Often at the end of a Grand Tour, we see a GC contender or leader yank a rabbit out of the hat and pull off a time trial result way beyond anything they had previously accomplished. We hear all the time that the maglia rosa/maillot jaune gives its wearer wings, but how do external rewards affect time trial performance in the lab?The Sound of SilenceJust like riding in our garage in the depths of winter is an experience in sensory deprivation compared to almost any outdoor ride, its never as fun performing in front of an empty house. I feel stupid practicing a big conference presentation in front of a mirror or just my grad students, but thrive when giving that same talk in front of a full lecture hall. Its hard to pinpoint why the two identical talks end up providing completely different experiences, but that interactivity is the same as experienced by musicians and athletes, indeed performers of every stripe. Nothing beats the thrill of that give and take, and the more energy provided by the audience, the more it seems to spur on the performer.Audience participation is one example of extrinsic (external) motivation that may influence an outcome, and that possibility is one of the pillars upon which sport holds society enthralled (if that wasnt the case, youd be reading the comics instead right now!). For us as racers, even if its just a few spectators and not Dutch Corner at LAlpe dHuez, thats still often enough...
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