Originally Posted by
Branko D
However, the graph points out that at 85% of VO2 max intensity - which for an elite athlete corresponds to FTP, roughly - we're talking about 2/3rds of energy being derived from carbohydrates. That's basically means that high performance cycling and not eating sufficient carbs are mutually incompatible.
(That elite athletes burn more fat across all, but especially higher intensities than untrained or moderately trained people isn't entirely new, by the way - but I haven't read any real studies which suggest there's any significant amount of fat burned at 100% of VO2max at all)
Just a SWAG........but it feels like the amateurs and freds see this and wind up focusing on the left hand 1/3 of that chart. The super low intensity side. Trying to ride at some useless low power level in keto just to claim they are fat adapting to either boost metabolism, lose belly fat, or improve performance. I feel like the pros "might" use this to try to shift that huge cliff drop of fat utilization that's at about 65% over to the right a bit. The closer you can get that cliff drop from around 65% to that 85% that is their ftp power, the better.
If they can do that even a % or two, that could prove useful. Perhaps. How shifting that specific part right is useful for an amateur or C-group rider is beyond me. Myself included. Again, swag.