Ventilatory efficiency and breathing pattern in world-class cyclists: A three-year observational study

• This research shows interesting data from world-class cyclists.
• It has been carried out during more than one competitive season.
• It is focused in ventilatory efficiency, which is a variable that is not widely studied in athletes.

The purpose of this three-year observational study was to analyze the ventilatory efficiency and breathing pattern in world-class professional cyclists. Twelve athletes (22.61 ± 3.8 years; 177.38 ± 5.5 cm; 68.96 ± 5.5 kg and VO2max 75.51 ± 3.3mL kg−1 min−1) were analyzed retrospectively. For each subject, respiratory and performance variables were recorded during incremental spiroergometry: oxygen uptake (VO2), carbon dioxide output (VCO2), pulmonary ventilation (VE), tidal volume (Vt), breathing frequency (fR), driving (Vt/Ti), timing (Ti/Ttot), peak power output (PPO) and maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max). Ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO2 slope) was calculated from the beginning of exercise testing to the second ventilatory threshold (VT2). The VE/VCO2 slope was unaffected during the study period (24.63 ± 3.07; 23.61 ± 2:79; 24:89 ± 2:61) with a low effect size (ES = 0.04). The PPO improved significantly in the third year (365 ± 33.74; 386.36 ± 32.33; 415.00 ± 24.15) (p < 0.05). The breathing pattern variables, Vt/Ti and Ti/Ttot, did not change significantly over the three year period (ES = 0.00; ES = 0.03 respectively). These findings suggest that changes in cycling performance in world-class professional cyclists do not modify breathing variables related to the control of ventilatory efficiency.