Why is it difficult for Tour de France riders to excel in both time trials and mountain stages?

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Olympic road cycling — cycling Individual Neutral Athlete Gleb Syritsa, a Russian passport holder, cycling past Les Invalides during the men's road cycling individual time trial at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The difficulty for Tour de France riders to excel in both time trials and mountain stages stems from the distinct physiological and technical demands of each discipline.

In a time trial, riders compete against the clock, often requiring high sustained power output and aerodynamic efficiency on relatively flat or rolling terrain. Success here favors riders with high absolute power and the ability to maintain a static, aerodynamic position for extended periods.

Conversely, mountain stages require a high power-to-weight ratio. Because gravity acts against the rider on steep inclines, minimizing body mass while maintaining significant power is critical. Riders who excel in the mountains are typically lighter, which can be a disadvantage in the high-speed, power-focused environment of a time trial. Balancing the muscle mass needed for raw power with the low weight required for climbing is a significant physiological challenge, making it rare for a cyclist to dominate both disciplines at the highest level.1