In the pre-social media age, professional cyclists were untouchable masters of endurance with superhuman physiology who rode in a higher realm. The juggernauts of the noughties racing broke records on TV and in newspapers. A world away, amateurs went on coffee rides, the same sport but so different from the elite ranks.
Aspiring riders watched the early feats of stars like Mark Cavendish and Alberto Contador in awe, but through a layer of separation. As Tadej Pogačar’s 2.4 million followers on Instagram can attest, nothing has changed in that sense – cycling's heroes are still adored and idolised.
