Age and gender difference in non-drafting ultra-endurance cycling performance - the ‘Swiss Cycling Marathon’

Extreme Physiology & Medicine

Romuald Lepers³  Thomas Rosemann²  Christoph A Rüst²  Beat Knechtle¹  Matthias Zingg² 

[1] Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, Vadianstrasse 26, St. Gallen, 9001, Switzerland;Institute of General Practice and for Health Services Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8091, Switzerland;INSERM U1093, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Burgundy, Dijon, 21078, France

关键词: Sport;    Athlete;    Men;    Women;   

Others  :  804893
DOI  :  10.1186/2046-7648-2-18

 received in 2012-10-29, accepted in 2013-02-14,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

In recent years, there was an increased interest in investigating the gender difference in performance and the age of peak performance in ultra-endurance performances such as ultra-triathlon, ultra-running, and ultra-swimming, but not in ultra-cycling. The aim of the present study was to analyze the gender difference in ultra-cycling performance and the age of peak ultra-cycling performance in the 720-km ‘Swiss Cycling Marathon’, the largest European qualifier for the ‘Race Across America’.

Methods

Changes in the cycling speed and age of 985 finishers including 38 women and 947 men competing in the Swiss Cycling Marathon from 2001 to 2012 covering a distance of 720 km with a change of altitude of 4,993 m were analyzed using linear regression.

Results

The gender difference in performance was 13.6% for the fastest cyclists ever, 13.9% ± 0.5% for the three fastest cyclists ever and 19.1% ± 3.7% for the ten fastest cyclists ever. The gender difference in performance for the annual top three women and men decreased from 35.0% ± 9.5% in 2001 to 20.4% ± 7.7% in 2012 (r² = 0.72, p = 0.01). The annual top three women improved cycling speed from 20.3 ± 3.1 km h⁻¹ in 2003 to 24.8 ± 2.4 km h⁻¹ in 2012 (r² = 0.79, p < 0.01). The cycling speed of the annual top three men remained unchanged at 30.2 ± 0.6 km h⁻¹ (p > 0.05). The age of peak performance for the ten fastest finishers ever was 35.9 ± 9.6 years for men and 38.7 ± 7.8 years for women, respectively (p = 0.47).

Conclusions

The gender difference in ultra-cycling performance decreased over the 2001 to 2012 period in the 720-km Swiss Cycling Marathon for the annual top three cyclists and reached approximately 14%. Both women and men achieved peak performance at the age of approximately 36 to 39 years. Women might close the gender gap in ultra-endurance cycling in longer cycling distances. Future studies need to investigate the gender difference in performance in the Race Across America, the longest nonstop and non-drafting ultra-cycling race in the world.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Zingg et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

Figure 5.

