Cycling has long been a sport dominated by Europe. Whether it’s the legendary races that transcend sport like the Tour de France, the culture of cycling integrated into daily life, or the sheer volume of talented riders hailing from the continent, Europe stands as the undisputed home of professional cycling.
In contrast, the United States, despite being a sporting powerhouse, struggles to make its mark on the World Tour. In this article, we will explore the differences in cycling culture between Europe and the USA, as we look to understand the reasons behind Europe’s dominance and what can be done to close the gap.
UCI World Rankings
One clear indicator of the gap between European and American cycling is the UCI World Rankings. As of the latest rankings, there are no Americans in the top 10, and only two, Matteo Jorgenson (ranked 11) and Brandon McNulty (ranked 23), in the top 30. Meanwhile, Europe dominates the rankings, with eight out of the top 10 cyclists hailing from the continent. In fact, Slovenia, a country with just 2.1 million people, boasts two riders in the top six: Tadej Pogacar at number one and Primoz Roglic at number six. This is a striking comparison when you consider that the US, with a population of 333.3 million, has produced far fewer elite cyclists at the highest level.
The decline of American talent at the top of professional cycling is further reflected in the number of US-based teams in the World Tour. The USA currently has just two World Tour teams, EF Education-EasyPost and Lidl-Trek. This stands in stark contrast to previous decades, when teams like Motorola, Discovery Channel, and BMC Racing carried the American flag on the global stage. These iconic squads contributed to a golden era of American cycling, culminating in the successes of riders like Greg LeMond and the infamous Lance Armstrong. Today, however, the presence of American teams in the European peloton has dwindled, mirroring the country’s struggles to compete at the sport's highest level.
Differing attitudes towards cycling
One of the most significant reasons for Europe’s dominance in cycling is the continent’s deeply ingrained cycling culture. In countries like the Netherlands and Belgium, cycling is not just a sport, it’s a way of life. It sounds like a cliché, but in the Netherlands, for example, 53% of people use a bicycle as their main form of transportation at least twice a week. This compares to just 16% in the United States. The widespread use of bicycles in daily life means that children in these countries grow up cycling, developing skills and fitness levels from a young age that naturally feed into the competitive cycling scene.
Belgium, known for producing some of the greatest cyclists in history, exemplifies how cycling culture influences talent development. The country’s legendary races, such as the Tour of Flanders, have deep historical roots, and cycling clubs are a cornerstone of many local communities. This culture produces a steady stream of world-class riders who thrive in the toughest races on the planet. Meanwhile, in the USA, cycling remains a niche sport, with far fewer opportunities for young riders to get involved in competitive racing from an early age.
Is Urban Planning a factor?
Yes, another critical factor contributing to Europe’s dominance in cycling is urban planning. Many European cities were designed long before the advent of cars, making them ideal for cycling. Narrow streets, compact urban centres, and the close proximity of towns and villages mean that bicycles are often the most convenient and efficient mode of transportation. This fosters a strong cycling culture and provides natural training grounds for aspiring cyclists.
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In contrast, most American cities were built with cars in mind. Suburban sprawl, wide highways, and a lack of cycling infrastructure make it difficult for cycling to become a primary mode of transportation. As a result, fewer people cycle regularly, and the sport struggles to gain the same level of cultural traction that it enjoys in Europe. While there are efforts to improve cycling infrastructure in cities like Portland and New York, the US still has a long way to go before it can match the cycling-friendly environments found in Europe.
The World Tour’s American snub
One of the most glaring differences between Europe and the USA in cycling is the absence of a Grand Tour or major stage race on American soil. Of the 35 events that make up the UCI World Tour calendar, not a single race takes place in the United States. This is a stark omission for a country with one of the largest populations in the world and a massive outdoor sports culture. The lack of a premier cycling event in the US not only reflects the sport’s relatively low profile in the country but also hampers the development of American riders, who miss out on the experience of racing in front of home crowds on the world stage.
Gone are the days when the Tour of California, the Tour de Georgia, and the Tour of Utah provided a strong presence for professional cycling in the US. These races once gave American riders the opportunity to compete at a high level without having to travel to Europe. Their absence is not just a gap in the calendar but a deeper indication of the challenges facing road cycling in the US.
European cycling dominance
To understand why Europe continues to dominate cycling, it’s important to look at the history of the sport. Cycling as a competitive sport originated in Europe in the late 19th century. The first Tour de France was held in 1903, and since then, the Grand Tours and the Monuments of cycling have remained firmly rooted in Europe. The sport's deep historical ties to the continent have created a lasting legacy that continues to shape professional cycling today.
