Endurance Unlimited Season 2, Ep. 18: Trailblazing the Road Cycling World with Dr. Carol Austin
Dec 2, 2020
Dr. Carol Austin, a medical doctor and sports scientist who led medical and performance for MTN–Qhubeka and was the first woman to do so at the Tour de France. She talks about moving from medicine to sports science, using data and power meters to develop African talent, building a pro team culture, confronting bias and inclusion, and her next focus on genomics and diversifying cycling in the U.S.
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From Runner To Cycling Pioneer
- Carol Austin switched from marathon running to cycling after injury and pursued coaching inspired by power meters and CTS methods.
- She returned to South Africa to bring technology and coaching know-how to develop African cycling talent.
Start Simple And Benchmark Progress
- Keep coaching simple and use science-backed benchmarks to find and develop talent where you are.
- Work with available resources and progressively build capacity rather than waiting for ideal conditions.
Personal Investment Sparked Team Growth
- Carol bought SRM power meters with her own funds and introduced TrainingPeaks to the MTN team early on.
- Her investment and partnership grew the program from grassroots to professional continental level.