Is VO2max more important than lactate threshold? | Research roundup

A research roundup episode, where Dr. Gabriele Gallo (of KnowledgeIsWatt) and myself cover four recent research papers and how they might help us train better and improve our understanding of triathlon and endurance performance

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: 

• Do the same training program twice - get different results? (and how Gabriele and I disagree slightly on the conclusions to draw from this study)
• Strength training is beneficial for cycling performance, but how beneficial is it really? And is it beneficial for everybody? Finally, how should you structure your strength training program to make it so? 
• A massive review on the impact of different types of endurance training on mitochondrial and capillary growth, and VO2max improvements. 
• What separates athletes of different performance levels is not how high they can push their threshold as a percentage of VO2max, but how high the VO2max is in the first place. 

SHOWNOTES, LINKS, RESOURCES AND RELATED EPISODES: 

• Follow Gabriele and KnowledgeIsWatt on his website, Substack and Instagram
• The shownotes for today's episode can be found here. 
• The full podcast episode archives (including category filters) can be found here. 
• Limited reproducibility of individual physiological adaptations to repeated endurance exercise training - Odden et al. 2026
• Heavy strength training effects on physiological determinants of endurance cyclist performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis - Llanos-Lagos et al. 2025
• Effects of Exercise Training on Mitochondrial and Capillary Growth in Human Skeletal Muscle: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression - Mølmen et al. 2024
• Elite Aerobic Endurance Performance: Is It Really Related to Lactate Threshold Expressed Relative to Peak Oxygen Uptake? - Johansen et al. 2025
• Strength training improves performance and pedaling characteristics in elite cyclists - Rønnestad et al. 2014
• Five-Minute Power-Based Test to Predict Maximal Oxygen Consumption in Road Cycling - Sitko et al. 2022

SPONSORS: 

• Precision Fuel & Hydration produce our favourite gels, sports drinks, and electrolyte and carbohydrate products here at That Triathlon Show and Scientific Triathlon. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event, and get 15% off your first 2026 order by using the code TTS2026 at checkout.