Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40901845›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Sex differences in performance and pacing in the greatest Quintuple Iron ultra-triathlon race in history: The IUTA World Championship 2024 in France.

Beat Knechtle, Luciano Bernardes Leite, Sasa Duric, Ivan Cuk, Marilia S Andrade, Volker Scheer, Pantelis T Nikolaidis, Katja Weiss, Thomas Rosemann, Pedro Forte

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Beat KnechtleMedbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplatz, St. Gallen, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2412-9103
Luciano Bernardes LeiteDepartment of Physical Education, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil.
Sasa DuricLiberal Arts Department, American University of the Middle East, Egaila, Kuwait.
Ivan CukFaculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Marilia S AndradeDepartment of Physiology, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Volker ScheerUltra Sports Science Foundation, Pierre-Benite, France.
Pantelis T NikolaidisUniversity of West Attica, Athens, Greece.
Katja WeissInstitute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1247-6754
Thomas RosemannInstitute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6436-6306
Pedro ForteDepartment of Sports, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0184-6780

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPacing in ultra-triathlon has been investigated by analyzing lap times from Double to Deca Iron ultra-triathlon for World Cup races but not for a World Championship. The present study aimed to investigate pacing in ultra-triathletes competing in the fastest and largest World Championship in Quintuple Iron ultra-triathlon ever held in history.

methodsA total of 11 female and 24 male finishers who completed the 2024 Quintuple Ultra Triathlon World Championship in Colmar, France, were analyzed. Independent t-tests assessed sex-based performance variations with effect sizes (Cohen's d). A two-way ANOVA evaluated the effects of sex and performance quartiles on cycling and running, with eta squared (η²) used to measure effect sizes.

resultsOverall, men were slower in swimming and cycling and faster in running and overall race time. The variability in lap times was similar in cycling for both women and men but higher in running for women. There was a significant interaction between sex and performance quartiles in cycling but not running. For cycling, the variability in performance was higher in men compared to women; for running, it was similar for both women and men.

conclusionsThe finding that women outperformed men in swimming and cycling, likely due to the elite nature of the World Championship, which featured a highly selected and committed female cohort with a high completion rate. While both sexes showed consistent pacing in cycling, women exhibited greater variability in running, possibly due to more frequent breaks.

Indexed as

Athletic PerformanceBicyclingPhysical EnduranceRunningSex CharacteristicsSwimmingAdultAthletesFemaleFranceHumansMaleSex Factors

Identifiers

PMID40901845
PMCPMC12407407

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.