TOUR DE FRANCE: "I NO LONGER RECOGNIZE CYCLING" — AN OSTEOPATH REVEALS THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE GRANDE BOUCLE
Barnabé Moulin, osteopath originally from Coutances and member of the Bahrain Victorious team, experiences the Tour de France from the inside. Between extreme performance, an obsession with detail, and a radical transformation of the modern peloton, his perspective offers rare access to what is almost never seen.
Contemporary cycling no longer resembles that of a few years ago. Everything is measured, everything is optimized, everything is adjusted. The fascinating coexists with the unsettling. And from this position close to the body, to effort, and to accumulated demands, a reflection emerges that goes far beyond the result.
Everything measured down to the last gram
Today's cycling has taken preparation to an extreme level of precision. Dietitians weighing food to the gram, exact calculation of glucose needed at every moment, training and equipment optimized to the limit, continuous monitoring of the body and performance.
In this context, a small imbalance is no longer considered anecdotal. Everything counts. Everything adds up. Everything can influence. The culture of detail has redefined the sport, but it has also hardened the framework within which riders now live.
Barnabé expresses it clearly: he finds it fascinating to experience it from within, but he does not envy the life of today's riders. Because to sustain that level, having an engine is no longer enough. You also need a mind capable of living with permanent constraints without breaking.
Vingegaard, Pogacar and the suspicions of the past
Each generation of cycling carries questions, comparisons, and shadows. The past weighs heavily. And it weighs especially on a sport that has had to live with suspicion for decades.
Barnabé's perspective is clear: cycling is still paying for what it once was. But that does not mean that every exceptional performance should automatically be read through the lens of cheating. There are also extraordinary riders, extremely powerful structures, and teams with vastly superior resources.
Key fact
Bahrain Victorious has one of the highest budgets in the peloton, allowing access to nutritionists, elite coaches, and cutting-edge technology.
The tribute to Gino Mäder: an open wound
The Tour is also raced with memory. And in this case, with a wound still very fresh. The death of Gino Mäder left a deep mark within the team.
Barnabé was in the first car to arrive at the accident site. He speaks not from a distance, but from the direct experience of a traumatic moment that remains inscribed in the body and in memory.
"He was a lovely guy. In the team, we barely talk about it because it stirs up emotions for everyone. As soon as someone mentions it to me, I get a lump in my throat."
His role in the Tour: caring, assisting, and sustaining
The work within the Tour is not limited to a single function. Each day demands presence, availability, and precision. The riders pass through his hands every night for a brief but essential check. Added to that is the logistics of the feed zone and the intensity of a race where everything happens quickly.
In this context, care is not ornamental. It is a silent part of performance. Caring for the body at the highest level is also helping to sustain longevity.
Despite the harshness, Barnabé also experiences it as a form of privilege: the childhood dream of working within the Tour and doing so surrounded by landscapes, competitive tension, and a unique human experience.
Raids, suspicion, and wear and tear
The less visible side of professional cycling is also part of this story. The Bahrain team has been in the spotlight of the authorities, and Barnabé recounts having experienced searches both during the Tour and at his own home.
Beyond the specific incident, what appears here is the toll of constant suspicion: not as an abstract debate, but as a direct impact on personal and professional life.
"I had to change banks and insurance because they dropped me. All because of an informant who has no basis for their claims. That's permanent harassment."
