The aim of this study was to evaluate whether spiroergometry performance in adolescent alpine ski racers can predict later advancement to a professional career. Over 10 consecutive years, adolescent skiers of the regional Austrian Youth Skier Squad (local level) underwent annual medical examinations, including exhaustive bicycle spiroergometry. The performance was determined at fixed (2 and 4 mmol/l serum lactate) and individual (individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) and lactate equivalent (LAE)) thresholds. Data from the last available test were compared between skiers who later advanced to the professional level (Austrian national ski team) and those who did not. Ninety-seven alpine skiers (n=51 male; n=46 female); mean age 16.6 years (range 15–18) were included. Of these, 18 adolescents (n=10 male; n=8 female) entered a professional career. No significant differences were found for maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max). Athletes advancing to the professional level had significantly higher performance and VO2 at LAE. Additionally, male professionals had significantly higher performances at fixed thresholds and the IAT. The performance and VO2 at the LAE, and thus the ability to produce power at a particular metabolic threshold, was the most relevant spiroergometric parameter to predict a later professional career.

Purpose To compare performance data of adolescents collected with five different bicycle spiroergometry protocols and to assess the necessity for establishing standard values for each protocol. Methods One-hundred-twenty adolescents completed two bicycle spiroergometries within 14 days. One of the two tests was performed based on our institutional weight-adapted protocol (P0). The other test was performed based on one out of four exercise protocols widely used for children and adolescents (P1, 2, 3 or 4) with 30 persons each. The two tests were performed in a random order. Routine parameters of cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) such as VO2peak, maximum power, O2 pulse, OUES, VE/VCO2 slope as well as ventilatory and lactate thresholds were investigated. Agreement between protocols was evaluated by Bland–Altman analysis, coefficients of variation (CV) and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Results None of the CPET parameters were significantly different between P0 and P1, 2, 3 or 4. For most of the parameters, low biases between P0 and P1–P4 were found and 95% confidence intervalls were narrow. CV and ICC values largely corresponded to well-defined analytical goals (CV < 10% and ICC > 0.9). Only maximal power (Pmax) showed differences in size and drift of the bias depending on the length of the step duration of the protocols. Conclusion Comparability between examination protocols has been shown for CPET parameters independent on step duration. Protocol-dependent standard values do not appear to be necessary. Only Pmax is dependent on the step duration, but in most cases, this has no significant influence on the fitness assessment.