The benefits of training at altitude are cycling gospel. And whilst it may not have the allure of an Alpine retreat, altitude simulating studios are a sure fire way to see a peak in your fitness.
Tour de France 2017 will be higher than ever. No doping regulations haven’t been softened, this year’s ride pits riders against one of its highest ever climbs. The Col du Galibier is the zenith of four mammoth climbs that make up stage 17 – a brutal test not only of the legs but the lungs that fuel them.
When the climb peaks 2640m above sea level the air will be 50% thinner, and oxygen levels paltry. It's this mix of gradient and altitude that meant that when the race first tackled the climb, only three competitors made it to the summit on their bikes.
Riders who crest the climb are treated to a monument to Le Tours founder Henri Desgrange. In his sadism, he wanted a race so tough that only one rider would finish so this soaring climb is fitting.
At that altitude the limited number of red blood cells have to work much harder to transport fuel to the muscles, meaning energy and power levels tumble.
Only by persistent training at these higher altitudes can athletes adapt. It usually takes a week or two of acclimatisation before training can resemble anything like normal, but used tactically and consistently altitude training can turn any cyclist into a mountain conquering superman.
What’s more, when returning to oxygen-rich air your capacity for endurance sky rockets. The muscles and lungs, which had become used to feeding on scraps, thrive when oxygen is plentiful.
Research in the Journal of Sports Medicine found that the haemoglobin (responsible for oxygen uptake) was 12% higher in people living at altitude that those living at sea level – leading to much greater aerobic performance levels. They also found that these results can be replicated by routinely exposing the body to high altitude conditions.
That’s why altitude training camps have become a staple of elite level cycling since the first mountain stages were introduced in 1905. Now every cyclist in the pro peloton will dedicate a few weeks to training at altitude before a big race.
Chris Froome took to Tenerife for his high altitude training camp to best prepare for his Tour de France defence and practically all other riders will elope to chalets in the Alps or retreats in the Pyrenees. But now us mortal cyclists can achieve similar results within walking distance of a Pret.
Altitude chambers (such as the one at Virgin Active Walbrook) replicate the oxygen and pressure levels at 3000m – higher than the Tour de France’s highest ever climb, the Col de la Bonette. Just a few sessions of acclimatisation and training could raise haemoglobin levels by as much as a percent a week. It doesn’t sound like much, but just ask Team Sky about marginal gains.
So whether it’s preparing to follow in the tracks of Le Tour and face some of Europe’s most gruelling climbs, or pushing your fitness to new heights back at sea level, altitude training is set to raise your game.