Human Capital and Labor Exchange in Road Cycling

Human capital development in sport, particularly within the sport of cycling, has apparently not been directly addressed in the academic literature. This chapter begins by providing some context on professional cyclist careers and then outlines basic physical and cognitive components of a professional cyclist’s stock of human capital. Available avenues for human capital development for cyclists are also described and the persistence of the cognitive components of human capital is discussed with regard to the cycling coaching and team management professions. Additionally, the practical market exchange of human capital in road cycling has likewise not received much attention in the academic literature. From the athlete supply perspective, there is a small amount of existing research on the topic of professional athlete agents generally, particularly in North-American leagues and international football, but there has been virtually no apparent previous literature produced that has specifically examined the agents or labor markets of professional road cyclists. This chapter sheds some light on the levels of agent utilization and remuneration for professional cyclists based on interviews with industry experts. Finally, while academic discussions of labor market organization and unionization are largely absent for professional road cycling, there have been some material and discussions produced by practitioners and sport advocates that will be recounted and referenced here.