The Tao of cycling

My daily watching of the Tour de France and mountain biking season are a constant reminder of the cyclical nature of live embedded in that sport, where everything goes up and down and in which suffering alternates with elation. By its very nature, and without any pun, cycling truly is the poster child of Taoism with its uncanny way to “cycle” feelings, physical shape and experiences.

It's a great activity in which a certain mindset always plays a much larger role than we give it credit for. If you feel beat up you are, if you fear you won't make a tight turn you won't, if you try too hard everything unravels, if you don't believe, it won't happen. All these observations bring Taoism into my riding and I can only conclude with an appropriate quote from the Master:

“By letting it go, it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try, the world is beyond the winning.” – Lao Tse.