American cycling's problem isn't talent. It's access. | Opinion
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Every July, Americans watch the Tour de France and wonder why an American is rarely in contention for the yellow jersey. The conversation usually focuses on coaching, training methods, sports science, or whether our best athletes choose other sports. Those things matter, but they miss a more fundamental issue.
American cycling doesn't have a talent problem. It has an access problem.
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Before a child can discover whether they have the talent or desire to race, someone has to buy the bike, helmet, shoes, and other equipment. Then come race entry fees, travel, coaching, maintenance, and upgrades. For many families, the cost becomes too much long before a young rider reaches their potential. After years around youth cycling, I've seen families quietly leave the sport because the costs simply became too much.
The biggest loss isn't that some kids never race. It's that we never discover what they could have become.
Somewhere in America today, there is a kid with exceptional endurance, grit, and determination riding neighborhood streets or local trails. They may have the potential to become an elite cyclist, but they will never pin on a race number because no affordable pathway into the sport exists.
This isn't just a cycling problem. Across youth sports, participation has become increasingly tied to family income. But cycling has a particularly high barrier to entry because of the equipment required. A child can discover soccer with a ball and a public field. A future runner needs little more than a pair of shoes. Cycling often requires a major investment before a child even knows whether they love the sport.
Cost isn't the only obstacle, but it is one of the biggest. When access depends largely on family resources, we aren't identifying the best athletes. We're identifying the best athletes whose families can afford the sport. Fortunately, some communities are already showing us what works.
In Iowa City, the Bike Library makes bikes more affordable while teaching people how to repair and maintain them. The Iowa City Mountain Bike Club provides free practices, volunteer coaching, and a welcoming community where young riders can develop skills without adding another major expense for their families. The Iowa Gravel Series lowers another barrier by offering youth riders significantly reduced race entry fees through generous sponsors. These organizations share a simple belief: a child's opportunity should not depend on their family's income. Access to a bike matters. Access to coaching matters. Access to affordable racing matters.
If we want American cycling to become more competitive on the world stage, we shouldn't focus only on improving elite development programs for the riders already in the system. We also need to create more opportunities for children to enter the system in the first place. Imagine if every community had an affordable bike program, volunteer coaches, youth practices, and low-cost racing. Not every child would become a national champion, an Olympian, or a Tour de France contender. But we would dramatically increase the chances that the next great American cyclist gets the opportunity to be discovered.
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.
Champions are built through hard work, dedication, and opportunity. The first two belong to the athlete. The third belongs to all of us.
America doesn't need to find more cycling talent. It needs to make sure more talent has the chance to be found.
Brian Brandsmeier lives in North Liberty.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: American cycling's problem isn't talent. It's access. | Opinion