All stages of the 2018 Tour de France were modeled using the Best Bike Split performance modeling software. For non Time Trial stages the peloton was modeled as a single entity using the typical pulling power exhibited by riders at the front of the main group. We then used the Time Analysis tool to highlight specific sections of the course that could influence race day strategy.
The 2018 route is one of the more varied in recent memory, opening in the Vendée before heading north for a Team Time Trial in Cholet and eventually reaching the race's wildcard stage — the cobbled run into Roubaix. Stage 9's pavé sections add a level of chaos rarely seen in a modern Tour, where bike choice, tire pressure, and positioning in the peloton matter as much as raw power. The race then transitions to the Alps with back-to-back mountain stages culminating in the iconic Alpe d'Huez finish on Stage 12, before the Pyrenees take over in the final week. The penultimate Stage 20 individual time trial in the Basque Country around Espelette is short but decisive, rewarding riders who can hold an aggressive aero position on a rolling course. Use the Time Analysis tool on any stage to explore how power, drag, and weight trade-offs would play out across this diverse and unpredictable route.
How Best Bike Split Models the Tour de France
Best Bike Split's Tour de France stage analysis is built on the same physics-based power modeling used by athletes and coaches to plan real-world races. Each stage is modeled using route elevation data, distance, aerodynamic and rolling resistance assumptions, the same inputs that drive a Best Bike Split race plan. As race day approaches, models are rerun to pull in live weather data layers in wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and precipitation risk so the model reflects the most accurate weather predictions. The result is stage analysis grounded in watts, not just narrative, giving cyclists a more meaningful way to understand what each day of the Tour actually demands. Whether you're following the GC battle, chasing a breakaway stage, or just trying to understand why a 127 km stage to Alpe d'Huez can be harder than it looks on paper, Best Bike Split's stage modeling gives you the numbers behind the race. Create a free account to access all 21 stage workouts, scaled to your FTP and ready to load into Zwift or your training app of choice.
