What the Tour de France teaches investors about marginal gains
A strategy that brought success to the British cycling team can benefit investors too
The concept of marginal gains – the idea that we can realise large improvements in performance over time by pursuing small, incremental gains – has been key to the success of Team Sky in the Tour de France. But the principle is as true for investment as it is for cycling. I love the Tour de France. Also known by its nickname, “La Grande Boucle”, which means “big loop”, it is a metaphor for life with its ups and downs, highs and lows, successes and failures, heroes and villains. One of the great recent success stories has been Team Sky, the British professional cycling team. They have won the last four out of five editions of the Tour. Apart from the prodigious talents of Sir Bradley Wiggins (winner in 2012) and Chris Froome (winner in 2013, 2015 and 2016) and their supporting casts, much of Team Sky's success has been attributed to a simple principle known as “marginal gains” – a principle that is becoming commonplace not only in the world of elite sports but also across many other ...
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