, P = 0.00062). The following power-function models were established for race-speed prediction: 1.09 · VO₂obla(0.21), 1.05 · VO₂max(0.21), and 1.19 · VO₂dp(0.20); these models explained 60% (P = 0.024), 73% (P = 0.0073), and 87% (P = 0.00073), respectively, of the variance in the race speed. However, body mass did not contribute to any of the models (P = 0.97, 0.88, and 0.21, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oxygen uptake at different intensities and sub-techniques is an indicator of elite male sprint-prologue performance. The absolute expression of the investigated oxygen-uptake variables should be used when evaluating elite male sprint-prologue performances; if skiers oxygen uptake differs by 1%, their performances will likely differ by 0.2% in favour of the skier with higher oxygen uptake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Social Sciences, Dalarna University, Högskolegatan 2, 791 88, Falun, Sweden, mca@du.se.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carlsson
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carlsson
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knutsson
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malm
authors.forename: Michail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonkonogi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D012865:Skiing / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult