"We shouldn’t always have to give politically correct answers... No one stands out" – Quinn Simmons calls for more characters in cycling

In a sport where tradition often weighs as heavily as the climbs, Quinn Simmons is carving out a name not just with his legs, but with his voice.

In a recent in-depth interview with Bici.Pro, the 24-year-old Lidl-Trek rider offered a strikingly candid perspective on the state of professional cycling — one that questions not just how the sport is raced, but how it's presented, consumed, and ultimately, how its athletes express themselves.

“We shouldn’t always have to give politically correct answers,” Simmons told Bici.Pro. “If there’s a battle in a race, if something went wrong, or if something wasn’t fair, we shouldn’t have to sugar-coat everything. I think we can be more honest as riders.”

It’s a message that resonates beyond post-race flash quotes. Simmons believes the current cycling culture filters out personality, creating a homogenous peloton of media-trained automatons. “If everyone starts being more open, it becomes normal,” he added. “Then no one stands out. I think in other sports athletes are much more genuine. In cycling, you always have to wear a filter. And when someone drops it, it becomes a problem.”

It’s hard not to read this as a call for cycling to rediscover its showmen — its Pantanis, Sagans, Cipollinis, even Wigginses. Riders whose on-bike exploits were matched by off-bike charisma. Simmons himself cites Peter Sagan as his childhood idol: “I grew up watching Sagan. I loved his style on the bike, his aggressive racing, and how he carried himself. He made it fun.”

But where are the next Sagans coming from? That’s the dilemma Simmons sees facing pro cycling today. With the sport more performance-driven, data-heavy, and team-oriented than ever, individuality is often sacrificed at the altar of marginal gains. Riders are encouraged to “stick to the plan,” and public personas are airbrushed to fit sponsor expectations and team media guidelines.

Simmons’ criticisms don’t end with rider interviews. He also questions whether modern cycling is doing enough to attract younger fans in an increasingly crowded and fast-paced media landscape. “Cycling isn’t very attractive for a teenager right now,” he said. “It risks becoming boring. I don’t watch it for fun — I watch it because I love competition, I love the work, and I want to be the best at something. But if I wanted to have fun, I’d choose another sport. For me, cycling is more important than happiness.”

It’s a stark, if somewhat fatalistic, view. Yet it reflects a deeper concern: that cycling’s unique blend of endurance, strategy, and suffering is being lost on a generation raised on TikTok and instant gratification.

So what’s the solution? Simmons points to circuit-style racing — à la World Championships — as a potential answer. “I really enjoy circuit races. Full-gas from the start, constant action. It’s great for spectators and it’s also safer for us riders.”

Indeed, circuit finishes have been a growing trend in race design, offering tighter racing, improved visibility for fans, and better broadcasting opportunities. But Simmons is aware that tradition still holds sway. “Some people won’t like it. And of course, some races wouldn’t work as circuits. But if the sport moved in that direction, I think it would be good — for both entertainment and safety.”

On safety, Simmons is firm — particularly on the controversial topic of race radios. As debates swirl about whether cycling should follow a more ‘old-school’ path without real-time communication, Simmons pulls no punches. “I don’t understand why people want to get rid of radios. It would be really dangerous. If a director can’t alert us to a crash or something dangerous on the road, that’s a big problem. It’s not even a question — they should never be removed.”

It’s another example of Simmons being unafraid to challenge nostalgic sentiment for the sake of practicality. For him, keeping riders safe and fans engaged need not be mutually exclusive.

Simmons also sees value in learning from other global sports — particularly the way Formula 1 and American leagues like the NFL or NBA package their product. “In the US, they really know how to grab attention,” he said. “Look at the Super Bowl: big ceremonies, entertainment during breaks, real-time data for fans. They know how to make sport a show.”

Cycling, he argues, could borrow some of these tools — like more use of public team radio broadcasts or real-time telemetry — to enhance storytelling without compromising the integrity of the competition.

In a sport where nuance and narrative are often buried beneath watts and w/kg ratios, Simmons is calling for a cultural shift — not just towards safety and spectacle, but towards authenticity. He’s not asking riders to turn into influencers, or races into reality TV. He’s asking them to be real.