Human capital development in professional cycling

Abstract

Human capital development in sport, particularly within the sport of cycling, has not apparently been directly addressed in the academic literature. This chapter begins by providing some context of professional cyclist careers and then outlines some basic components of a professional cyclist's stock of human capital, specifically physical and cognitive components. 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. The contrasting time frames of human capital investments for cyclists and specifically their depreciation rates are highlighted as a potential avenue for future economic research.