"Smart" Cyclists

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bicycles_rule

Jun 22, 2010
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Waterloo Sunrise said:
Surprised there aren't more to be honest. Ideal way for anyone without a professional contract at 18 to continue in a lifestyle with lots of free time and flexibility which allows them to train.

I know I only had 2 hours a week nailed down in my diary at Uni, and my brother gets in 20 hours a week of riding in conjunction with a physics degree that reaches the limits of the amount of contact time you'd have at Uni.
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well, I know myself that I'd be riding a lot more, and have better equipment to boot, if I were not stressing up all the time about the next exam. I know some find it to be easy to study. Me, not so much. I have a very high IQ, but it's always difficult, I'm constantly under pressure. and I don't even do anything besides it. And I'm not the only one. about 25% of students meets the student psychologist during his/her college time in the netherlands. mostly it's financial issues that ultimately brings them there, but you get the point.

I am convinced that if you really think you got what it takes, you are much better off with a dumb job, enough money and living in a remote corner of the country.
To be able to pull of sports and studying at the same time, you have to be stress-resistant, talented, smart, and a great planner. not many have those attributes.
 
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Pandora

Sep 10, 2009
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nvpacchi said:
Can anyone else think of any other cyclists with degrees really impressive college degrees?
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If I remember correctly, Ivan Basso's parents did not allow him to sign a professional contract before getting a degree in engineering or something like that.

Some amateur cyclist I know are students or have a degree, mostly in kinesiology, but also in civil engineering, physics, music etc. There is also 1 professional close to a degree in law. Another one probably completed high school, but I'm not sure.
 
Finbouy

Finbouy

Oct 31, 2010
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Yup me too, I've a degree, my mates have degrees in various subjects, 1 has a PHD, 1 a masters but then other mates as Plumbers, Builders, Electrical Engineers, bike shop owners, Computer Geeks, CEO's, SME owners, a model..
You name it I've probably met them on the road at some point..

Eclectic mix us lot.
 
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CycloErgoSum

Oct 29, 2009
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90's pro and Indurain domestique, Thomas Davy, is an engineer or lawyer or something.

Jens Voigt has advanced Gameboy skills. Top that.
 
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Waterloo Sunrise

Sep 9, 2009
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bicycles_rule said:
well, I know myself that I'd be riding a lot more, and have better equipment to boot, if I were not stressing up all the time about the next exam. I know some find it to be easy to study. Me, not so much. I have a very high IQ, but it's always difficult, I'm constantly under pressure. and I don't even do anything besides it. And I'm not the only one. about 25% of students meets the student psychologist during his/her college time in the netherlands. mostly it's financial issues that ultimately brings them there, but you get the point.

I am convinced that if you really think you got what it takes, you are much better off with a dumb job, enough money and living in a remote corner of the country.
To be able to pull of sports and studying at the same time, you have to be stress-resistant, talented, smart, and a great planner. not many have those attributes.
Click to expand...

With respect, I suggest you try the world of work before claiming that University is harder.

Of course it varies wildly - I had 2 tutorials a week which required 2 essays - I spent 2 hours on each essay, and never went to lectures, so University was a 3 year holiday.

My brother has 2 8 hour days of labs and 15 hours of lectures as well as his tute work, but he still has the time for gym sessions each evening and 2 long rides on the weekend.

If you're as clever as you claim, it rather sounds like you're doing the wrong course, or taught by sadists.
 
F

Fester

Mar 19, 2010
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bicycles_rule said:
well, I know myself that I'd be riding a lot more, and have better equipment to boot, if I were not stressing up all the time about the next exam. I know some find it to be easy to study. Me, not so much. I have a very high IQ, but it's always difficult, I'm constantly under pressure. and I don't even do anything besides it. And I'm not the only one. about 25% of students meets the student psychologist during his/her college time in the netherlands. mostly it's financial issues that ultimately brings them there, but you get the point.

