Im sure it was higher than 99.999% of us. But Lemond is higher than that. So i guess everyone is medicore. Lance was a competitive against pro triathletes with little training as a young teen. I suspect he has decent physiology.
Greg was an awesome cyclist. I followed him from 1979. But he does like to pretend his VO2 max was unfeasibly high. If it was really as high as he claims, he would be inneficient on the bike, which is obviously not the case.
Why would have anybody tested Lance for this Vo2 Max when he was 13?
And even if he was tested, why would he remember that unless he kept records, which is very unlikely for any 13 year old.
Because he was a prodigy. He was racing with the best triathletes in the world of that period at age 15. Not a fan of the guy; but he was an outlier (liar?), even at a young age.
I ran all the way through college, power 5. I never recorded anything. I don’t remember my race results. I don’t remember my PRs. I know once I got to college I was mediocre, that’s about it.
I enjoyed it while I did it, but moved on. I’ve created new memories since the running ended.
I’m with you. People who remember all of their race results and finishing times after several years are losers. I can understand remembering your lifetime PBs and your biggest wins and highest placings in championship races, but these people who remember every detail of every race they ran are trying to relive the glory days. There’s way more important information to retain in one’s memory as one ages.
No, I don't think he was lying. Even if he knew he was crazy good at 13, he was probably more concerned with performance than metrics.
I could be wrong, but if i recall at 13 he was just swimming? Not yet a cyclist. Why would someone drag a person who was 12 just months ago into a lab and put head gear on them and measure VO2? Maybe....once he had that now famous breakthrough at a pro triathlon at 15 some researcher brought him in? But 13?
Look, everyone he competed against was on drugs. Having insane mutant like numbers and drive was a pre requisite for winning 7 times. Literally everyone lies about doping. that's how it works. Yes, he was a messed up dude from birth and crazy competitive/ chip on the shoulder personality which adds up to him being a jerk and dong anything to keep a secret. The guys who didn't win didn't have that burden. HE has to speak into a mic every day for 7 yrs denying it. Its uncomfortable, but deep down we all know he was just doing what you are supposed to in that era. He did really train harder and plan better than everyone, and did take drugs, and did really have a miracle recovery from cancer and did really establish a foundation that has never been equaled in fund raising that to this day is affecting people lives with cancer.
I ran all the way through college, power 5. I never recorded anything. I don’t remember my race results. I don’t remember my PRs. I know once I got to college I was mediocre, that’s about it.
I enjoyed it while I did it, but moved on. I’ve created new memories since the running ended.
I’m with you. People who remember all of their race results and finishing times after several years are losers. I can understand remembering your lifetime PBs and your biggest wins and highest placings in championship races, but these people who remember every detail of every race they ran are trying to relive the glory days. There’s way more important information to retain in one’s memory as one ages.
Same. Walked-on in college at G5 program, had to push every ounce of my being to chase after future all-American and even Olympic runners. Couldn’t tell you a single mark from those days with any accuracy.
Incidentally, I scored really well on the SAT, as well. Close to perfect in the math section. Far beyond my expectations and better than my teammates. No idea what that number was 35 years later.
No, I don't think he was lying. Even if he knew he was crazy good at 13, he was probably more concerned with performance than metrics.
I could be wrong, but if i recall at 13 he was just swimming? Not yet a cyclist. Why would someone drag a person who was 12 just months ago into a lab and put head gear on them and measure VO2? Maybe....once he had that now famous breakthrough at a pro triathlon at 15 some researcher brought him in? But 13?
Look, everyone he competed against was on drugs. Having insane mutant like numbers and drive was a pre requisite for winning 7 times. Literally everyone lies about doping. that's how it works. Yes, he was a messed up dude from birth and crazy competitive/ chip on the shoulder personality which adds up to him being a jerk and dong anything to keep a secret. The guys who didn't win didn't have that burden. HE has to speak into a mic every day for 7 yrs denying it. Its uncomfortable, but deep down we all know he was just doing what you are supposed to in that era. He did really train harder and plan better than everyone, and did take drugs, and did really have a miracle recovery from cancer and did really establish a foundation that has never been equaled in fund raising that to this day is affecting people lives with cancer.
Complicated.
Agree with everything you wrote… but, I don’t believe Armstrong doesn’t remember his max VO2, ESPECIALLY from that age since it was very high. Dude is clearly a lying, narcissistic type individual.
But, I agree, nobody was clean during his era, certainly not at the top of the peloton. And people are complicated, and they can change and evolve. While still telling small or white lies.
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This argument is no more useful than vo2max is as the sole predictor of performance. One could have just a pretty good vo2max — possibly “mediocre” among elites — and still be the best; all orthogonal to drug use.