'Riders are now worried about every extra gram': Sean Kelly calls for peloton to lead more balanced lives
The former Irish pro lays out what worries him about the lifestyles of today's pros
Sean Kelly has implored today's pro riders to bring more balance to their lives by taking proper breaks during the off season and not focusing on their weight too much.
In a blog post, the former Irish pro says he watched earlier in the year as many riders suffered broken bones and the likes of Nairo Quintana and Adam Yates put in sensational early-season rides, drawing comparisons as to what life was like during his time in the peloton.
Kelly says when the season finished during his time racing, riders would hang up their bikes for six weeks but still continue with small amounts of exercise. He goes on to say for Quintana and Yates to have performed as well as they have at races such as the Tour de La Provence and the UAE Tour, he believes they must have been training "really hard" throughout winter and that he thinks they were close to Tour de France levels of fitness, which in the long-term he believes is "not sustainable".
"Given that I won Paris-Nice seven times this system seemed to work pretty well. Nowadays, however, many professional riders never get off the road bike all year round. They may do a bit of stretching in the evening but many just ride their bikes all the time. This leads to a lowering of bone density and this is what causes so many broken bones. The teams nowadays are just worried about results and there is little concern for the long-term health of the riders," Kelly wrote.
"For Quintana and Yates to be able to perform as they did in February of this year, they had to have been training really hard on the bike throughout the winter. Too hard. They were close to Tour de France level fitness at that time of year, and in the long term that is not sustainable."
Continuing his analysis of the potentially problematic differences between pros in 2020 and 1980, Kelly says riders focus too much on their weight and their diets allow them to be "bike-fit" but not "healthy-fit".
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"Weight is another issue that has become too much of a focus. In the search for marginal gains riders are now worried about every extra gram. They eat like sparrows and many are always hungry, for food that is. Again a bit more balance is needed," Kelly says. "By having such restrictive diets they are missing out on many natural minerals and vitamins etc. They may be super bike-fit, but they are not a healthy-fit."
As for his advice, Kelly admits it would be hard for a pro rider to break the current mould but suggests it should be a topic given more attention.
"Don’t worry if there is a bit of fat on your plate and don’t get carried away with any of these fancy fad diets. Drink a few beers or a glass of wine and relax. And my advice, especially for us sportive riders who are carrying an extra 10kg is to relax about the beer belly. A small one is a sign of health. For the pros, this is going to be difficult to do because everybody wants to be in peak condition for racing and to be able to perform at the levels that teams demand. However, in my mind this is something that needs to be seriously looked at."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022.
I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
I'm not into cake stops - but - I made an exception to rate five British delicacies in one ride
Of all the cakes named after places in the north-west of England, which is the tastiest? Simon Warren sets out to sample them all in a single epic ride
By Simon Warren Published
-
The Rugby Flyer flies again: the story of the first sub-hour '25' time trial
How one record-breaking bike – and the memory of the man who rode it – live on
By James Shrubsall Published
-
'It's disappointing': Sean Kelly on Ireland choosing to skip World Championships
The Irishman says he often had to pay for himself at the event
By Tom Davidson Last updated
-
King Kelly reigns in Spain: Retracing Ireland's first Vuelta a España victory
Sean Kelly recounts the story of Ireland's first ever win in the Vuelta a España to James Shrubsall
By James Shrubsall Published
-
Cycling icon Sean Kelly given lifetime achievement award at Cycling Weekly Awards 2019
Sean Kelly has been one of the biggest icons in professional cycling for decades.
By Alex Ballinger Published
-
‘It’s a long shot, but Julian Alaphilippe is my pick’: Sean Kelly makes his prediction for the Yorkshire 2019 World Championships
Sean Kelly has picked out Julian Alaphilippe as favourite to win the Yorkshire 2019 World Championships.
By Alex Ballinger Published
-
Crowning achievement: How Stephen Roche completed his shock Triple Crown
Stephen Roche’s 1987 World Championship victory that completed the Triple Crown was a shock to many that knew him best
By Peter Cossins Published
-
125 years of Cycling Weekly: races that made history
It’s often said journalism is the first draft of history - we’ve reproduced our original editorial from some of the most famous stories ever to mark the 125th anniversary of Cycling Weekly
By Jack Elton-Walters Published
-
Icons of cycling: Sean Kelly's cobble-busting Vitus 979
Take one Irishman, add a wholly Gallic bike and the result is Classics gold
By Simon Smythe Published
-
What it's like to ride the Tour de France
What's it really like to ride the Tour de France? Cycle Sport sifts through the cliches to get to the heart of the world's greatest race.
By Edward Pickering Published