I am convinced that if you really think you got what it takes, you are much better off with a dumb job, enough money and living in a remote corner of the country.
To be able to pull of sports and studying at the same time, you have to be stress-resistant, talented, smart, and a great planner. not many have those attributes.
Click to expand...

I had a very hard time combining elite sports and a hard, competitive full time degree and more or less keeping up appearances socially, plus working holidays and riding at night, plus during this a parent died. Meeting a hot new girl friend just about brought everything down. But...

I have since accomplished all my original goals and beyond. I am back studying while earning enough to pay for it easily and live well. Approaching studies with a mature, focused mindset is far more rewarding than following the logical next step for a teenager.

I don't understand what people's rush is to join the rat race anyway. If you want to try your hand at cycling put your degree on hold, get a a bike a club and enjoy it!
 
auscyclefan94

auscyclefan94

Jun 16, 2009
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Waterloo Sunrise said:
I think you'll find the correct joke is -

Dr Ferrari won 7 TDF and combined it with a thriving gynecological practice.
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I was making up my own. I didn't want to be obvious.
 
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md2020

Mar 18, 2009
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It would be interesting to see if the percentages of "smart" atheletes is higher for cycling than in other sports. I have my doubts. When I was a junior in the 80's I seem to remember that most of the better cat 1's were meatheads. I also remember one of the US coaches describing a bunch of the residents at the Olympic Training Center as, "Strong like bull, smart like bull."

Maybe it's different now.
 
A

Addicted

Sep 28, 2010
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Jean-Christophe Péraud has a mechanical engineering degree and actually worked as an engineer while being a pro mtn biker. I think he no longer does since he switched to road...

Marie-Helene Premont has kinesiology and pharmacy bachelor
 
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mortailcoil

Jul 15, 2010
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Most people with degrees you will find are also "smart as bull". It's not all that it's cracked up to be. And neither do you have to be smart to have/get a degree. But even if you have one, it's what you do with it, that counts. Otherwise its a useless.

I do not believe it helps Pro's in any way. Apart from having to cordon a huge amount of time aside. And not to mention the mental fatigue and burn-out factor of doing more than can be mustered.
 
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Mambo95

Jul 2, 2009
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The smartest cyclists are the French cyclists who win a stage in the the Tour, get a fat contract for the next five years and don't really have to try again.

Apart from that it's Oscar Freire for me.
 
stainlessguy1

stainlessguy1

Dec 30, 2010
391
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md2020 said:
It would be interesting to see if the percentages of "smart" atheletes is higher for cycling than in other sports. I have my doubts. When I was a junior in the 80's I seem to remember that most of the better cat 1's were meatheads. I also remember one of the US coaches describing a bunch of the residents at the Olympic Training Center as, "Strong like bull, smart like bull."

Maybe it's different now.
Click to expand...

Too funny , i think the expression from my polish friends was * Strong like bull , smart like street car . * ..smiles . :cool:
 
El Imbatido

El Imbatido

Mar 17, 2009
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on3m@n@rmy said:
I know, retired. But he still rides:
Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Chechu) = electrical engineer

[ scroll down to the last paragraph in section '2008' of the link below:
http://www.chechurubiera.info/magazineasturiasencounter.html ]
Click to expand...

Yeah someone had to be able to keep lance's fridge running or fix it if necessary;)


Also Australian based team 'Drapac Porsche' won't take on riders unless they are doing some sort of eductaion. Whether it be University or TAFE (sorry don't know the european equivalent of this) or some sort of schooling so that they have something to go back to once they retire or their careers doesn't work out.
 
jens_attacks

jens_attacks

Sep 8, 2009
15,306
3
22,485
Mambo95 said:
The smartest cyclists are the French cyclists who win a stage in the the Tour, get a fat contract for the next five years and don't really have to try again.
Click to expand...

we have a winner:)


these degrees nowadays don't mean shiit.you can't say a pro is smart if he has a degree that's just bs.
 
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