In contrast, competitive cycling arrived in the US much later and has never gained the same level of popularity as in Europe. While the US has produced talented riders in the past, cycling has always played second fiddle to sports like American football, baseball, and basketball. As a result, the talent pool for cycling in the US remains much smaller than in Europe, where cycling enjoys a prominent place in the sporting landscape.
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Can America reel in Europe’s breakaway?
So, what can be done to help the US catch up with Europe in cycling? One of the most important steps is to invest in grassroots development. Programs that introduce young riders to the sport and provide opportunities for competitive racing are essential for growing the talent pool. This requires not just financial investment but also a cultural shift, where cycling is seen as a viable sport for young athletes to pursue.
Improving cycling infrastructure in American cities is another crucial step. By creating safer and more accessible environments for cycling, more people will be encouraged to take up the sport, both recreationally and competitively. Initiatives that promote cycling as a means of transportation, as seen in countries like the Netherlands, could help foster a stronger cycling culture in the US.
Finally, the return of a major stage race to the US would provide a significant boost to the sport. A UCI World Tour race on American soil would not only attract top international talent but also inspire the next generation of American cyclists. While this may seem like a distant goal, it’s an essential step if the US is serious about closing the gap with Europe in professional cycling.
The gulf between European and American cycling is stark, but it’s not insurmountable. Europe’s dominance is rooted in a deep cycling culture, favourable urban planning, and a rich history of competition. The US, by contrast, faces challenges in all these areas, but with the right investments in grassroots development, infrastructure, and a major race, there is potential for the gap to narrow. Until then, Europe will likely continue to dominate the World Tour, leaving American cycling with much work to do.
Isn’t it ironic that the first 30-40 years of the TdF were gravel and people could’t wait for things to change. Just like the electric car, it seems humans often forget what they used to have Some more detailed insight on the commercial side of gravel, the reason why it appeals to US mentalities. (not all the « arguments » and comparisons are relevant though). the guardian dot com plus /sport/2024/oct/17/good-money-no-team-tactics-and-cute-dogs-the-rise-of-pro-cycling-freelancers
Some similar dynamics to futbol in the US. Simply not part of childhood play for several reasons. Other sports dominate and involve parents driving all over Kingdom come and paying. Everything has become pay to play and a price for that is large swaths of the population is never exposed to a variety of sporting opportunities and early specialization and burnout is common, with a large percentage of kids simply quitting sport in early teens. Obesity is higher in the US, and there's open hostility from motorists towards road cyclists. Additionally, the overall distance between communities and the mountains are not the same in most of the US when compared to Europe, nor are the mountain roads, and I believe many pro cyclists develop their skill and resolve in climbing and high altitude environments. It all sort of adds up.
Good questions and explanation. 2 more factors, 1st the lack of media coverage of anything else than baseball football and basketball, both at the local level or national and the total ignorance about the rest of the world is astounding in USA. 2nd, the lack of government support, planning and développement for all sports and activities, of infrastructure développement, clubs and association, system of instructors and coaches. If you want a comparaison Between Europe and USA, Google all those points , I can write a mile long list.
Well, I'm not sure why I should be concerned that the US lags behind Europe. Europe was settled by people who had to walk from place to place, much of the US was settled after the train, so yes, you can't get places on bike, and living without a car is almost impossible for 95% of the population. But, the easiest way to grow cycling is happening organically, we're ditching the UCI for any other type of racing. The UCI is a European organization, most interested in pointless rule following and stopping innovation. It's a giant waste of time and money. So we just do what we like here, and that's not going to change.
I would say the main reason is it’s a hard sport to commercialise and make a profit with. Aren’t you concerned the US does so poorly at the paralympics while it (still) dominates the olympics? What about track, that used to be THE fetish events for the US. PS the US that settled after the train still settled mostly where settlers had already settled before. NY would be the perfect cycling city, it’s not practical for cars AT ALL and yet… Luxembourg is extremely anti-cycling and yet it is arguably the most successful cycling nation per capita, many more winners and results than Slovenia
The per-capita cycling success of Luxembourg exists only because pro cyclists live there due to taxation policies, not for any other reason. More broadly, the underlying issues viz. the relative failure of pro cycling in the are 1) the hegemony of the car in the United States; and 2) the sheer size of the country: any legitimate "Tour of the US" would be 10000km+ in length. Unfortunately, neither of these dynamics is going to change soon. On the other hand and crazily enough, this reality is perfectly serviceable: there's clearly a paucity of American cyclists in the pro peloton, and yet the sun still comes up every day and we (amateurs, in the US and elsewhere) all still ride our bikes...
