Professional cycling is becoming the latest sport to lean on artificial intelligence, according to a report from BikeRadar.
The outlet, in an article titled "'Teams that build AI programmes will win races' – how artificial intelligence is changing the Tour de France and pro cycling," reports that AI is reshaping how teams approach the sport's biggest events, including the Tour de France.
The headline claim — that teams investing in AI programmes will gain a competitive edge — signals a shift in how squads think about preparation and race strategy. Rather than relying solely on the instincts of directors and the legs of riders, teams are increasingly treating data and machine analysis as tools that could decide who wins.
Cycling already generates enormous amounts of information: power output, heart rate, weather, terrain, positioning within the peloton and the tactics of rival teams. AI offers a way to make sense of that flood of data and turn it into decisions, from pacing on a mountain climb to timing an attack.
Because the available source is limited to BikeRadar's headline framing, the specific tools, teams and results behind the claim are not detailed here. What is clear is the direction of travel: figures within the sport believe AI capability is moving from a novelty to a decisive factor.
Why it matters: if the people inside pro cycling are right that AI programmes will decide races, the sport's competitive balance may increasingly favor the teams with the best data scientists, not just the strongest riders.