How to Become A Professional Cyclist South Africa

Professional cyclists compete in races such as the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France, and other events across the globe to see which cyclist and which team can make the fastest time.

Below is How to Become A Professional Cyclist South Africa

Cycle every day.

Training and experience are the foundations of any sport, and for a professional cyclist, this means making lots of miles on the road.

On average, you should train at least 2 hours a day for 6 days a week if you want to become a professional cyclist. If the weather is too cold to cycle outside, train on a stationary bike in a gym or at home.


Build your strength.

 Do a 60-minute strength-training workout a couple of times a week to build your muscles, specifically your leg and core muscles. You will generally need to be in great shape, with lots of lean muscle.

Good example exercises include squats, leg curls, and lunges.


Eat right to fuel your workouts.

 You’ll need to eat right to maintain your body through the grueling challenges of the sport. Get all of the nutrients your body needs, both at home and during a race, to help your body keep up.

Your diet should be rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as carbs and lean protein.

Increase your power by using tools and adding resistance.

Pro cyclists need to be able to chug up a hill even when the end of a race is near and their body is already tired. Work on increasing your power so that you can cope with situations like these.

Add resistance to your cycling sessions and use a heart rate monitor or cycling compute to ensure that you are staying within your target heart rate zone. Some good ways to add resistance include:[1]

Riding up a hill

Riding into the wind

Changing to a larger gear

What qualifications do you need to be a cyclist in South Africa?

There is no set entry route to become a professional cycle coach but getting a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a sports-related subject like sports science could give you an advantage. If you’re a competitive cyclist, you could do a foundation degree in cycling performance or cycling studies.

Who is the best cyclist in South Africa?

IMPEY DarylTop active riders

#NamePoints
1IMPEY Daryl5439
2MEINTJES Louis3104
3JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt2794
4GIBBONS Ryan1474

How many cyclists are in South Africa?

There are currently 25 600 registered Cycling South Africa members of which 2 600 hold competitive licenses, 550 are track cyclists, 400 are BMX cyclists and 100 are para cyclists. “The fact that we have world class riders participating in international events, helps the face of cycling in South Africa,” adds Hofmeyr.

How much do track cyclists get paid in South Africa ?

The pay scale

Pro continental riders make anywhere from R 374205.42 to R 2445189.62 If riders can get past this point, however, the payment gets more lucrative. The ultimate goal for many cyclists, however, is to make it onto the UCI World Tour, where the minimum wage is R 33.56M.

How hard is it to be a pro cyclist?

It is difficult to make money as a pro cyclist, but some people manage to do so for a while. Pro teams usually only pay for equipment and travel. Even the payout for major races is actually pretty low. Choose a flexible job that will work with your training and race schedule.

Is it too late to become a professional cyclist?

We all know the pathway to turning pro: sportsmen and women start their sport young, commit wholly in their mid-teens, and by the time they are in their early-20s, all they’ve ever known as an adult is being a professional athlete.

What does a professional cyclist eat?

Your meal needs to contain 20-40g of protein and around 60-80gram of carbohydrate. It’s a good idea to add lots of vegetables to your recovery meal, both to increase your carbohydrate intake and also to ensure you get a wide range of nutrients and sufficient fibre for gut health.