Altitude training for cyclists: does it work and could you benefit? (video)

Breathing air with less oxygen stimulates physiological changes that can boost performance, but for amateur cyclists, is it really worth the time, effort and money?

Your lungs are burning, heart pounding, breathing rate frantic — and this is just your local climb. The thought of riding up actual mountains 1,000 or more metres higher than your nemesis British hill may seem daunting. As you climb to 1,000m and beyond, the air begins to get thinner, with noticeable effects on performance.

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