10 Life Lessons I Learned From Competitive Cycling
The 102nd edition of the Tour de France is over. Its winners and losers are known. As a young kid growing up in Belgium I never cared much for the sport my grandfather and uncles watched. I played soccer, just like every other 12 year old in my neighbourhood. One rainy summer holiday, out of pure boredom, I started watching the live coverage of “Le Grande Boucle”. The next winter I joined the local cycling team and raced in Belgium and abroad for the next four seasons. I realised that what I learned in those years of competitive racing could easily be transferred to life and work.
1. Pick your route and stick with it
Imagine leading a pack of 150 riders into a blind bend at 40k/h, when you notice a dog standing in the middle of the road. You have exactly one second to decide where you will steer your bike and the rest of the bunch behind you. Don’t touch your breaks, be confident. You can’t predict where the dog will jump. Don’t panic, stick with your route while making little corrections. If you do run into the dog… your body will be better prepared for the impact.
Sticking with your route doesn’t mean you shouldn’t change course. Keep your eyes focused on where you want to go. Focus on the obstacle and you will certainly run in to it.
2. Eat before you get hungry
And drink before you get thirsty. This is probably the most simple advice you get as a young rider, but oh so often forgotten. Fill up before you run out of reserves. This goes for everything in life.
3. Always be in front
Crashes almost always happen in the middle or the back of the bunch. Try to stick around with the people who lead the pack. They have a clear view on the road and can adapt more swiftly to what is ahead. If you crash in front it is often your own fault, a miscalculation or not paying attention. In the back of the pack you spend your time avoiding people who fall around you.
4. Appear from behind
This might sound contradictory to the previous point. Appearing from behind does not mean coming from the back. Stay in front of the race, but keep yourself out of the wind as long as you can. Pop your head out once in a while to test your legs or to move up some positions, but take cover again as soon as you can. Someone with stronger shoulders can take the wind for you. Choose your time wisely.
Notice how the rider who wins a bunch sprint in a cycling race has only been in the absolute front for a couple of seconds, maybe even a split second. Is it fair? Maybe not. Is it smart? Definitely!
5. Let them pass
Don’t be an jerk. Signal when an obstacle occurs. A crash from another rider can bring you or your teammates down too. What goes around comes around.
6. When your teammate wins, you win
Watch a mountain stage in the Tour de France, and you will see a whole team riding in one line with their leader following right behind. He will take all the glory at the end. Interviews, fans and kisses from the flower girls.
The guys who worked for his victory all day will end an hour later, using every last bit of energy to get up the hill, moving between spectators who are already coming down the mountain. No cameras, no glory, just pure misery. But when they arrive at the top and hear their leader has won, they know it was all worth it.
7. Practice your poker face
From the length of their socks to rolling up their shorts “Italian Style”, cyclists are incredibly vain. It is all part of the intimidation game. Don’t show the competition your pain. Always make things look smooth and seamless, no matter how much you are suffering. Nothing is more scary than a competitor who looks like he is taking a walk in the park.
8. Every Km/mile abroad counts for two
Go and explore the world. Learn how people do things in other places and try to adapt. The fastest way to grow and really get to know yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses, is to drop yourself in an unknown environment.
I discovered my strength for slowly increasing the pace on long stretches of road in a Spanish race when I was 17. Little groups would break away, and I kept myself from making the jump. Instead I slowly increased the pace on long stretches of road, creeping up to them with the bunch behind me. After a couple of times, the frustrated Spanish riders started throwing pieces of apple when we caught them. I came back with a big confidence boost. The next races at home in Belgium seemed a lot easier.
9. Don’t jump at every opportunity
An average peloton (bunch) has around 150 riders. That is a whole lot of people who might try to break away from the pack to claim victory. You have a limited energy reservoir, use it wisely. Have a game plan ready with priorities before the race.
If things are getting too crazy, the bunch often lets a small group of riders escape for a couple of hours, just to calm things down.
10. Eat bananas
It is what it is. Bananas are always good.
