I helped Tadej Pogačar improve… When he was 100 years old!

Robert Marchand, at 100 years old, signs his first professional cycling contract. He is already the world hour record holder, weighing only 49 kg and standing 1.55 m tall. Instead of aging, he gradually becomes younger in a "Benjamin Button"-like scenario. Each pedal stroke brings him closer to his youth while he remains champion in every age category he crosses.

His VO₂max, instead of decreasing, increases with each decade he travels backward. At 90 years old, he breaks his own records. At 70, he smashes the masters' records. And at 25, he finally reaches 90 ml/kg/min, symbolically joining Pogačar.

That's what a “Benjamin Button” scenario could have revealed to us.

He would remain not only the absolute champion but also the eternal champion of his age category. In the end, it’s not just a victory over others but a victory over time and finitude. That’s the real “strange story” of eternal cycling.

Here is a reference table to help you find your physiological age on the VO₂max vs. age curve!

Formula to estimate relative VO₂max (ml/min/kg) from cycling power per kg:

VO₂max (ml/min/kg) ≈ (Power in W/kg × 1000) ÷ 70

It is considered that the global mechanical efficiency is about 70 W per liter of oxygen consumed. This approximation is conservative and commonly used to avoid overestimating VO₂max.

Example: at 6 W/kg, VO₂max ≈ (6 × 1000) / 70 ≈ 86 ml/min/kg.

Remember, he rode before the climb, and the ascents last more than 30 minutes, so he is at about 90% of his Maximal Aerobic Power (power at VO₂max plateau onset).