Scientists analyze Tadej Pogacar’s Tour de France climbs to measure the limits of human endurance
Forget laboratory tests: the Tour de France provides a real-world look at the limits of human fitness. Tadej Pogačar wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey bicycle with a bunch of riders (Photo: Jeff Patchaud/AFP via Getty Images) Published on July 23, 2026 08:39 am The official record for highest VO2 max belongs to a former