Figure 6.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Zaryski C, Smith DJ: Training principles and issues for ultra-endurance athletes. Curr Sports Med Rep 2005, 4:165-170.
• [2]Eichenberger E, Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rüst CA, Rosemann T, Lepers R: Best performances by men and women open-water swimmers during the ‘English Channel Swim’ from 1900 to 2010. J Sports Sci 2012, 30:1295-1301.
• [3]Bescós R, Rodríguez FA, Iglesias X, Benítez A, Marina M, Padullés JM, Torrado P, Vázquez J, Knechtle B: High energy deficit in an ultraendurance athlete in a 24-hour ultracycling race. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent) 2012, 25:124-128.
• [4]Eichenberger E, Knechtle B, Rüst CA, Rosemann T, Lepers R: Age and gender interactions in mountain ultra-marathon running - the ‘Swiss Alpine Marathon’. Open Access J Sports Med 2012, 3:73-80.
• [5]Lepers R, Maffiuletti NA: Age and gender interactions in ultraendurance performance: insight from the triathlon. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011, 43:134-139.
• [6]Lepers R: Analysis of Hawaii Ironman performances in elite triathletes from 1981 to 2007. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2008, 40:1828-1834.
• [7]Coast JR, Blevins JS, Wilson BA: Do gender differences in running performance disappear with distance? Can J Appl Physiol 2004, 29:139-145.
• [8]Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Lepers R: Participation and performance trends in ultra-triathlons from 1985 to 2009. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2011, 21:82-90.
• [9]Eichenberger E, Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rüst CA, Rosemann T, Lepers R: No gender difference in peak performance in ultra-endurance swimming performance - analysis of the ‘Zurich 12-h Swim’ from 1996 to 2010. Chin J Physiol 2012, 55:346-351.
• [10]Fischer G, Knechtle B, Rust CA, Rosemann T: Male swimmers cross the English channel faster than female swimmers. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2013, 23:e48-e55.
• [11]Eichenberger E, Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rüst CA, Rosemann T, Lepers R, Senn O: Sex difference in open-water ultra-swim performance in the longest freshwater lake swim in Europe. J Strength Cond Res 2013, 27(5):1362-9.
• [12]Schumacher YO, Mueller P, Keul J: Development of peak performance in track cycling. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2001, 41:139-146.
• [13]Rüst CA, Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Pfeifer S, Rosemann T, Lepers R, Senn O: Gender difference and age-related changes in performance at the long distance duathlon world championships. J Strength Cond Res 2013, 27:293-301.
• [14]Hoffman MD: Performance trends in 161-km ultramarathons. Int J Sports Med 2010, 31:31-37.
• [15]Hunter SK, Stevens AA, Magennis K, Skelton KW, Fauth M: Is there a sex difference in the age of elite marathon runners? Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011, 43:656-664.
• [16]Schulz R, Curnow C: Peak performance and age among superathletes: track and field, swimming, baseball, tennis, and golf. J Gerontol 1988, 43:113-120.
• [17]Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rüst CA, Rosemann T, Lepers R: Finishers and nonfinishers in the ‘Swiss Cycling Marathon’ to qualify for the ‘Race Across America’. J Strength Cond Res 2011, 25:3257-3263.
• [18]Knechtle B, Enggist A, Jehle T: Energy turnover at the race across AMerica (RAAM) - a case report. Int J Sports Med 2005, 26:499-503.
• [19]Swiss Cycling Marathon. Swiss Cycling Marathon; http://www.swisscyclingmarathon.ch/ webcite
• [20]Cheuvront SN, Carter R, Deruisseau KC, Moffatt RJ: Running performance differences between men and women: an update. Sports Med 2005, 35:1017-1024.
• [21]Billat VL, Demarle A, Slawinski J, Paiva M, Koralsztein JP: Physical and training characteristics of top-class marathon runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001, 3:2089-2097.
• [22]Gursoy R: Sex differences in relations of muscle power, lung function, and reaction time in athletes. Percept Mot Skills 2010, 110:714-720.
• [23]Whipp BJ, Ward SA: Will women soon outrun men? Nature 1992, 355:25.
• [24]Seiler S, De Koning JJ, Foster C: The fall and rise of the gender difference in elite anaerobic performance 1952–2006. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007, 39:534-540.
• [25]Sparling PB, O’Donnell EM, Snow TK: The gender difference in distance running performance has plateaued: an analysis of world rankings from 1980 to 1996. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998, 30:1725-1729.
