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There's usually some reason that these people find out about their genetic ability and it's often shit like escapting abusive familes, misfits that can't fit in anywhere socially, all that kind of thing. Dig a bit and there's often trauma somewhere at the top level.
I'm not sure how true this is now, at least in cycling. Looking at the examples upthread I know it's not true of Tao and Fred and the Hayters seem to come from a nice normal family. Vingegaard and Pog don't exactly seem to come from trauma.
The peloton is actually becoming more middle class and therefore comfortable/less traumatised in terms of background.
Fox-
I think this is more sport in general, than cycling.
Due to the cost of entry, support required, proximity to velodromes, someone has to fund it.
Not quite as middle class as rowing, (proximity to a boathouse and normally school with a rowing team)
Plenty of stories in athletics, basketball, football, particularly in combat sports like boxing. It seems like most boxers have some sort of redemption story, fighting poverty, abusive or neglectful family, escaping a criminal life, finding someone outside of their home who believes in them and pulls them towards sporting excellence.
Of course, for every one of the successes, there are all of those that didn’t make it.
Acliff
are usually a combination of mad genetics and mental dysfunction. There's usually some reason that these people find out about their genetic ability and it's often shit like escapting abusive familes, misfits that can't fit in anywhere socially, all that kind of thing. Dig a bit and there's often trauma somewhere at the top level.