Compared to flipping along in a nice warm gym with a sprung floor....
Which is just what all the other sports being mentioned are like
If the number of people dying whilst doing a sport is the criterion then base jumping trumps mountaineering.
Meanwhile it might require fitness to absorb oxygen at altitude, but it bears little relation to fitness needed for doing other things at lower altitudes - it's more nature than nurture, with the ability ultimately being gained simply by spending time at altitude rather than anything more demanding.
The whole mountaineering argument is rather shot down by the list of Everest summiteers.
40 mins per race) hence it can be ridden in a more aggressive manner.
