The most versatile active cyclist Mathieu van der Poel has revealed some of his heart rate metrics, which point to his exceptionally good fitness and ability to recover quickly.
The heart rate variability (HRV) of the eight-time cyclo-cross world champion, one-time road race world champion, and three-time Paris–Roubaix winner is over 200. "My HRV is indeed very high," confirmed van der Poel. "I think it is partly genetic, but fitness is also important. It is certainly something that makes me stronger and helps me recover better."
HRV, or heart rate variability, essentially measures the variation in the time interval between heartbeats in milliseconds over a longer period, usually at night. It provides an overview of the balance of the body's autonomic nervous system and is used as an indicator of stress levels.
In general, a higher HRV reading is associated with better physical fitness and recovery capacity. According to Whoop, the average HRV of their male users is 65 and that of female users is 62, although it is noted that most users are performance-oriented athletes. For comparison, Oura, which collects data via a wearable ring, points out that the average HRV of their users is 40.3 for men and 41.5 for women.
Van der Poel named HRV as one of the two most important metrics he analyzes. The second, a metric more familiar to most people, is resting heart rate (RHR). "The average is 38," revealed van der Poel. "The lowest I've recorded is 34. It's really very low. But that is something many endurance athletes have – the heart is simply very well trained. In general, cyclists have quite a low heart rate."
Not all athletes are prepared to disclose their physiological data for fear of giving competitors information that could be used against them, but van der Poel does not seem to share such fears.
"Honestly, it doesn't bother me," he said. "Of course, other people and competitors might learn something from it, but in my opinion, it doesn't make a decisive difference. Some athletes are very strict about this, but I've never had a big problem with it."
An HRV of 200 and a resting heart rate of 38 beats per minute are almost unimaginable to the average person, but if you want advice from the Dutch cycling ace, he recommends giving up red meat and alcohol, which he says have clearly influenced his recovery metrics. Magnesium tablets have also helped him relax his muscles before sleep, and he likes to read before going to bed.