The success of riders like Nicolas Roche (above) and Dan Martin has brought more media attention to the sport here, encouraged more participation and changed attitudes to cycling.
A new study carried out in the UK has found cyclists are regarded as brighter and cooler than those who take in other sports.
The study appears to debunk the notion that cyclists are introverted "oddballs", with the surge in participation levels in the sport and its much more significant presence in the media having rebranded it in recent years.
The new research, which has attracted coverage in the mainstream media today, was commissioned by the British Heart Foundation as it prepares for its annual London to Brighton Bike Ride.
It was conducted by scientists at the Mindlab organisation and involved an implicit association test, which examines respondents’ subconscious attitudes towards people who take part in a wide range of sports.
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The findings include:
- Nearly a quarter of us (23 per) would choose to go on a date with a cyclist over a selection of other sportspeople.
- More than one in four (27 per cent) would also want a cyclist on our pub quiz team over those from other sports.
- When it comes to tandems the top choice of partner would be Holly Willoughby (22 per cent) or Michael McIntyre (13 per cent).
- More than one in ten (12 per cent) have completed a charity bike ride before, making it one of the top challenges for respondents to take on.
- When responses were analysed, cyclists were regarded as 13 per cent more intelligent than other sports people.
- And people also believed cyclists were, on average, 13 per cent cooler than those who did other sports.
- A massive 80 per cent of people would be impressed if a date or partner had completed a charity challenge.
- When looking for love, a third of us (32 per cent) think it is important that a potential partner keeps active.
- Not even the dreaded Lycra shorts could put people off us, with 63 per cent confessing to love or like the stretchy material.
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Mindlab International founder and neuropsychologist, Dr David Lewis said the methodology of the study has been proven in the past to determine respondents' - 600 in this case - truly held attitudes and perceptions.
“Because implicit association tests measure unconscious responses, they are able to reveal what people truly believe. They provide insights into people’s beliefs unbiased by any desire to conform to the opinions of others.
"These results indicate we view cyclists as possessing attributes of which they can be proud."
The study was carried out in Britain, a nation whose cyclists have dominated recent Olympic Games, World Championships and major track and road events. This success is undoubtedly reflected in the study group’s perceptions of cyclists.
However, with participation levels have grown to record highs in Ireland in recent years, droves of celebrities having turned to cycling above other events to raise funds for charity and the success of our own cyclists on the world stage, it is perhaps not fanciful to suggest at least some of the findings would be replicated in an Irish study.
Then again, we always knew we were all über cool and sexy. Who needs research?
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