Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Giro finale Photo ©: Bettini |
Tales from the Peloton
The Australian Junior Team prepares for the World's
As members of the Australian junior national team were undergoing physiological testing at the Mapei Sport Centre in Milan, Italy, Team Mechanic Allan Sieper got a glimpse of them in action.
To prepare themselves for the upcoming World Championships in Hamilton, Canada, each member is thoroughly tested in order to determine their level of fitness and recovery, often participating in what is commonly known as a VO2max test. VO2max is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen your body can take in, deliver, and use in one minute, measured in ml/kg/min.
To give you an idea just how fit elite cyclists are (and also what great genes they have), an average score for a person of good fitness is between 45.2 to 50.9 ml/kg/min. Most professional cyclists have VO2max values over 75; Bradley McGee has an incredible VO2max of 89 - and Will Walker recently recorded a VO2 of 94, which is simply astounding.
|
|
|
|
Photos
Images by Allan Sieper
- Sam Lee and Andrew Wyper undergo their VO2max test.
- The before shot - Will Walker's looking way too happy; the guy in the background can't believe it, either.
- The after shot - Will Walker looks like he's about to hurl.
- The junior national team go training with Michael Rogers, a graduate of the Aussie junior national team.
- Andrew Wyper takes a drink. Hope the water's fresher than the date above the fountain.
