Words and Phrases Explained

• "The fate of British Cycling changed one day in 2003.": Fate refers to the future or destiny of something. In this case, it means the entire history and outcome of the British cycling team was altered by a single event: the hiring of Dave Brailsford.

• "endured nearly one hundred years of mediocrity": To endure something is to suffer through it patiently. Mediocrity means being of average or low quality. The phrase signifies that for about a century, British cyclists consistently performed poorly, with unimpressive results.

• "underwhelming": This means a performance or result that fails to impress or meet expectations. The British riders' performance was so bad that a bike manufacturer worried it would damage their brand's reputation if the team used their bikes.

• "new trajectory": A trajectory is the path or course of a moving object. In this context, it's used metaphorically to mean a new path or direction for the British cycling team's future, away from their previous history of poor performance.

• "the aggregation of marginal gains": Aggregation means collecting or gathering things together. Marginal refers to a small or insignificant amount. Gains are improvements. The philosophy is about gathering a great number of very small improvements, which, when combined, lead to a significant overall result.

• "biofeedback sensors": These are devices that measure a person's physical responses (like heart rate, muscle tension, or skin temperature) to a particular activity. The data from these sensors helps athletes and coaches understand how the body is reacting and optimize training.

• "aerodynamic": This term describes the properties of an object that affect its movement through the air. A more aerodynamic shape reduces air resistance, allowing a cyclist to go faster with less effort.

• "finely tuned": This refers to something that has been adjusted with great precision for optimal performance. The bikes were so precise that even a small amount of dust could negatively affect how they functioned.

• "replicate this approach": To replicate something means to copy or reproduce it. The final question asks how a person can use the same strategy of making small improvements to achieve great results in their own life.