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Anaerobic glycolysis — MRCP Part 1 MCQ

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HardExercise PhysiologyAnaerobic glycolysisMRCP Part 1

Two cyclists have identical VO2max values. Rider 1 has a substantially higher critical power but the same W-prime as Rider 2. For a 40-minute constant-power effort near the heavy–severe boundary, which prediction is most defensible?

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Correct answer: C — Rider 1 can sustain a higher power before inexorable W-prime depletion begins

The best answer is “Rider 1 can sustain a higher power before inexorable W-prime depletion begins”. Critical power marks the upper boundary of the heavy-intensity domain and the highest work rate around which a physiological steady state can be approached. A higher critical power therefore permits a higher sustainable power before W-prime is progressively depleted. Identical VO2max does not imply identical endurance performance, and equal W-prime describes the finite work capacity above each rider’s own critical power rather than the same threshold. The lactate and oxygen-deficit alternatives reverse or invent relationships.

Reference: Critical power: an important fatigue threshold: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5070974/