PhD Studentship : Physics, Computer Science, Sport Science: Fully Funded PhD Studentship in Race strategy in professional cycling

The main goal of this project is to establish a strong evidence base on professional cycling road racing trends and identify the key tactical moments that determine race outcomes. This evidence will inform future race strategies and real-time decision-making.

Many factors influence professional road cycling strategies and tactics, and these have evolved significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Influencing factors include course design, environmental conditions, peloton strength, team strategy interactions, rider skills, and physiological capabilities during critical race moments. These elements are highly dynamic and interact to shape racing tactics and trends.

Specific objectives:

- Analyse race history from the past 3–5 years across Grand Tours, major one-day races (monuments and semi-classics), and selected World Tour one-week stage races. Data sources will include race videos, rider power and speed data, and race commentary to codify key race events, using expert knowledge and available evidence.

- Develop a post-race analysis framework, process, and data toolkit that builds on the historical understanding of race trends to provide immediate feedback to Sport Directors for assessing emerging strategy and tactics.

- Research, review, and develop models from objectives 1 and 2 to create a race prediction model for stage races, aimed at informing live race decisions as events unfold.

The successful candidate will gain hands-on experience by being embedded in a professional cycling environment, participating in data collection, analysis, presentation, and interpretation.

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