GC Strategy and Time Gaps

GC Strategy and Time Gaps

Winning a Grand Tour requires perfect execution over 21 stages and ~80-90 hours of racing.

Time Gain Opportunities

• Individual time trials: 1-3 minutes per strong rider
• Mountain stages: 30 seconds to 2 minutes in summit finishes
• Bad weather stages: 1-5 minutes if rivals struggle
• Bonifications: 3-12 seconds per stage (intermediate/finish)

Defending Time Gaps

• 1-minute gap: Very fragile, requires constant vigilance
• 2-minute gap: Vulnerable in mountains
• 3-minute gap: Relatively safe if no time trials remain
• 5-minute gap: Commanding lead

Power Tactics for GC

• Team tempo: 90-95% FTP to discourage attacks
• Following attacks: 105-110% FTP, minimize time gaps
• Attacking: 115-130% FTP for 30-90 seconds
• Limiting losses: 95-100% FTP when dropped, minimize time

The Mental Game

Three-week tours test mental resilience as much as physical capacity. Managing media pressure, team dynamics, and the psychological toll of defending or attacking the lead requires mental fortitude data cannot capture.