The French newspaper Le Monde asked me to write an Op-Ed on the 2018 Tour de France, specifically addressing the question “Can we trust Chris Froome and Team Sky”. This is the original, unedited piece that was submitted. It details the history of the Tour, which makes up the canvas onto which the words “Trust me” are written, and explains why that appeal must be accompanied by extraordinary actions to break a cycle that is now decades long. Froome and Sky fall well short of it.
Tour de France Analysis
The profile of a sprint: What does it take to win a sprint stage?
The 2016 Tour de France is three stages down, and it’s 3 to the sprinters. This article, a republish from 2014, looks at the power output, aerodynamics and tactics of a pro sprint, with a little help from a guest contributor expert, Paolo Menaspa
Great power, great responsibility. Less power, greater speeds
“With great power comes great responsibility”, quoted Sky as they released Froome’s power data from the Pyrenees. Only problem is that with less power than some rivals, he achieved greater speeds. Physics reared its head, and created impossible scenarios.
Comparative and longitudinal physiology
There’s been much talk of how physiological data – a VO2max – would validate or refute cycling performance. The reality is, as usual, a little more complex than this. My take, some illustrative examples of the concept, and suggestions for how performance, physiology & biology can work together to tell the story
Semi-transparency, smoke, mirrors and an illustrative case
As rest day #2 of the Tour arrives, more and more talk of transparency, with a vague commitment of average cadence from a stage from Sky. I say keep it, and share more thoughts on transparency, including the case of Pinot to illustrate the value