Exercise Intensity of Cycle-Touring Events

The aim of the study was to analyze the exercise intensity of recreational cyclists participating in a cycling-touring event. In 14 male healthy recreational cyclists heart rate (HR) monitoring was performed during the Otztal Radmarathon 1999 (distance: 230 km; altitude difference: 5500 m) in order to evaluate the HR response and to estimate the cardiopulmonary strains for the less-trained athlete confronted with such a marathon. Four different exercise intensities were defined as percentages of maximal HR (HR max ) as follows: recovery HR (HR re ) 90%. All athletes finished the competition successfully. The mean racing time was 10 h 14 min, the average speed 22.5 km/h. The mean HR max was 188 bpm, the average value of the measured HRs (HR average ) was 145 bpm resulting in a mean HR average /HR max ratio of 0.77. Athletes spent 18.5% (1 h 54 min) of total race time within HR re , 28% (2 h 52 min) within HR ma , 39.5% (4 h 02 min) within HR ia , and 14% (1 h 26 min) within HR an . The yast majority of exercise was done under aerobic conditions (HR re + HR ma + HR ia = 86% or 8 h 48 min) - confirming the knowledge that the aerobic energy supply is crucial for the performance of long-term exercise. The large amount of high exercise intensities (HR ia + HR an = 53.5% or 5 h 30 min), however, features the intense cardiopulmonary strains evoked by such competitions. The HR response was related to the course profile with HRs significantly declining in all subjects to an extent of 10% during the course of race. Our findings show that the exercise intensity borne by recreational cyclists during a cycle-touring event is high and very similar to that of professionals. With respect to the high cardiovascular strains a thorough medical screening is advisable for any participant of such an event combining both high volume and high intensity loads.