The Tour de France: Energizing Others to Achieve

Contrary to what casual observers may think, cycling is a team sport.

Although only one rider wins any given race or event segment, his or her victory is due to the effective use of team tactics employed throughout the race. A cycling team fields a group of riders who work together to deploy team tactics, for example: breakaway and drafting.

A rider making a breakaway is often not the team's "official leader" and perhaps not the strongest overall rider. They strategically force other teams to use substantial energy to maintain contact with the leaders and, in this race-within-the-race to cause them to become distracted from the longer term goal of the day's competition.

Drafting is a familiar term in auto racing and in cycling as well. "Domestiques" or support riders in cycling break the wind resistance for their lead rider. This allows the rider who is drafting behind another rider to conserve from 20 percent to 40% percent of their energy throughout the race.

In this year's Tour de France, Team Sky is faced with a somewhat unique challenge in that two riders are in contention from the same team: Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas. Froome is Team Sky's designated top rider and a favorite to win the tour.

In a recent interview, he dismissed suggestions he would be gunning for his teammate who was leading the race at that time. As he commented during a rest day in Carcassonne, “All this talk of attacking or not attacking…we’re in an amazing position, we’re one and two,” he added. “It’s not up to us to be attacking. It’s for all the other riders in the peloton to make up time on us and dislodge us from the position we’re in.”

To say the least, this is not a typical scenario: The designated best rider of the team is seeming to make way for the surprising performance of a (junior) teammate. He may help his teammate draft, and he may play a supportive role in breakaways. Froome remarked that as long as there is a Team Sky rider on the top step in Paris, he would be happy. There were gasps of surprise as he indicated that he may sacrifice his goal of a record-equaling fifth Tour win.

At the end of 3351 kms (2082 miles), 21 stages, and 26 mountain climbs, the riders will head into Paris this Sunday, July 29th. Will team leader Froome have made it possible for Thomas to claim the top position on the winner's podium?

Would you do the same? As a designated leader, would you make way for the (younger) performer who can reach notable, recognized heights and garner coveted recognition? How can you help others sprint forward at crucial times, putting team first and setting others up for success while sacrificing your own goals? This is part of being a mature leader who celebrates wins for each and every member of the team, even those with whom they are intensely competitive.

"Effective team leaders are those who do, or who arrange to get done, whatever is critical for the team to accomplish its purpose." (Walker, 2017)

This is an interesting scenario indeed. We will see what plays out over the next few days in the Tour.

update: Thomas won the Tour de France. Foome was third.