HOW TO ADAPT ΤΟ LIFE ON THE WORLD TOUR

Life in cycling's top tier can be tough. Tom Thewlis hears from some of the best riders in the world, and a psychologist, about just what it takes and how to step up to the demands

- Tom Thewlis

The maglia rosa of the Giro d’Italia weighs 190g. But it can feel a lot heavier. When upcoming Portuguese rider João Almeida first pulled it on in 2020 he was just 21 years old. “It was, first of all, a big surprise to take the pink jersey,” says Almeida. “It was my first year as a pro in the WorldTour so it was super nice but I wasn’t really prepared for it so I had to grow and mature.”

Almeida had been tipped for greatness but he was in his first year in the WorldTour, having joined Deceuninck- Quick Step from development squad Hagens Berman Axeon that winter. He very nearly held the jersey until the end of the race, only losing it on stage 18.

“Every day I was wearing the jersey, I felt like I would grow a little bit more because you need to deal with so much. I was having to constantly learn to be a leader,” he says. “I felt like I grew a lot in those 21 days. I definitely left the Giro a different person.”

Almeida’s experience is shared by many young riders. They work their whole life to get to the WorldTour, cycling’s highest level, but that journey is a mere introduction. Success at the top comes with a lot more scrutiny than they are used to. The limelight shines brighter up on the biggest stage.

Almeida coped with the glare well, but he didn’t do it alone, of course. The demands placed on riders by the WorldTour are many and varied – we examine some of the most stressful and how best to cope with them.

Mentorship and race craft