How has cycling changed in the past five-to-six years, since 2019, when Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel turned pro?
It’s quite a standard question to ask these days, especially to WorldTour veterans of 12 seasons and counting like Bob Jungels. The Pogačar-Remco emergence heralded a new era of young superstars, of teenagers turning professional with the knowledge and tools of much older peers. Usually, it’s a question that elicits a standard response, a nod to the increased professionalism or a throwaway comment about the lack of training camp beers. The sport’s not better or worse for it, it’s just the new reality.
But when Jungels, who is joining Ineos Grenadiers in 2025, is asked this very unoriginal question by Rouleur, his response is far deeper and far more meaningful than what could have been expected. “What is interesting for me is how Covid changed so much [in 2020],” the Luxembourger, 32, says. “The pandemic didn’t change things, but it was how all the teams came out [of that period]. That’s where everything got dialled in in terms of nutrition and training and everything else. You could argue that sometimes we have less fun, especially off the bike, but that’s a good thing also: we’re becoming really professional on every level, and you see the whole level of the bunch is going up.”
So far, rather run-of-the-mill quotes. But then Jungels begins to stew over a debate more people are beginning to voice. “It’s an interesting time for the sport, and I’m curious to see how long it will last,” he says. “I’m a bit sceptical if we can still push it a lot more.”
In terms of what? Technological advancements? Our understanding of nutrition and training techniques? “I think we will reach a limit at some point of mental strength and mental capacities of riders,” he says. Are we asking a lot of riders? “I think so. There is a lot less downtime, more time at altitude camps, and all year round you’re required to take care of nutrition and this or that. It’s becoming a tough year every year. I believe there is a time for everything – time to have beers with mates, time to weigh your rice. To have a long-lasting career, you have to find your own balance.”
Jungels is alarmed that in the past few seasons a number, although still a small amount, of riders in their early 20s have chosen to retire from the sport, often citing dissatisfaction with the lifestyle and wanting fulfilment away from…