The Real Science of Sport Podcast27 Mar 2025

Spotlight: A New IOC President / A New Tool To Protect Women's Sport / A New Power Metric

It's a bumper Spotlight in a bumper week of big sports news. To cover it comprehensively, Ross & Gareth are joined by Sean Ingle of The Guardian to discuss the election of Kirsty Coventry to lead the International Olympic Committee. We explore her path to victory, enabled by Thomas Bach's support, and how she might lead the organization through looming challenges, including the integrity of the IOC's bid/host city selection process, and women's sport. On the subject of women's sport, Sean also chats to us about World Athletics' announcement that it will introduce pre-clearance screening for athletes wishing to be eligible for the women's category. It's a move that forms part of Sebastian Coe's declaration to 'doggedly' defend women's sport. We explore how sex screening works, and issues it may raise, and solve.

We then shift to cycling to discuss a remarkable Milan-San Remo performance by Tadej Pogacar, showcasing superiority and versatility not seen in cycling for a very long time. It tees up the compound score, accounting for power output and performance in both absolute and relative terms. A few odds and ends thrown in wrap up a big show.

Show notes

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Article by guest Sean Ingle on the big issues facing Kirsty Coventry as she enters the IOC fray
Another by Ingle, this time on the process and dealings behind the IOC Election, including Thomas Bach's role
Article on Sebastian Coe's announcement of World Athletics' introduction of pre-clearance testing for female eligibility
Some analysis of the power numbers at the Milan San Remo race, as discussed on the podcast. Take the estimates with a pinch of salt - the high speeds introduce a lot of error
Brief abstract that introduces the Compound Score in cycling, and how it has the best predictive power for race results
More comprehensive research article on the compound score (needs access to journal for full read)
The paper asking the question about "lactic acidosis", to which we all should know the answer
The answer to the lactate question

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