How much of a gap is it between say a VO2 Max of 60 vs 70?
Like, if you are comparing FTP, and two riders have an FTP of 330W vs 340W, I wouldn’t call that a big gap. But an FTP of 200W vs 300W I’d say is a big gap. Or a W/kg of 4 vs 5 is pretty big, but 4.1 vs 4.2 is small. So looking at VO2 Max, is 60 vs 70 a big gap? I’m just wondering if you have a rider with a VO2 max of 60. Are they ever going to be able to compete with somebody with a 70 or 80 VO2 max?
An average persons vo2 max is somewhere around 35 ml/kg. Elite athletes are around 75/80 and up to ~90 for the absolute highest scores.
Assuming both athletes are maximizing their potential 60 vs 70 is not close.
My guess is that importance of this difference depends on effort duration:
If you are to assume V02 max is directly correlated with performance, that’s a 16.6% improvement going from 60 to 70. Of course there is not a direct relationship between, say, 20 min power and V02 max, but the two are strongly correlated. It gets muddier at longer efforts where other physiological parameters become important. But, with two well trained riders, that 10ml gap is most likely going to be insurmountable.
At least I’ll have something to blame for never winning my local races. We have a few in the mid 70s.
It is not linear correlation: assuming everything else being equal, for 65kg rider, 5-min max power is 318W (with VO2max being 60) vs 391W (70), or 22.9%. But you are right about different factors becoming more important as duration increases.
Literally said right after that it’s not a direct relationship, so not sure why you feel the need to tell me this.
Yep, not arguing, just wanted to clarify or bring out 5-min duration specifically: you can assume it is direct correlation, but it is not linear (16.6% increase in VO2max gives 22.9% increase in power)
I am not sure what you’re clarifying, especially since your own numbers are wrong. You can’t precisely link V02 max increase to power output increase at all. Especially at 5 minutes where you will have significant anaerobic contribution for some people.
No-no, those are not my numbers, just theoretical calculations using linked research conclusion and with assumption “everything else being equal” 
Mid 70’s - yikes. Tough competition.
Yea our club did a group rate for VO2 testing. I tested 62. Most guys were in the 50s and 60s. He hit 76. I joked it was because I had 20 kg on him, but he’s just a beast.
Its about a 12.5kg difference I think for the 60 vs 70 original example.
380w for 6 minutes at 65kg ~70
380w for 6 minutes at 77.5kg ~60
Using the Michael Konczer VO2max calculator.
When I tested my vo2max the testleader gave me both the vo2max in ml/kg/min and V02max in ml/min. And he told me its so you actually can compare your numbers. My vo2/kg is 49 but if i loose the 10 extra kg i have dueing the winter my vo2/kg will be 55. And then he showed me my ftp compared to the normal curve of vo2max in ml/min. (He told me I have a ftp 35watt under the normal and I have room for 80watt to improve, but by then my vo2max would been increased and I would have even more ftp gains to go for.)
If you have 20kg on him and 14 less in vo2/kg then it sounds like your ml/min might be around the same? Or? How is your ftp compared to your vo2max?
Oh wow that’s like dead on. My best 6min power from last year was 419W. At 82kg that calculated 62.2.
FTP right now is around 340W, which at 82kg isn’t that impressive. I do ok with flat crits and road races, but anything that tips uphill I get dropped.
No. Assuming they are all similarly trained, 60 is good for a recreational rider, 70 is elite (cat1/ domestic pro - strongest guy you personally know), 80 is godly (might get or do get paid).
I’ve lab tested at 72 years ago in my mid 20s. I was a college level athlete. FTP in low 5s, 5min power high 6s. I trained with structure, but was also just a lucky guy. No way someone could have vo2 max is low 60s and have numbers like that. In runners terms, think of a 60 vo2 max as like a guy who runs a 17-18min 5k, maybe crack into 16s (win your local turkey trot, but not even impressive male HS times). A 70 would be like 15s (good collegiate D3 guy), a 80 guy would be 14s or crack into 13s - legendary stuff.
Sorry if I missed it, but do you have a link for that calculator? Thanks!
VO2 Max Calculator by Michael Konczer
I think they meant this calculator.
^ that is the one.