A new research paper suggests the five-time Tour de France winner is still a force on the bike and could even hold his place in the pro peloton today.
Miguel Indurain was tested in the lab as part of a study to gain some insight into ageing and detraining of elite athletes. As the test reveals, 46 year old Indurain has still got the goods after pushing 450w as his aerobic power output at 191bpm which compares to professional cyclists still in their prime.
The good news
You can keep a lot of your physical strength into old age, although Indurain isn’t exactly ancient. Contemporaries like Maurizio Fondriest, Michele Bartoli and even the more senior Francesco Moser still ride their bikes today with the same style as the past.
For me it’s always a pleasure to see ex-riders continue to cycle, many have had enough after making a career out of it, the thrill is gone for many who suffer almost daily.
The bad news
If you’re in the masters or veteran age bracket then the candle-count on your birthday cake might not be the excuse you need to account for any decline in your fitness and power levels. Sorry.
The full article is at the excellent Inring: http://inrng.com/2012/08/indurain-research-paper/
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