Quote Originally Posted by gnat23 View Post
It's just one piece of the puzzle tho.

To use myself as an example, I have a freakishly high VO2 max (52 ml/kg/min). The chart they gave me said that was an "OLYMPIC" level. Well, Olympiad I ain't.
Mine is 72 ml/kg/min...... but I'm still a lowly cat 3 and not going upwards all that quickly..... (sheesh this year I feel like I'm sliding back). It is a *small* part of the puzzle - honestly I wonder if being little and having a small lung capacity has pushed my body to more efficiently use the air I take in because I need to make the best use of every drop and its not a particular advantage at all........In any case, I don't have even a fraction of the power to back the vo2 with to be a top caliber rider.