The Hidden Motor... In Your Head

Whether igniting a burning desire for glory or overcoming a debilitating fear, the mind’s ‘hidden motor’ is a force to be reckoned with — as examples from the pro peloton prove.

- Martijn Veltkamp

If I said you could improve your cycling performance within 15 minutes, what would you think? I suspect you’d be sceptical, especially if I added that we wouldn’t need to alter your physical fitness at all. But it’s true: instant performance breakthroughs can be made by turning a switch in a cyclist’s mind.

Too often in cycling, coaching focuses solely on optimising training schedules, monitoring physical parameters (heart rate, watts, etc), improving your position, eating properly, and of course buying better tech — in short: body and bike. Naturally, ensuring these components are as good as they can be is important, but true winners go a step further: they upgrade their brain.

Consider how current time trial world champion Tony Martin reflected on his victory: “I was strong in the head, I had no pressure. I just had fun on the road.”

Similarly, it’s no coincidence that both Team Sky and British Cycling riders are supported by renowned psychologists who help them to reach peak performance at the moments when it really matters. Let’s have a closer look at some of the prime examples from pro cycling where mental elements have made a crucial difference.

Beyond limits 

In the 2016 Amstel Gold Race, something unexpected happened. Against all odds, Enrico Gasparotto took the victory. Sure, the Italian had won before, but that was several years back. This time, he was 34 years old, a great age for whisky but rather old for a pro cyclist. What’s more, Gasparotto was riding for the small budget Wanty-Groupe Gobert team. What made the difference was that Gasparotto was motivated like no other rider in the competition.