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From the Maillot Jaune to the Lanterne Rouge, cycling presents the constant challenge of who can suffer the most. Cycling greats such as Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault were notorious for their ability to suffer the most. In many ways, cycling can be a microcosm to understanding key competencies in sustainability just as Merckx and Hinault understood how to succeed in cycling.
From a systems perspective, a cyclist performs a reinforcing feedback loop without even realizing it. The simple action of pushing the pedals in a cyclical motion allows them to move from point A to point B. What’s so intriguing about this is that the rate of the feedback loop is either dictated by the cyclist or by the road itself. As an avid cyclist, I am constantly presented with this challenge of riding on the flats or suffering up the mountainside. There have been plenty of times where I could not make it to the summit, but one thing I have understood through all these failures are lessons that have made me stronger.
Cycling can also be described under as normative competency in sustainability. My grandmother was an avid cyclist and she sent me a letter of some lessons she learned on her ride across the country. One example of her trip were the many stories of Americans who helped her along the way. One story was about how, “A Minnesota couple brought us warm cookies in the evening, fed us breakfast the next morning, and later gave us a ride to the train station during a storm. [or a] farm family allowed us to camp in their yard, provided us with lots of scrumptious fresh vegetable, and insisted that we use their shower.” These small acts of kindness that my grandmother experienced exemplify the idea of understanding the values of others. In order to solve many of the ‘wicked’ problems sustainability scientists deal with, we must pay attention to the culture of others.
Sustainability competencies and their similarities to cycling show our connection to the world. We are reliant on one another to push the goals of sustainability forward, but just as in cycling, we are reliant on ourselves in order to succeed. – Austin Powell
Meeting Tour de France Winner Bradley Wiggins in the 2010 TDF