No idea why you try to argue my per capita stats, firstly most foreign rider citizens are retired ones so don’t count, secondly I was considering ONLY homegrown riders of which there are plenty who’ve won big and you will usually find at least 1 or 2 in the peleton. They are not foreign tax optimisers. Also, apart from the Schlecks, Jungels Kirchen, Kirsch and a few others, most were successful BEFORE the country became a tax haven. As for your US your reasons and description are paradoxical, you admit amateurs are fine so it has nothing to do with cars. If you look at the European circuit, it covers a lot of ground, moving back and forth between several countries. EVERYONE starts at local levels to progress to bigger regions, it’s only an elite that has to travel far, no reason that has to be different in the US. Why would the UST have to be 10000k? Do you think any of the 3Ts cover a whole country or pass everywhere each year? Heck they often prefer starting or passing abroad than including more of their own. The reason purely commercial as we’ve seen with soccer and F1, it takes the right Americans with the concerned sporting organisers to work together to get traction in the US which has a cultural tendency to ignore « foreign » influences or culture to cultivate its own (US football, basketball, baseball) and promote that abroad (again, money money money is the driving force, export, not import). Ironically, you have a very successful RAAM whereas until recently only Transsiberia was available « here ». As for the Armstrong factor, yes, he definitely put a lance through it and set things back at least 20 years.
Interesting insight. Have you raced there much? I always thought they had a healthy depth of talent and a great race calendar with a variety of racing. Lots of 100k nocturne points races and brutal climbing races. Definitely more racing of longer distances than in the US and you can add Dutch, Belgian, and French races to your calendar if you get bored. I always felt safe and welcome riding in Luxembourg. It's a nice country, but not surprising considering how much they value kindergarten teachers and education in general.
There are not that many races except for youths as most stop riding when adult and the elite that continues mainly race abroad. Funnily, cyclocross works better. There’s a big amateur scene though. I feel safe everywhere on a bike alone but when you ride in a group it’s definitely worse in Lux than elsewhere, drivers HATE having to wait or slow down for cycling groups. The country is attracting a lot cycling ex-pats now so it seems to have become known as a good place to cycle (roads and nature are wonderful but then in Rwanda they are too). Country is nice for certain types, I couldn’t stand it anymore and left. Teachers are overpaid and the education is certainly not as good as it should be but it impresses everyone that you get taught in 3 languages so the typical citizen often speaks 4 fluently plus maybe a few more if travelled or of foreign descendants.
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- He'll certainly last it and prob ride his own race, at the front 😁
leedorney31-03-2025 - Gaio Primus Caesar Roglus, Rome is waiting for you, Imperator :-)).
maria2024202431-03-2025 - And he probably wasn’t even at the limit ;-) Have to wonder how much Mads could catch up if he’d tune his physique to be as sharp as MVDPs’Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- Respect for giving Van Eetvelt credit there.Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- He’s already a star for me for HAVING complained about it, the recent trend having been, let them then try to take advantage by making them sign NDAs ;-)Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- Agreed, but if it was a radio thing then all the riders should have the same story and it would be easy to call anyone out. Kind of surprised this isn’t cleared up half officially afterwards, just like the Alaphilippe divorce, seems like once something spreads on the net it kind of gets accepted that everyone wants to have their own truth so no-one bothers to contest anything that’s verifiable anymore, we all just move on.Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- maybe. what makes that a LITTLE fishy is that they suddenly hit the gas and started hammering it. even mathieu, who i’ve never heard complain about ANYTHING (other than teenage girls waking him up and being spit on by belgians) was pretty hacked off about the race tactics after the split. i think he was upset for what his teammates had to do, not for the fact he ended up isolated as a result.OCexile31-03-2025
- It seems that in E3 it wasn’t legit to criticise teams that « took advantage » because there was no radio communication about the incident so they couldn’t know to slow down. Only one source so far but should be quite easy to verify.Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- mads SMOKED it at ghent! love that guy. he’s just the best interview ever, always smart and hilarious and with a biting intolerance for stupidity. happy for him. just as a secondary thought, consider that mvdp beat THAT version of mads by a full minute at E3 two days ago. the gap between pog/mvdp and even tho other GREAT riders like mads is kinda staggering to comprehend. this is a time in cycling history that’s certainly worth paying attention to while it lasts.OCexile31-03-2025
- i watched the race. jasper and roodhooft have a legit anger about this. alpecin burned everyone to pull it back. they did the SAME THING after the split in E3, burning all their guys and thus leaving mathieu to fend for himself (which worked out ok because van der poel is van der poel, but still…). yeah, christopher and jasper should be a little pissed this time.OCexile30-03-2025