US world placing in other metrics, other sports?

I've asked about this before, but I'm still curious.

If our XC gang competes against the world in other sports, or aspects
of XC even, how do they do?

Like:

*trail run

*sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, dips

*canoeing

*biking

(I know that Carl S is a mtbike pro, but if he raced mtbikes against
the other world XC skiers, how would he do? How is he on world scale in
mtbike?)

Drawing from US/Canadian talent from outside the XC pool, how do we
tend to do in general in world trail run events, mtbiking, canoeing?

Offhand, it seems like "14th" and "40th" are VERY COMMON best-finish
results that I see when I check out US results in world outdoor sport
events. (Except at 40+ Masters levels---then we start coming on.)

The last time I brought up this thread, we semi-derailed into VO2Max
comparisons. I don't recall seeing a US/Can athlete listed in the 80+
range---in contrast with the many Scandis. Then there was the "min. 800
hrs/yr to be great" note. I know that isn't totally determinant stuff,
but I wonder how many outdoor athletes we have who are 80+ VO2Max and
800 hrs/yr. Maybe Lance was the last?

--JP

I'm outta the loop. Do US riders do well in WC mtbike cross country
events? Cyclocross?

I wonder how deep our talent is in road cycling.

My vague impression is: Lance, Georgie and Fred then?

In article .com,
wrote:

I've asked about this before, but I'm still curious.

If our XC gang competes against the world in other sports, or aspects
of XC even, how do they do?

Like:

*trail run

In his book _Don't Look Back_, John Morton recounts that Mike
Gallagher, the best American skier of his generation, trained for a
summer in Norway and competed very successfully in running events with
Norwegian skiers who regularly beat him on snow, prompting the
Norwegians to suggest that Gallagher should take up track. Morton's
conclusion was that (at the time), Americans' technique was not up to
the level of the Europeans.

*sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, dips

*canoeing

*biking

(I know that Carl S is a mtbike pro, but if he raced mtbikes against
the other world XC skiers, how would he do? How is he on world scale in
mtbike?)

Drawing from US/Canadian talent from outside the XC pool, how do we
tend to do in general in world trail run events, mtbiking, canoeing?

Offhand, it seems like "14th" and "40th" are VERY COMMON best-finish
results that I see when I check out US results in world outdoor sport
events. (Except at 40+ Masters levels---then we start coming on.)

The last time I brought up this thread, we semi-derailed into VO2Max
comparisons. I don't recall seeing a US/Can athlete listed in the 80+
range---in contrast with the many Scandis. Then there was the "min. 800
hrs/yr to be great" note. I know that isn't totally determinant stuff,
but I wonder how many outdoor athletes we have who are 80+ VO2Max and
800 hrs/yr. Maybe Lance was the last?

--JP

Dick Taylor writes that skiers aren't taught running technique, which
is very similar to skiing's. They just run, inefficiently.

Gene

"David L. Webb" wrote:

In his book _Don't Look Back_, John Morton recounts that Mike
Gallagher, the best American skier of his generation, trained for a
summer in Norway and competed very successfully in running events
with Norwegian skiers who regularly beat him on snow, prompting the
Norwegians to suggest that Gallagher should take up track. Morton's
conclusion was that (at the time), Americans' technique was not up to
the level of the Europeans.