The most important attribute of a successful bike rider is will. You’ve got to want to do it.
The nature of cycling means you’re out in the elements, it can be a freezing cold day and pouring with rain, but you’ve got to be willing to take that on and it takes guts. They say, many aspire but few are chosen to be a champion – it takes guts, determination and training, training and more training. It’s not easy to succeed but if you want it enough then it’s about will power and determination.
However, where some people fail is that they fail to control their desire. You’ve got to really want it, but you’ve got to really control it. Say you want to win the Tour de France, it’s December and you’re a little short of training and carrying a few extra kilos, so you go out training and push it hard, and come off on a little bit of black ice and break your pelvis. Game over – you should never have gone out on that particular day. You need to be in control of your desire.
Shane Sutton was speaking at the Jaguar Ride Like a Pro Grand Final at a private test track in Warwickshire.
Jaguar selected cyclists who took part in 18 regional Ride Like a Pro cycling events to take part in a driving and cycling challenge with Sutton. The Team Sky performance advisor was driving the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, which supported both of Team Sky’s Tour de France victories.
