Or basketball in general. I wasn't entirely sure what March Madness was until I was sitting at the bar in a dive with a friend who explained the broad strokes about the two teams we were watching on the big screen in front of us. Their strategies, the trademarks of their playing, their stories, who he thought would win, who had historically always won.
He said the women's tournament had been more exciting than the men's this year. He had some thoughtful explanations as to why.
It all reminded me of what's happening in women's pro cycling right now. People are finally figuring out how good it is.
A few hours after Mathieu van der Poel destroyed Paris-Roubaix this year, Bicycling contributing writer Whit Yost and I were bullshitting over text about bike racing in general and this edition of Roubaix in particular.
"My hot takes: This has been another instance of the women's race being more exciting than the men's. And Lidl-Trek is bringing it this season and is going to make SD Worx work hard for the money," I wrote.
"Was just saying the same thing to a friend. Men's cycling is boring. Dominance isn't fun to watch-at least not in this manner. Like, I don't even wanna watch anymore," he responded.
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ONE MAN'S OBSESSIVE CRUSADE TO Take Down Zwift Cheats
Indoor cycling and virtual racing are booming, and so are the ranks of digital dopers abusing the platforms.
WHAT I LEARNED WHEN LOST IT ON A MOUNTAIN BIKE
A lifelong roadie tries singletrack for the first time. It did not go as planned.
THE UNLIKELY HERO WHO RECOVERED OVER 200 STOLEN BIKES IN ONE AMERICAN CITY
It was a sunny day in the summer of 2022. There were some things I had to move into the house, so I left the garage door open. I was gone less than 15 minutes.
YOU CAN BE MORE THAN JUST A CYCLIST
I'VE ALWAYS HAD A LOVE FOR SPORTS, starting with the usual team ones such as football and baseball. But that faded in favor of more individual pursuits. Watching my dad roll down the driveway to go for a ride, I wanted to do the same. The bike was my first taste of freedom, a freedom to do it my way.
THE RIGHT SADDLE CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
UP UNTIL RECENTLY, I WAS, AT BEST, A TWICEa-month cyclist.
HOW TO SAY GOODBYE TO THE RIDER YOU USED TO BE
CYCLISTS OF ALL LEVELS GO THROUGH various phases or eras over the years they spend in the saddle. For the vast majority of riders (myself included), these things happen privately, without fanfare.
BIKES MAKE THE WORLD A MORE INCLUSIVE PLACE
LIFE'S A BEAUTIFUL PUZZLE THAT COMES in all sorts of shapes, colors, and sizes.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD CYCLING SCENE, ANYWAY?
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF INVOLVING myself in a few populous and dramatically different cycling communities.
CHOOSE GEAR THAT INSPIRES YOU TO HAVE FUN E
EVEN THOUGH I TEST LOADS OF CYCLING gear for a living, sometimes I get locked in on particular items and find it difficult to enjoy competing products, even if those products have obvious advantages.
WHY YOU DESERVE A CUSTOM BIKE
Custom. The word evokes passionate opinions about what constitutes a custom-made bike and who gets to ride one. There's this idea that they're wildly expensive pieces of functional art meant only for the fittest, fastest riders.
