What does a pro cyclist do when they're not riding?
With a total number of race days usually hovering around 75 and very rarely exceeding 100, and even then, races only lasting for a handful of hours, it's fair to say that pro cyclists spend the vast majority of their time not racing bikes. Of course, race days do not include the sometimes 30 hours of training per week, but nevertheless, they're left with a lot of free time. So, what do cyclists do when they're not riding? We've tried to answer this question with a little help from the pros themselves, after a fashion.
Social media
Pro cyclists love a bit of social media. Sickeningly good views, beautiful weather, coffee stops, dirty faces, a bike against a wall (#baaw), miscellaneous pets…you name it, they all feature on a pro cyclists Instagram feed. Not only does an online presence work in the favour of their sponsors, but it also fills some of the vast quantity of recovery time.
Prolific Instagrammer, Toms Skujins, captures two of his new teammates at Cap Formentor on Trek-Segafredo's Mallorca training camp.
In between stages at the Vuelta a San Juan, Fernando Gaviria of Quick-Step Floors has been catching up with the world during a long transfer in the back of the bus.
Coffee culture
Even if you've only just started cycling, you'll no doubt have learned of the coffee culture that runs deep in the veins of the sport. There's even a professional team with a coffee company as named sponsor, for goodness sake!
Jack Haig of Mitchelton-Scott is one of many pros to have made Girona their base. One of his fellow cyclists, the now retired Christian Meier, even set up a coffee shop in the historic town, naming it Espresso Mafia and quickly becoming a sort of clubhouse for local and pro cyclists alike.
No matter where in the world they are racing, there's always good coffee to be had.
Recovery
Everyone knows that recovery is enormously important for cyclists. Ice baths, cake, and jolly good food all play important roles in a pro's life so naturally, a great deal of time is devoted to the cause.
This year's Santos Tour Down Under was a searing hot race making ice baths uncommonly popular, as Mads Pederson (Trek-Segafredo) demonstrates.
They're maybe not the most conventional (or advised) form of recovery food, but Abi van Twisk and Molly Weaver (Trek-Drops) were more than happy to tuck into post-race donuts in Australia.
Core training
Even after hours slaving away on the pedals, a pro cyclist's training is far from over. Gym work is a common feature on a training plan, as is a daily routine of stretching and core exercises. Alex Dowsett (Katusha-Alpecin) and Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) have two slightly different approaches…
Tourism
Professional cyclists get to go to some pretty cool places to ride their bikes and there's nearly always an opportunity to take in a bit of the local culture and wildlife.
Molly Weaver (Trek-Drops) kicked off her season at the Women's Tour Down Under, and before the race started, the team had a chance to meet some of the more furry locals.
Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) enjoyed a safari in the Kruger National Park on a rest day during an altitude training camp in South Africa.
Courting sponsors
Without the support of sponsors, cycling would be a very different sport. Fans have become accustomed to seeing bizarre and oddly entertaining photo shoots featuring laminate flooring or misplaced accessories, accepting that it's all just part of the game.
That said, the cycling world is still having some difficulty wrapping its head around Peter Sagan and his unique motocross goggle sponsorship…
Strange though it may sound, it is not unusual for a cycling team to have a mattress sponsor and Quick-Step is no different. In fact, the Belgian super team has recently celebrated 25 years of partnership with Latexco.
Finally, pro cyclists love nothing more than to show off the tools of their trade - yes, they are almost certainly obliged to shower positivity over any sponsored product, but even so, we'll give them the benefit of the doubt!
Like the look of Elia Viviani's new S-Works Tarmac, ridden so beautifully in Australia? We've got a number of Tarmac models in store and many more team edition products to whet your appetite as the season heats up.
{:A1395,A1383,A2523,A1220,98590,A1217}
