Social background of pro cyclists

[42x16ss]

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That's astonishing. I'm from Brazil and here autoracing is the elite pastime par excellence. Most of those famous drivers are rotten rich...

That's probably because of Brazil's strong history in F1 - Fittipaldi, Piquet, Senna, Barrichello, Massa etc. Australia and the USA for example have far less history in F1, where it's seen as "boring Euro w@nker racing".

Here in Australia motor racing is also generally seen as a working and middle class sport, with the V8 supercar sedans being the favourite of the working class masses. Ironically almost all of the drivers use the bike as their main form of fitness, to the ignorance of the fans.

 

[Mayomaniac]

We often talk about the longevity of pro riders compared to their breakthrough years. Can this earlier efforts (not competitive, but probably without the right guidance and control) be a factor to explain the early fade by Quintana?

The training not so much, hard (physical) work from a young age onwards and altitude are probably a bigger factor. I've heared coaches talk about how Colombians mature at a younger age.

 

[Red Rick]

The training not so much, hard (physical) work from a young age onwards and altitude are probably a bigger factor. I've heared coaches talk about how Colombians mature at a younger age.

Not all of Colombia is at altitude right?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Not all of Colombia is at altitude right?

No, but most of the cyclists come from the areas at altitude. Higuita was born and raced near Medellin at lower altitude, that might be a reason why he suffers cold and rainy weather a lot more than most Colombians.

Back to the main topic, Uran took over his father's job of selling lottery tickets at the age of 14, after the later was gunned down.

 

[Vino's Mum]

Gotta love this team...

Patrick Evenepoel, Adrie van der Poel, and (Wout’s dad’s cousin) Jos van Aert.

 

[Netserk]

A high-quality sperm bank on wheels?

 

[southwards]

Gotta love this team...

Patrick Evenepoel, Adrie van der Poel, and (Wout’s dad’s cousin) Jos van Aert.

Inferior in cycling pedigree only to a coal mine in Yugoslavia!

 

[noob]

I don't know if this quesiton goes here or in the Rogla thread, but I cannot be the only one having noticed how Roglic looks almost Asian? I wonder if he has Romani (I won't write the derogary term here) blood somewhere or something as he's so dark? He has way more distinct features and colours than his fellow Slovenian cyclists at any rate. I've been wondering about this for quite some time.

 

[RedheadDane]

So, recently in the Lesser Known races thread there was some debate, which lead me to be reminded - mainly because GBF alluded to him - of a, now retired, rider with a very troubled past.

Justin Jules.
Dead father.
Drunk and abusive step-father.
And an imprisonment for manslaughter.

From prison cell to top of the pro podium; the amazing story of rising star Justin Jules - Sticky Bottle

Having won the opening professional race of 2013 on French soil the weekend before last, Justin Jules is a name that many Irish cycling fans had perhaps not heard before. Read more...

www.stickybottle.com

 

[Kaptain Kool]

I don't know if this quesiton goes here or in the Rogla thread, but I cannot be the only one having noticed how Roglic looks almost Asian? I wonder if he has Romani (I won't write the derogary term here) blood somewhere or something as he's so dark? He has way more distinct features and colours than his fellow Slovenian cyclists at any rate. I've been wondering about this for quite some time.

Not sure if this derogatory or not, but I believe his social background is ski jumping.

 

[Izzyeviel]

Not sure if this derogatory or not, but I believe his social background is ski jumping.

well thats his previous job not social background. Nonetheless, I would presume he was born into middle class circles at least - gotta learn how to ski and that ain't cheap. How much do ski's cost anyway?

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

well thats his previous job not social background. Nonetheless, I would presume he was born into middle class circles at least - gotta learn how to ski and that ain't cheap. How much do ski's cost anyway?

For an average pair of skis, it costs $600-800 American dollars and more if you want to be a professional.

 

[Parker]

I think cycling is what I call a 'heritage sport'. One that people get into because someone in their family did it or a friend's family did it. There's a high number of sons and nephews in the men's peloton.

