IDOLS AND DREAMS
Looking up to role models is normal in sports and many other endeavours. Looking up to people who do cool things like winning or whips is great, especially when those role models are fairly decent people or appear to be at least. Mountain biking seems to have many riders who can claim the title ‘role model’.
Mountain biking, and in particular cross-country, is a pretty tough sport which opens the door to many stories of perseverance and strength. Both of which are at least on-par to winning and whips in terms of creating role-models. Recently a great video was released by Emily Batty on XCO motivation which looked at her 2018 year. A year filled with second places and podiums at the highest level but missing out on that elusive World Cup or championship win. A year no doubt also filled with perseverance and strength.
A cool piece of the video was where voice messages from fans were played and showed what perseverance between the tape actually meant outside the tape. From young girls to families, there was a wide range of people who had seen Emily’s perseverance and been inspired to do the same. While sport can just be about entertainment, a deeper layer exists that can be about giving someone an escape, hope or motivation. This ‘deeper layer’ is rarely aimed for by athletes, maybe through media work and such, but ultimately it is built through chasing a dream and inspiring people through that grind.
One of the biggest grinds is already well underway for a lot of athletes, the Olympic selection cycle. Many athletes have started the year early travelling around the world to chase UCI points which are vital for selections. For countries to have options of sending one, two or three athletes they need cumulative UCI points from their three highest ranked riders. The higher the nation’s ranking, the more athletes they can send. There are some caveats, but the broad stroke is the need for points.
Even though many riders head around chasing UCI points, it may eventuate that only one rider from that nation gets to go, fun. For a lot of riders over the next year there is a whole lot more grinding to be done around the world, which is going to make many races and championships very important. When you are watching, remember that there is a lot more on the line than simply another race win.
For Australians, we don’t have many UCI races at home before the European season starts in earnest, only the National Champs and Oceania Champs in April at Bright. Four days apart, these two races are going to be as important as ever, which will make them very exciting. Even if you’re not racing consider making the trip to watch, it will be worth it!
For riders, fans and supporters ‘the grind’ and the dream, whatever that dream is, can be fuelled by idols that have persevered and kept pushing. Belief is a powerful fuel for perseverance which can be built from within the athlete and from the outside. A cool idea from Bec McConnell is a fundraiser to fund the 2019 Australian Champions to go to Canada for the World Championships (link on Bec’s Instagram). Proceeds go to the six National Champions with a possibility for the top donation to win a signed Australian Team Jersey.
Helping out this way is great to give racers a little extra hope as is any other means of help. Even if it’s just a cheer at a race or a hello on the trails, it can all help to add a little more strength to persevere.