THE CYCLING JUKEBOX

In the depths of your chosen music streaming service lives a plethora of contemporary cyclist-inspired songs. Chris Marshall-Bell digs into the digital crates

- Chris Marshall-Bell

Far away from the ticker tape of the WorldTour, in basements, bedrooms and under bridges across Europe, there toils away a very, very small sect within cycling. Without much fanfare and with even less publicity, they craft songs dedicated to pro riders, celebrating their victories, their personalities and their nicknames.

CW takes a look at eight of the tracks and tries to examine if any of them deserve a spot on our playlists.

We doubt Spotify will be telling you at the end of 2021 that the following songs are part of your most-listened-to tracks of the year, but at least now you’ll be able to mark the future wins of the riders that inspired them more appropriately by turning the speaker on and raising the volume. Or perhaps, in some cases, turning it down.

RIDER: RICHARD CARAPAZ SONG: CARAPAZ ERES CAPAZ

ARTIST: WIDINSON

The chaos of everyday life in every South American plaza mayor is played out to the background noise of a guitarist and their soulful voices, and Widinson’s homage to Richard Carapaz is the perfect soundtrack to such scenes.

Informing the Ineos Grenadiers rider – or solid warrior, as he refers to Ecuador’s favourite son – that “you are capable” and that the whole country “follows you day and night”, Widinson predicts that the likeable rider will “win one more time”.

Whether or not he adds to his Grand Tour collection, it’s a song we have on repeat simply for its blissful tones incorporating flamenco guitar and South American fluidity. Qué bonita. CW score: 9/10

RIDER: EGAN BERNAL SONG: COLOMBIA ESTÁ DE FIESTA

ARITIST: EL BURRITO