This study was designed to determine the optimal intensity for verification phase testing (VP) in healthy, young adults. Thirty one young, active participants (16 females) completed a cycle ergometer graded exercise test (GXT) VO_2max test and 4 VP tests at 80, 90, 100, and 105% of the maximum wattage achieved during the GXT. GXT and VP VO_2max values showed a significant test x sex interaction (p = 0.02). The males elicited significantly higher VO_2max values during the GXT, 80%, and 90% when compared to the 105%, (105 vs. GXT: p = 0.05; 105% vs. 80%: p < 0.01; 105% vs. 90%: p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in VO_2max across the tests in the females (p > 0.05); 80% of the males achieved their highest VP VO_2max during a submaximal VP test compared to only 37.5% of the females. A secondary study conducted showed excellent reliability (ICCs > 0.90) and low variation (CVs < 3%) for the 90% VP. Our findings show that a submaximal verification phase intensity is ideal for young healthy males to elicit the highest VO_2max during cycle ergometer testing. For females, a range of intensities (80–105%) produce similar VO_2max values. However, the 80% VP yields an unnecessarily high time to exhaustion.