Carles Tur, from Ibiza, wanted to be a professional cyclist as a child. He never made it into the peloton, but his passion for the sport led him to a career in sports science — and this summer, as head of physical preparation for the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, he is at the Tour de France.
A long road
After studying in Barcelona, Tur spent more than 20 years in high-performance sport, including work with the Sant Cugat high-performance centre, FC Barcelona and Olympic projects. He has already worked at the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España, but the Tour is on another level — especially this year, with the race starting in Barcelona, a city he considers his second home.
A few years ago, asked about his biggest professional dream, he replied: to work at the Tour de France.
The job
His role focuses on three areas:
- assessing each rider’s performance;
- monitoring fatigue;
- optimising recovery.
The team collects physiological data before and during each stage, uses it to speed up recovery, and helps the sports directors make tactical decisions.
A long day
Days start early with physiological checks. The staff then travel to feeding and support points along the route. After the finish, the most important work begins: recovery protocols, analysing the day’s data, meeting the sports directors and planning the next stage. The staff often finish after the riders have gone to bed.
Legs or head?
Both matter, Tur says. A strong physical base is essential, but when riders are at similar levels, the difference often comes from the mind: staying focused for three weeks, handling pressure and managing fatigue.
How the sport has changed
The biggest change in recent years, he says, has been nutrition, now measured with great precision, along with altitude training and data analysis. Equipment has also advanced enormously, from aerodynamics to materials. As a result, the overall level has risen sharply: numbers that would once have earned a top-ten place in a Grand Tour are no longer enough.
That comes at a cost: more time away from home, constant monitoring and intense pressure, which can lead to mental burnout earlier than in the past.
Working with Tom Pidcock
Tur has worked with Tom Pidcock for about a year and a half, a period in which the British rider has taken his first Grand Tour podium and finished second at Milan–San Remo. What stands out, Tur says, is his humility and professionalism: he is enormously talented, works extremely hard and is open to feedback.
Advice for young athletes
Tur’s advice to young people in Ibiza is to be clear about their goals and work towards them every day — but not to neglect their education, which opens doors beyond sport. He thanks his family for teaching him the value of effort, and Ibiza’s cycling community, where his love for the sport began.
