Correlation between economy/efficiency and mountain biking cross-country race performance.

This study investigated the correlation between cycling economy (CE) and gross efficiency (GE) in Olympic cross-country mountain biking (XCO-MTB) race performance. Also was examined the correlation between CE, GE, and peak oxygen uptake (VO). Sixteen male XCO-MTB athletes (30.9 ± 5.2 years, 68.7 ± 5.6 kg, 175.0 ± 5.7 cm, and VO: 65.4 ± 4.9 mL·kg min) completed two experimental sessions. On the first, anthropometric assessments and a maximal incremental test were performed. The maximal incremental test was performed in the cycle ergometer to determine VO, CE, and GE. A week later, an XCO-MTB race was performed in the second visit, where the official race time was used as a performance indicator. An inverse, significant moderate correlation was found between race time (8318.3 ± 459.0 s) and both CE ( = -0.53;  = -0.84 to -0.10;  = 0.0008), and GE ( = -0.67;  = -0.89 to -0.22;  = 0.0001). However, the moderate correlation between CE and race time showed low power. No significant correlation was found between VO and either CE ( = -0.45;  = -0.77-0.06;  = 0.08) or GE ( = -0.47;  = -0.78-0.04;  = 0.07). In conclusion, gross efficiency is an important component of XCO-MTB race performance. The VO was not related to CE and GE. The evaluation of GE may be a useful addition to the battery of physiological tests in mountain bikers. The gross efficiency can be a performance indicator related to the Olympic cross-country mountain biking race;The cycling economy has a moderate association with race time, but its use as a measure related to Olympic cross-country mountain biking race performance should be carried out with caution;Despite VO influence on both cycling economy and gross efficiency measures, our results do not show a relationship with Olympic cross-country mountain biking athletes.