A few weeks ago, a member of our team, Eneko Maguregui, took part in the Quebrantahuesos, a demanding cycling race covering more than 200 km across the Pyrenees. It wasn’t just a race: it was a living lesson in what it means to face a complex, transformative challenge full of learning opportunities. And interestingly, it bears many similarities to what we experience in organisational innovation processes.

🔧 Before innovating, as before a race: preparation

Beyond the physical challenge, listening to him tell us about his experience of facing this challenge, transformed and full of lessons learned, has led me to draw certain parallels with innovation management and the process of surveillance and intelligence in organisations. It starts much earlier, with preparation, training and a solid base.

🌡️ During the race, as in surveillance and innovation, adaptation and agile decision-making

Even if you have studied the route, what happens on that day is uncertain: the weather, your physical condition, and other factors. The route is predictable because you know what it is. What is unpredictable is what might happen on that day: the weather, your physical condition, and other events that might occur.

In surveillance and intelligence processes, as in innovation, the key lies in the ability to adapt quickly to changes in the environment and respond with agility. Authors such as Porter and Fuld highlight the importance of competitive intelligence in anticipating market movements and adjusting strategy in real time, just as a cyclist must readjust their pace and tactics in response to every unexpected event along the route.

💡 Beyond the goal: analysis, learning and continuous improvement

When you cross the finish line, the journey does not end. Another equally important journey begins: recovery, analysis, continuous improvement. What did we learn? What could we do better? How do we prepare for the next one? Just as you review your performance after a race, in innovation we must review what worked, what did not, and how to turn that experience into a future advantage.

📍 In summary:

The process of monitoring and innovation is not a sprint, it is a long-distance race, like the Quebrantahuesos. It requires preparation, adaptation, collaboration and reflection. But above all, it requires commitment and passion to move forward, even when the road gets steep.