5 things to know about Strava, the app that tracked Emmanuel Macron

© Strava

This October 27, a vast survey of the Worldrevealed that the Strava platform had been used to track Emmanuel Macron’s movements. The cause was its public use by members of the Security Group for the Presidency of the Republic (GSPR), which revealed the president’s location in real time. But what exactly is Strava??

A social network for athletes

Founded in 2009 by Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath, Strava stands out from traditional sports applications due to its social dimension, allowing users to interact with each other. They can follow each other, comment on each other’s activities, and distribute “ kudos ” (the equivalent of “ I like “), and even create virtual clubs to train together.

Many activities taken into account

Although Strava initially became known to runners and cyclists, the app has significantly expanded its range of activities over time. Running, road biking, mountain biking, swimming, hiking, skiing, kayaking… More than 30 different sports can now be recorded and analyzed.

Precise data analysis

For each activity, the platform compiles a multitude of data: distance traveled, elevation gain, average speed, calories burned, but also heart rate and effort level for users equipped with smartwatches.

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Strava syncs with most connected devices on the market (GPS watches, bike computers, heart rate sensors, etc.) and also allows you to record an activity directly via your smartphone. Beyond simple tracking, the platform offers detailed performance analyses, such as heart rate zones, effort distribution, comparisons with previous outings, etc.

By subscribing to the premium version, users can unlock additional tracking features, as well as personalized training.

Strava encourages athletes to surpass themselves

Stravia offers monthly challenges that encourage athletes to surpass themselves, whether in distance covered or elevation climbed. Because the platform focuses on the competitive aspect thanks to the ” segments “. These sections of the course, created by users, become real competition grounds where everyone can try to achieve the best time. The rankings for each segment evolve in real time.

A considerable gain in popularity during the pandemic

Strava’s popularity exploded during the Covid-19 era, growing from 28 million users in 2017 to 55 million in 2020. As of December 2020, the company was valued at $1.5 billion, a significant jump from $300 million in 2019.

Strava has continued its rise ever since. Its revenues reached $220 million in 2022, and an estimated $275 million in 2023. It had no less than 120 million users last year, across 190 countries worldwide.

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