Jobs in professional cycling: "Head of optimisation" at dsm-firmenich PostNL

The "marginal gains" were a wake-up call for professional cycling: the former Team Sky perfected the strategy of converting many small advantages into a relevant lead over the competition. Narelle Neumann's job at the World Tour team dsm-firmenich PostNL reflects this shift in cycling towards meticulous detail work. "You're a pig!" was yesterday - today it's all about a data-driven approach to performance management. As Head of Science, Narelle Neumann works to transform all scientific findings into success in cycling races. As Head of Science, she is above the sports directors and coaches.

The 48-year-old Australian-born athlete is responsible for implementing the latest training science findings, analysing the potential of individual riders, comparing materials, optimising in the wind tunnel and developing her own racing clothing: "I work with a group of around 20 experts, scientists, coaches, nutritionists and biomechanics. They are dynamic experts, they understand the materials and everything that helps our athletes perform at their best. My job is to coordinate all of this."

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Team dsm-firmenich PostNL: Data makes the difference

Narelle Neumann's scientific approach comes as no surprise, but the fact that she is doing it in cycling is more of a surprise: the geologist with a doctorate spent many years doing research in the public sector in Australia and held senior positions at government level. After 20 years, she felt like a change, wanted to contribute her management experience and take on responsibility. Her understanding of data, science and processes proved to be the ideal prerequisite for the role of Scientific Director of a professional cycling team: "We need to use more and more data and information as well as science and technology to really make the difference so that we can realise the potential of every rider."

She has been working for the three dsm teams for five years: women, men and young talent: "My role is that of a coordinator, I have to have a comprehensive understanding of all aspects." The focus is on constantly analysing all data. To this end, a platform was developed in collaboration with the consultancy firm KPMG, which collects and analyses thousands of pieces of data from each driver. After the evaluation, training programmes are adapted. Neumann cites the example of sprint training, which for years consisted of ten 20-second intervals. The training sessions were analysed and modified with the help of the platform. The aim is "to be able to predict what the best training programme is for each rider and each day".

Narelle Neumann plans down to the last detail

Thanks to all the data, "we are learning more and more about the physiology of our athletes". The material also plays a major role in planning for success: "What are the right materials that should be applied to each part of the jersey to improve aerodynamics? What tyre width, what tyre pressure is best?" All variables are tested by the team in the wind tunnel - as Neumann emphasises, always individually. Further tests are carried out in collaboration with Dutch universities: "For example, projects in which students test tyre pressure on different surfaces. So cobblestones versus smooth road surface versus rough road surface, what it means when you drive uphill and downhill."

Every athlete is individual

A concrete example of the transfer from theory to practice is the Specially developed racing clothingIt has been aerodynamically optimised, is designed to keep you cool and warm in the cold and protects you in the event of a fall thanks to a special fibre. Neumann has also pushed ahead with the specialisation of training. In the autumn, the team's goals for the coming season are first defined and then the individual goals and training priorities are set for each racer. Whether an athlete is expected to perform in the spring classics or the Tour de France has an impact on their allocation to the training group.

"The training for each of these groups is based on the requirements of their role in a race. That includes aspects of physical training, but also strength training, especially for our spring group. And then of course things like altitude adaptation, heat adaptation, cold adaptation."

Nutrition at Team dsm-firmenich PostNL

Another important topic is nutrition. In stage races such as the Tour de France, there is a customised nutrition plan for each individual stage. "Is it a mountain stage? Is it a flat stage? Then we put together a menu for each meal and tell the chefs in advance so that they know that on stage 15, for example, there will be pasta and chicken as the main course and chocolate cake for dessert."

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When it comes to nutrition, the focus is on the athlete's health and performance - body weight is only a secondary aspect, as it says nothing about the composition of the body in relation to the racers. Instead, the fat layers of the skin are measured using ultrasound. The most important and busiest time of the year for the team's Head of Science is before the season, when the plans are discussed and finalised. As Head of Science, Neumann spends most of her time in front of her PC in the office in Deventer, the Netherlands, far away from the racing action.

A look at the data tells her which races the drivers are suitable for and what potential they have. You could also call Narelle Neumann the head of optimisation for the teams: All of her work is geared towards the predictability of results, with her favourite race being the classic Paris-Roubaix - the epitome of unpredictability. She loves "the crowds, the atmosphere, the uncertainty". Doesn't that stand in stark contrast to her work? That's exactly what she sees as a challenge: preparing optimally for what you can control - in the knowledge that there will be plenty of surprises.

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