Navigating the road to winning
The journey to that very short moment of winning a race is complex and filled with surprises. It’s quite hard to prepare yourself for those moments as there is a different scenario or story connected to them every time. This incredible achievement is so special, yet in some ways, it’s always being taken away from you as well.
Imagine you cross the finish line, and all of a sudden, all the emotions are picking up—happiness, joy, thrill, fatigue, disbelief—and you just want to celebrate. You get a couple of minutes on the ground, then you are taken away from your team to attend the first interviews, podium ceremonies, press conferences, doping control, etc. You get so little time to celebrate with your team just after victory happens that you want to squeeze the best out of it because then you stay on your own with many people you don’t know! That’s something I wish we could change, to be able to capture the moment for a bit longer than a couple of minutes.
I mean, you truly go from absolute pain (unless you win solo and you get some seconds to breathe and smile before you cross the finish line) to absolute mode of “what just happened?!” to realizing and all of a sudden feeling so many positive emotions you cannot describe. There’s this overwhelming sense of pure happiness and satisfaction of achieving dreams you have been chasing for so long.
Sharing success as a team
That said, you do find time to share in the afterglow once all the madness dies down. After the last victory, we had a fantastic celebration, not only with the riders but with all the staff members, sponsors, and team followers.
Seeing how your effort can positively affect so many people’s lives gives you an extra boost for wanting more. There is a little trap involved as sometimes it’s hard to be in a moment and focus on what was achieved, but you run into further goals in your mind as you want to keep the good mood going. Victories give confidence and raise self-belief within the team. Victories reward hard work done during training sessions and work done late at night by our staff members. They also remind us why we sacrifice so much in our lives; this quick moment filled with so much happiness motivates you to work for months or years to experience it again.
Transitioning to new goals & mental reset rituals
Of course, it is also a balancing act of figuring out how to channel that success moving forward.
In the past, I would struggle with the fact that it’s all gone the following morning. It’s not that people forget about the victories, but people move on. So, say you won a bike race, but then the following weekend, there is another important one, and you just have to shift your attention directly, which cab feel a little upsetting.
I’ve made peace with it, though. Now, it’s as simple as going for a nice long ride, by myself or with my teammates, without any structure. I just need to spend some time in nature to clear my mind, enjoy what happened, and be in peace.
With my results, my efforts, and the whole preparation time, I can inspire others to pursue their dreams and not call it quits. I am always looking for an exchange, whether it comes to smiles, energy, or hard work. I get motivated to motivate others, but I also get motivated by my competitors when I see the progress they have made. Racing and achieving good results are pretty addicting; you always want to be better than you were and only want to take steps forward. That means you add extra hours to your training rides and look for little details that allow you to improve because you want to satisfy yourself.
Maintaining perspective and staying motivated
There are always other goals waiting for you and other important races you could win. With every victory, you had confidence you could do even more. I think most athletes never get satisfied with their careers (unless they win everything, like everything… a good example of that is Anna Van der Breggen, who retired at the age of 31, relatively early for current women’s cycling). So it’s hard to run out of races you target or the number of Olympic medals you would want to hang on your neck.
Wins have definitely given me extra confidence and reassured me about my preparations. Racing is not only about your physical shape but also mental strength, and in some ways, you play this game with competition. When you win, you also learn about the weaknesses of others, and that’s helpful for the next races.
Excited for the journey ahead
To aspiring cyclists, I offer this advice: embrace the fleeting nature of success, cherish the moments of victory, and stay motivated for the journey ahead. Speak up for what matters to you, work hard, and inspire others along the way. Dedication and perseverance make anything possible on the road to achieving your dreams. Inspire to be inspired 🙂
