The former pro weighs in on an important aspect in the sport that seems to be lacking
Bike racing requires grit, sacrifice, and passion. The physical demands are met with mental fortitude.
Teammates will celebrate together. One rider will have crossed the line in triumph, but they all had a role. Champagne will be sipped; accolades will be shared. But the celebration will be short-lived, as they return to a world of contrast. The following day they may wake up to the sounds of pouring rain on the hotel window, knowing they have hours to ride over snow-covered peaks. They may turn over to feel the wounds from a crash that have yet to heal.
Without timeouts or substitutions, riders persist through pain, injury, and illness to race another day. They will have gone to bed knowing the race plan, where their job may be to sit on the front of the peloton, in the wind, for hours to set up their leader for victory. They will cross the finish line, answer journalists’ questions, clean the grime off their bodies, rebandage wounds, speak on the phone with their families, who they won’t see for months at a time, and eat a feast, knowing tomorrow they will have another race to ride. The intrinsic and extrinsic pressure to perform can often feel overwhelming, even for those at the top. They will face constant scrutiny and praise from around the world through social media channels. It is their passion for the sport that fuels them, but at times, mentally, even that love can run low, and the pursuit can seem pointless and dark.
Read the full feature at Canadian Cycling Magazine>>
