Armstrong's 495 Watts at LT

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I've just finished an article describing Armstrong's power output at 495 watts at lactate threshold. As a novice cyclist, I'm curious about how long a professional cyclist is able to maintain an effort like that. Anyone out there have any ideas? Also, if I've got my numbers mixed up, I'd appreciate some enlightenment on the subject.

I've just finished an article describing Armstrong's power output at 495 watts at lactate threshold. As a novice cyclist, I'm curious about how long a professional cyclist is able to maintain an effort like that. Anyone out there have any ideas? Also, if I've got my numbers mixed up, I'd appreciate some enlightenment on the subject.my understanding is that LT is appoximately the average power for about a 1hr TT effort... 1hr of 495W is pretty amazing...

my understanding is that LT is appoximately the average power for about a 1hr TT effort... 1hr of 495W is pretty amazing...
Really confusing issue. Lt as defined in most labs= an effort that in many cases can be sustained for 3ish hours. The way Ferrari (sp) and Armstrong talk about lt is 4mm of lactate, which is called obla in the scientific community I think. From reading "Lance Armstrong's War" I get the impression that this effort can be held for approximately 20-30 minutes. Meaning his 1-hr power is likely at a more sane 450i-460sh, or just under 6.5 w/kg for an hour. Which pretty much matches up with other data on the top GT contenders.

You know I really got the feeling from that article (I assume you mean the one in Bicycling) that Ferrari was Armstrong's real coach and Carmicael was just used as a diversion so people wouldn't associate Armstrong with Ferrari and as a consequence doping. You look at Carmichael's book and you have to say this cannot be what Armstrong is/was doing.

As far as I know the best sustained power I've seen reported for Armstrong is 6.40 w/kg (460-473 W) for 40 minutes up the Alpe D'Huez. Only a few other TdF cyclists can/could match that, but I think they are for the most part lighter. Jan Ullrich is probably very close. I was doing some searching on Armstrong and was surprised that in 2002 Armstrong placed way down the field in a New York 100 km criterium (98.6 km) coming in even behind Marty Nothstein, a gold medal winning 200 m track sprinter. I am amazed that Armstrong could be slower than a big dude whose fast twitch fiber composition I figure would have meant he would be almost last. I guess that's what motivation can do for you and Armstrong probably had an off day, nobody can compete at that level (6.40 w/kg) even moderately frequently.

-Bikeguy

I don't really understand the whole wattage thing but could his larger heart account for the more sustained output?

I don't really understand the whole wattage thing but could his larger heart account for the more sustained output?
along those lines....his WHOLE physiology accounts for everything. his larger heart - higher blood volume, more beats/min, his VO2max, his delayed lactic acid onset, lower lactic acid levels, yadda yadda yadda. haha

...LUCKY BASTARD!!! i love genetic freaks. the only other example i can think of that has similar genetic advantages over the normal population is/was Secretariat - the most famous and best Thoroughbred race horse of all time. same kind of thing...larger heart, better lungs, etc and best of all? Perfect physiology for his sport! not unlike our friend Lance. :)

I saw on Discovery that he was genetically predisposed to be dominate in any sport he choose due to his ability to process o2 better AND Ms. Crow? Like above...LUCKY BASTARD

Can anyone tell me what kind of power output the average Crit rider or Century race rider would have? I'm talking about a Cat 1-3 rider who has to go to work 9-5 but still carves out enough training time in a work week to race seriously on weekends. (I wish I was one of them!)

Really confusing issue. Lt as defined in most labs= an effort that in many cases can be sustained for 3ish hours. The way Ferrari (sp) and Armstrong talk about lt is 4mm of lactate, which is called obla in the scientific community I think. From reading "Lance Armstrong's War" I get the impression that this effort can be held for approximately 20-30 minutes. Meaning his 1-hr power is likely at a more sane 450i-460sh, or just under 6.5 w/kg for an hour. Which pretty much matches up with other data on the top GT contenders.

I found a pretty cool chart online that lists power output for cyclists from world class levels all the way down to cat 5 and recreational riders. The time durations for max watts are charted from 5 seconds up to 20 minutes. This 'power profile' graphic can be found at:

http://www.thebikeage.com/images/pprof.gif

The fact that it doesn't chart times above 20 minutes leads me that your probably right about the 20-30 minutes of max effort.