Best Bike Split Cofounder Ryan Cooper and USA Cycling Capture 2025 INFORMS Edelman Award

April 28, 2025

With Their Data-Driven Gold-Medal Strategy, Cooper and USA Cycling Clinched the Award over Amazon, Flipkart, Lufthansa Group, SF Express, and WM

Austin, TX (April, 2025) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – INFORMS has awarded its prestigious 2025 Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in Advanced Analytics, Operations Research and Management Science to USA Cycling for Project 4:05—a breakthrough analytics program that powered the U.S. Women’s Team Pursuit squad to gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

At the heart of the effort was Ryan Cooper, co-founder of BestBikeSplit, who served as technical lead and chief architect of the modeling framework. Cooper translated the physics-based, physiologic, and optimization methodologies that underpin BestBikeSplit’s individual race-prediction engine into a model and simulation platform tailored to the unique demands of four-rider team pursuit:

Aerodynamics & Physics: High-fidelity CFD and dynamic-drag models quantified how micro-positioning within the aero “train” shaved watts and seconds at Olympic speeds.

Physiologic Modeling: Individual power-duration curves and fatigue dynamics were synthesized to forecast each rider’s energy availability.

Mixed-Integer Optimization: A custom solver orchestrated pull strategies, exchange sequences, and pacing targets to minimize total time while respecting aerobic and anaerobic limits for all athletes.

Athlete Profiling: A physics-based simulation framework pinpointed the exact power, aerodynamics and endurance thresholds an athlete must hit to be Medal-Capable and, ultimately, Gold-Capable, turning those numbers into clear training targets for each individual athlete.

“BestBikeSplit has always quantified how a single cyclist can conquer wind, elevation, and physiology,” said Ryan Cooper. “For Paris, USA Cycling scaled that philosophy to a new discipline, fusing physics with human performance analytics to deliver a perfectly timed 4:04.302. Winning the Edelman proves that data science is as decisive on the track as it is in for large-scale business problems.”

Recognizing Analytics Excellence

First presented in 1972, the Franz Edelman Award honors projects whose analytics impact rivals the biggest breakthroughs in business and government. Cumulative benefits from finalist projects now exceed $431 billion. This year’s finalists included Amazon, Flipkart, Lufthansa Group, SF Express, and WM.

About BestBikeSplit

BestBikeSplit, co-founded by Ryan Cooper, is the leading physics-based race-prediction and planning platform for cyclists and triathletes worldwide. Its cloud engine leverages aerodynamics, power data, and course profiles to generate optimal pacing plans, guiding thousands of athletes to personal-best performances.

About INFORMS

INFORMS is the world’s largest association for professionals in operations research, AI, analytics, and data science. With 12,000 members, INFORMS advances cutting-edge practices through top-tier journals, conferences, and certification programs. Learn more at www.informs.org.

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