From a British perspective, for example Luke Rowe's dad was/is the resident coach at the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome (ha!), Tom Pidcock's dad is a big player in the Yorkshire cycling scene. And.....

Fred Wright's dad is an actor and played Francesco Moser in movie The Flying Scotsman (Graeme Obree biopic)

From an educational point of view in 2017 three of the top four and the Giro wiiner had been to University. Froome (Economics), Bardet (Sports Science), Landa (Architecture), Dumoulin (something medical). Only Bardet graduated.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Mathias Vacek used to be a pretty good XC skier in the youth ranks. He won the 10km classic NC and at the 2020 Youth Games he finished 11th in the sprint and 15th in the 10km classic race.
Bear in mind that he was already a really good cyclist in the junior ranks at the same time, that's impressive.

 

[tobydawq]

I don't think this was the point of the thread but Johannes Staune-Mittet who rode Algarve for Jumbo is also an elite cross-countri skier who in 2019 was Norwegian junior champion in the 10k classic. He still does both sports but expects to end up focusing on cycling according to an interview with The Cycling Podcast.

Pretty badass.

 

[Breezy1985]

I don't think this was the point of the thread but Johannes Staune-Mittet who rode Algarve for Jumbo is also an elite cross-countri skier who in 2019 was Norwegian junior champion in the 10k classic. He still does both sports but expects to end up focusing on cycling according to an interview with The Cycling Podcast.

Pretty badass.

I heard somewhere once the Jumbo have another rider who was a skier once too

 

[Breezy1985]

I think cycling is what I call a 'heritage sport'. One that people get into because someone in their family did it or a friend's family did it. There's a high number of sons and nephews in the men's peloton.

From a British perspective, for example Luke Rowe's dad was/is the resident coach at the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome (ha!), Tom Pidcock's dad is a big player in the Yorkshire cycling scene. And.....

Fred Wright's dad is an actor and played Francesco Moser in movie The Flying Scotsman (Graeme Obree biopic)

From an educational point of view in 2017 three of the top four and the Giro wiiner had been to University. Froome (Economics), Bardet (Sports Science), Landa (Architecture), Dumoulin (something medical). Only Bardet graduated.

Obviously Nico Roche had a cycling dad and Dan Martins mother was a Roche but on top of that Dan's father was a former GB cycling nat. champion.

 

[tobydawq]

I heard somewhere once the Jumbo have another rider who was a skier once too

Don't believe everything you hear.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Chris Froome grew up in Africa in a middle-class home with divorced parents living in different countries. He rode over dirt roads with some pretty poor but solid Kenyan cyclists. He speaks multiple languages and is a survivor of recurrent bilharzia.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I heard somewhere once the Jumbo have another rider who was a skier once too

Yea, for their sins.

Hit the music!

It's Sepp Kuss.

 

[topcat]

Chris Froome grew up in Africa in a middle-class home with divorced parents living in different countries. He rode over dirt roads with some pretty poor but solid Kenyan cyclists. He speaks multiple languages and is a survivor of recurrent bilharzia.

Forum members come from all walks of life and are survivors of recurrent bullshlt.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Fred Wright's dad is an actor and played Francesco Moser in movie The Flying Scotsman (Graeme Obree biopic)

I didn't know that but his grandad lives near me and also has a theatrical background.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

In middle school I was taught maths by the dad of Sep Vanmarcke.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

In middle school I was taught maths by the dad of Sep Vanmarcke.

Was it a crash course?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I don't think this was the point of the thread but Johannes Staune-Mittet who rode Algarve for Jumbo is also an elite cross-countri skier who in 2019 was Norwegian junio champion in the 10k classic. He still does both sports but expects to end up focusing on cycling according to an interview with The Cycling Podcast.

Pretty badass.

I actually thought Staune-Mittet had given up a potential skiing career just like his teammate Per Strand Hagenes, since none of them have competed in FIS races in the past two years.