"What if the reason cyclists were able to glide up the Pyrenees mountains was because they weren’t pedaling unassisted?"

Ugh ... journalism. We know that's not why. At most some cyclists are "gliding" faster than others due to assistance.

"As electronic bikes — with motors that provide up to 1,000 watts of power — have become available for recreational cyclists, hobbyists began building lighter road bikes with more discrete motors."

Surely they mean "discreet".