• [26]Tanaka H, Seals DR: Age and gender interactions in physiological functional capacity: insight from swimming performance. J Appl Physiol 1997, 82:846-851.
• [27]Knechtle B, Baumann B, Wirth A, Knechtle P, Rosemann T: Male ironman triathletes lose skeletal muscle mass. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2010, 19:91-97.
• [28]Knechtle B, Wirth A, Baumann B, Knechtle P, Kohler G, Rosemann T, Senn O: An ironman triathlon does not lead to a change in body mass in female triathletes. Res Sports Med 2010, 18:115-126.
• [29]Knechtle B, Wirth A, Baumann B, Knechtle P, Rosemann T, Senn O: Differential correlations between anthropometry, training volume, and performance in male and female Ironman triathletes. J Strength Cond Res 2010, 24:2785-2793.
• [30]Knechtle B, Senn O, Imoberdorf R, Joleska I, Wirth A, Knechtle P, Rosemann T: No fluid overload in male ultra-runners during a 100 km ultra-run. Res Sports Med 2011, 19:14-27.
• [31]Knechtle B, Senn O, Imoberdorf R, Joleska I, Wirth A, Knechtle P, Rosemann T: Maintained total body water content and serum sodium concentrations despite body mass loss in female ultra-runners drinking ad libitum during a 100 km race. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2010, 19:83-90.
• [32]Knechtle B, Wirth A, Rust CA, Rosemann T: The relationship between anthropometry and split performance in recreational male Ironman triathletes. Asian J Sports Med 2011, 2:23-30.
• [33]Schmid W, Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Barandun U, Rüst CA, Rosemann T, Lepers R: Predictor variables for marathon race time in recreational female runners. Asian J Sports Med 2012, 2:90-98.
• [34]Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rosemann T, Lepers R: Is body fat a predictor of race time in female long-distance inline skaters? Asian J Sports Med 2010, 1:131-136.
• [35]Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rosemann T, Lepers R: Predictor variables for a 100-km race time in female ultra-marathoners. Med Sport 2010, 14:214-220.
• [36]Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Lepers R, Rosemann T: Predictor variables for a 100-km race time in male ultra-marathoners. Percept Mot Skills 2010, 111:681-693.
• [37]Rüst CA, Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rosemann T: Similarities and differences in anthropometry and training between recreational male 100-km ultra-marathoners and marathoners. J Sports Sci 2012, 30:1249-1257.
• [38]Shaw KL, Ostrow A: Motivation and psychological skills in the senior athlete. Eur Rev Aging Phy Acti 2005, 2:22-34.
• [39]Hodge K, Allen JB, Smellie L: Motivation in masters sport: achievement and social goals. Psychol Sport Exerc 2008, 9:157-176.
• [40]Knechtle B, Wirth A, Knechtle P, Rüst CA, Rosemann T: A comparison of ultra-endurance cyclists in a qualifying ultra-cycling race for Paris-Brest-Paris and race across America-Swiss cycling marathon. Percept Mot Skills 2012, 114:96-110.
• [41]Knechtle B, Wirth A, Knechtle P, Rüst CA, Rosemann T, Lepers R: No improvement in race performance by naps in male ultra-endurance cyclists in a 600-km ultra-cycling race. Chin J Physiol 2012, 55:125-133.
• [42]Bescós R, Rodríguez FA, Iglesias X, Knechtle B, Benítez A, Marina M, Padullés JM, Vázquez J, Torrado P: Physiological demands of cyclists during an ultra-endurance relay race: a field study report. Chin J Physiol 2011, 54:339-346.
• [43]Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rosemann T, Senn O: Personal best time and training volume, not anthropometry, is related to race performance in the ‘Swiss bike Masters’ mountain bike ultramarathon. J Strength Cond Res 2011, 25:1312-1317.
• [44]Herbst L, Knechtle B, Lopez CL, Andonie JL, Fraire OS, Kohler G, Rüst CA, Rosemann T: Pacing strategy and change in body composition during a Deca Iron triathlon. Chin J Physiol 2011, 54:255-263.
• [45]Bescós R, Rodríguez FA, Iglesias X, Knechtle B, Benítez A, Marina M, Padullés JM, Torrado P, Vazquez J, Rosemann T: Nutritional behavior of cyclists during a 24-hour team relay race: a field study report. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2012, 9:3. BioMed Central Full Text
• [46]Rüst CA, Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rosemann T: No case of exercise-associated hyponatraemia in top male ultra-endurance cyclists: the ‘Swiss Cycling Marathon’. Eur J Appl Physiol 2012, 112:689-697.
• [47]Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Rosemann T: No case of exercise-associated hyponatremia in male ultra-endurance mountain bikers in the ‘Swiss bike Masters’. Chin J Physiol 2011, 54:379-384.
• [48]Deaner RO: Distance running as an ideal domain for showing a sex difference in competitiveness. Arch Sex Behav 2013, 42(3):413-28. Epub 2012 Jun 15