The purpose of this study was to describe the physiological and aerodynamic
characteristics and the preparation for a successful attempt to break the
l-h cycling world record. An elite professional road cyclist (30 yr, 188 cm
, 81 kg) performed an incremental laboratory test to assess maximal power o
utput (W-max) and power output (W-OBLA), estimated speed (V-OBLA), and hear
t rate (HROBLA) at the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA). He also
completed an incremental velodrome (cycling track) test (VT1), during which
V-OBLAVT1 and HROBLAVT1 were measured and W-OBLAVT1 was estimated. W-max w
as 572 W,W-OBLA 505 W, V-OBLA 52.88 km/h, and HROBLA 183 beats/min. V-OBLAV
T1, HROBLAVT1, and W-OBLAVT1 were 52.7 km/h, 180 beats/min, and 500.6 W, re
spectively. Drag coefficient and shape coefficient, measured in a wind tunn
el, were 0.244 and 0.65 m(2), respectively. The cyclist set a world record
of 53,040 m, with an estimated average power output of 509.5 W. Based on di
rect laboratory data of the power vs, oxygen uptake relationship for this c
yclist, this is slightly higher than the 497.25 W corresponding to his oxyg
en uptake at OBLA (5.65 l/min). In conclusion, 1) the 1-h cycling world rec
ord is the result of the interaction between physiological and aerodynamic
characteristics; and 2) performance in this event can be predicted using ma
thematical models that integrate the principal performance-determining vari
ables.