"It's just robotic" - British commentator fears over demands of current pro cycling and junior scouting
Cycling
Pro cycling has changed a lot over the past few decades and one of the most notable aspects was the attention to detail when it comes to training and nutrition. Whilst creating better athletes, it creates a large obstacle in the way of becoming a professional rider, and it turns the riders into 'robots' almost, Brian Smith argues.
"I was so serious. I was always trying to do things better. I was always looking at going the extra mile. When I was racing in Britain, I was possibly the hardest trainer – a training machine. I was quite proud of that," Smith told CyclingWeekly.
However, the British commentator, two times a national champion in the 1990's, believes that he would've potentially been better adapted to the current demands of being a pro cyclist than most of his peers. These have increased exponentially in the last 30 years, to a point where it's almost unrecognizable.
The training programs are often adjusted and followed to the tiniest of details, as is nutrition; whilst technological advances continue to speed up the sport in ways that are incredibly significant just over the past decade - the use of aero bikes and skinsuits on mountain stages being perhaps one of the most notable.
However this all comes at a cost, as many are not able to sustain the constant pressure and need for attention to detail, which is the case at the top of the sport but also amongst those who are merely fighting for a spot in it.
Robots in the peloton
"Young riders are becoming robots, where everything's measured. Their nutrition is measured, training's measured – everything's measured. It's just robotic. It's just not enjoyable," the Briton argues. He argues that in current cycling, no stone is left unturned, and young riders are forced to become extremely professional from a very young age.
"Every time you push a pedal around these days, it's been uploaded for your coach to look at every day. To do that day in, day out, is super hard for a lot of these young athletes". This is also most likely behind many early retirements from the sport as has been seen this winter; and as in the last month alone was possible to see after the retirement of Simon Yates and also 23-year old cyclocross world champion Fem van Empel who decided to step away from the sport.
It is a rough path and many pro riders argue that careers are being shortened in real time, because the demand is unsustainable in the long-term. And the peloton is becoming more and more young, as World Tour teams now often scout out riders from the junior ranks directly into their World Tour projects, in fear of missing out on the 'next big thing'. After the success of Remco Evenepoel's transition, it has become a staple in the scouting politics of several teams.
"Cycling is getting younger and younger… there's people in their early 20s thinking 'I'm not going to make it as a pro'. There's teams signing up junior riders, bypassing some under-23s now," Smith warns as something that can also affect the natural progression of young riders.
Paul Seixas joined Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel at the podium of the European Championships, only weeks after turning 19 years old
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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