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That's a very interesting idea. However cycling is also hugely popular in protestant countries, eg Netherlands or the UK. And other sports share this fascinatio

That's a very interesting idea. However cycling is also hugely popular in protestant countries, eg Netherlands or the UK. And other sports share this fascination with suffering. For example in mountaineering one of the most famous stories is that of Joe Simpson going down a remote mountain in the Andes with a broken leg and no food or water over several days.

Lio 6y ago
That's very true and one reason why I said "traditionally" but there are no Monuments or Grand Tours in either Britain or Netherlands. It's just a thought and not a very well researched one so I wouldn't expect anyone to take it too seriously. For Joe Simpson, or say Earnest Shackleton's expedition to the Antarctic, these are stories where something went wrong and they were able to show heroic Endurance* just to survives. In professional Cycling, it's slightly different, temptation is a factor. You can stop at any time and you'll be picked up by the warm Broom Wagon or team cars that follows the race. It would be so easy to give in to the devil on your shoulder offering you the easy way out... Even giving in to that weakness is venerated by numerous photographs of weeping riders by the side of the road. Cycling fans seem to respond to a loser's suffering, as we recognise shared weakness. That story of temptation seems to chime with stories of martyrs and saints. Who knows though, like I said it's just a hypothesis. * Sorry, terrible pun.
watwut 6y ago
I think that is because initially, "suffering" in sport is actually rewarding. It happens around the same time endorphins flow and you feel so good after. And then you feel improvement and achievement. You have to overcome some discomfort to get better, so trainers and coaches teach that mindset too. And it pushes you further and plus, you can imagine yourself as sort of tough hero. And you can brag about it. The issue is when it becomes addictive and it is not good suffering anymore, but rather deliberate destruction of body with long term consequences.

Lio 6y ago

That's very true and one reason why I said "traditionally" but there are no Monuments or Grand Tours in either Britain or Netherlands. It's just a thought and not a very well researched one so I wouldn't expect anyone to take it too seriously. For Joe Simpson, or say Earnest Shackleton's expedition to the Antarctic, these are stories where something went wrong and they were able to show heroic Endurance* just to survives. In professional Cycling, it's slightly different, temptation is a factor. You can stop at any time and you'll be picked up by the warm Broom Wagon or team cars that follows the race. It would be so easy to give in to the devil on your shoulder offering you the easy way out... Even giving in to that weakness is venerated by numerous photographs of weeping riders by the side of the road. Cycling fans seem to respond to a loser's suffering, as we recognise shared weakness. That story of temptation seems to chime with stories of martyrs and saints. Who knows though, like I said it's just a hypothesis. * Sorry, terrible pun.

watwut 6y ago

I think that is because initially, "suffering" in sport is actually rewarding. It happens around the same time endorphins flow and you feel so good after. And then you feel improvement and achievement. You have to overcome some discomfort to get better, so trainers and coaches teach that mindset too. And it pushes you further and plus, you can imagine yourself as sort of tough hero. And you can brag about it. The issue is when it becomes addictive and it is not good suffering anymore, but rather deliberate destruction of body with long term consequences.