The Cycling Addiction - Supported by Bloomsbury Publishing and Rapha
Our 2025 Winter Talk Series challenges different myths and assumptions.
Where The Midlife Cyclist went to first principles of how midlife athletes explore the outer limits of their own performance, The Cycling Addiction explores the fundamental antecedent of why?
Why bring all this pain upon yourself in the first place?
For why do we seek to suffer?
Some familiar and unfamiliar faces - all trying to find the line. With various degrees of success.
"The racing peloton is a real-time microcosm of the human condition"
The Goldilocks Paradigm
Some people can achieve a perfect equilibrium once a passion has become inscribed in neon across their soul. Could be chocolate, wine or indeed the pursuit of performance on a bicycle.
Such folk have found a way to finely control the very thing they love beyond measure. Not too hot or too cold, but just the right temperature and amount- they have located The Goldilocks Paradigm.
To be clear: these people will gain nothing from this talk series.
For the rest of us, our intellect, critical reasoning and life-experience frequently count for very little as we, over-train, under-prepare, get injured, find ourselves stuck on an annoying bloody plateau or simply fail to find the right balance.
The Trouble with doubling Down
The temptation is to double-down on our work-ethic, by tugging ever harder on the multiple strands of our human existence - work, training, sleep, home-life - If only we can squeeze the lemon of our own motivation and application, to illicit a few more precious drops of the good-stuff.
But doubling down rarely works in a casino or in the pursuit of human performance.
In The Cycling Addiction Talk Series we are privileged to hear from rarely heard voices. All fascinated and captivated by the question of how we harness and express our own motivation. And what are the consequences of when we fail spectacularly?
The Circus - AKA Professional Peloton
The racing peloton is a real-time microcosm of the human condition.
We return to The Circus throughout the talk series, to evaluate athletes under peak physical, mental and emotional stress.
What can we learn about ourselves as we seek to maximise our own performance?
The Circus v's Real Life Comparison:
- A community governed by rules
- It is strongly competitive environment that requires and rewards cooperation but also defection
- Based on trust and honesty but also occasionally rewards bluffing about how you feel
- Rewards a strong work ethic but occasionally favours the work-shy passenger
- Requires us to sometimes curb our natural instincts and plan for the longer term - be more strategic
- Racing a bicycle and life can both reveal our very best and very worst selves!
Every talk references the professional peloton and elite performance. Every guest is connected to professional racing in some capacity. Culminating with an evening with Pippa York, who blazed the trail for our current cohort of talented UK riders finding a home in continental racing.
"Doubling down rarely works in a casino or in the pursuit of performance"
Dr Nigel Stephens talks at 2023 Midlife Cyclist Series
Research Cardiologist, Dr Gemma parry-Williams - 2023
How To Book
Please reserve your space Online
All profits are being donated to charity
Doors open at 18.30 and the talk starts at 19:00
Rapha London Clubhouse - 85 Brewer St, London, W1F 9ZN
The CYCLING ADDICTION TALKS
- TCA Lecture One - 16.1.25 – Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon - Mr Andrew Langdown – A Cyclist Re-Built - The Surgeon’s Tale
- TCA Lecture Two – 23.1.24 – Ben Friend - Beyond The Limits - 1987 Giro d'Italia - Roche v's Visentini internecine
- TCA Lecture Three - 30.1.25 – Holly Winstone (Cyclefit/Rapha Elite Gravel Racer) & Sarah King (Award-Winning, London Academy Team Principal) - The Sisterhood -
- TCA Lecture Four - 13.2.25 – Peter Georgi – Can A Midlife Cyclist Ride Tour de France?
- TCA Lecture Five - 27.2.25 – Dr Mark Kirkman, Dr Nigel Stephens, Dr Jon Baker – Central Governor Theory – What makes us stop?
- TCA Lecture Six - 6.3.25 – Prof Michael Liebrenz – Mind Over Miles - Are bike-racers made over time, or born different?
- TCA Lecture Seven – 20.3.24 – Pippa York / Guy Andrews – All Roads Lead To Pippa. Bike-racing's ultimate pragmatist. Rarely heard insights from Robert Millar's time in the pro-peloton.
How To Book
Doors open at 18.30 and the talk starts at 19:00
Note - There will be an opportunity for talk participants to shop at Rapha once the doors are closed.
Rapha London Clubhouse - 85 Brewer St, London, W1F 9ZN
The Cycling Addiction Series at Rapha
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A Cyclefit Talk Series - Supported by Rapha and Bloomsbury Publishing
"Pain is no signal to stop"