RecoveryAnswer

DEALING WITH IMPOSTER SYNDROME AS AN AMATEUR CYCLIST

By Anthony WalshRoadman CyclingUpdated 26 May 2026

ANSWER

Imposter syndrome in cycling — the persistent feeling that you don't belong, that you're not really a 'proper' cyclist, or that you're about to be exposed — affects the majority of serious amateurs. Benji Naesen has spoken about it publicly, and it's not a personality quirk: it's a predictable psychological pattern in achievement-oriented environments. The fix is identity evidence accumulation: systematically building proof that you belong, through consistent action rather than validation from others.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Imposter syndrome is common among serious amateurs — especially those who came to cycling later or who race in faster groups.
It's driven by comparing your internal experience (effort, doubt, fear) to others' external performance (results, power numbers).
Identity evidence — logged consistency, completed hard sessions, races finished — builds the internal case against imposter syndrome more than any reassurance from outside.
Reframing 'I don't belong here' to 'I'm building the right to be here' shifts from fixed identity to process identity.

WHO THIS IS FOR

IS THIS YOU?

The mid-pack racer who feels like a fraud

You race regularly but still expect someone to question whether you're good enough to be there.

The late-starter who came to cycling in their 30s or 40s

You feel behind everyone else and wonder if you're just pretending to be a serious cyclist.

THE ROADMAN VIEW

Benji Naesen opened up about imposter syndrome in cycling on the podcast in a way most public cycling figures don't, and the response from the Roadman community was massive — because almost everyone recognised the feeling. You show up to a club run, everyone else looks faster, fitter, more experienced. You wonder if you're taking the sport too seriously for your level, or not seriously enough. That double bind is the imposter syndrome trap.

The comparison error at the heart of it is this: you're comparing your private experience — the doubt, the effort it takes, the fear — to everyone else's public performance. The rider who looks effortlessly fast at the front of the group is having their own internal dialogue. They're just not broadcasting it. Every serious cyclist, at every level, has versions of this. The ones who escape it fastest are the ones who stop using external validation as the primary source of their cycling identity.

David Gillick spoke about this in a different context — identity loss after sport — and the principle transfers directly. The identity you're trying to protect ('I am a real cyclist') is fragile when it rests on comparison to others. Build it on what you've done: the rides completed, the early mornings, the sessions finished when you wanted to stop. That evidence is yours. It can't be taken away by someone else's Strava segment.

EXPERT EVIDENCE

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Benji NaesenCycling content creator, lanterne rouge advocate, imposter syndrome subject
Opening up about imposter syndrome in cycling revealed how widespread the experience is, even among riders with genuine results and experience. The external performance doesn't resolve the internal doubt — the resolution comes from a different relationship with your own cycling identity.
Hear it: Benji Naesen's Opens Up About Imposter Syndrome in Cycling
David GillickTwo-time European 400m champion; speaker on identity, sport, and mental health
Athletic identity becomes a vulnerability when it's externally referencing — built on results, comparisons, and what others think. Resilient identity is built on process and values. The shift from 'am I good enough?' to 'am I showing up properly?' changes the question to one you can actually answer.
Hear it: Life After Sports: The Untold Struggle with Identity Loss & Depression | David Gillick

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

DO THIS WEEK

Build an identity evidence log
A simple document or note that lists what you've done: rides completed this year, hard sessions finished, races entered, distances covered. Read it when the imposter feeling hits. The evidence is the antidote — not reassurance from others.
Stop comparing internal experience to external performance
The rider who looks relaxed at the front of the group is working hard too — you're just not seeing their internal experience. Every time you catch yourself making that comparison, reframe it: 'They've done more reps at this discomfort. I'm building towards that.'
Name your imposter trigger and write a response
Most cyclists have a specific trigger — a faster club group, a Strava leaderboard, a conversation with more experienced riders. Name it. Then write the response you'll use when it fires: 'I've done the work. I belong here.'

COMMON MISTAKES

WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG

MISTAKESeeking external validation to resolve imposter syndrome.
FIXOther people's reassurance provides temporary relief but not resolution. The internal case has to be built from evidence of your own actions.
MISTAKEAvoiding situations that trigger the imposter feeling.
FIXAvoidance compounds the syndrome. The club ride that feels intimidating is the one you need to attend — with a pre-written response to the feeling.
MISTAKETreating imposter syndrome as a reason to train more to 'deserve' your place.
FIXAnxiety-driven volume is a trap. Your place in the sport isn't earned by more watts — it's claimed by sustained, consistent participation.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is imposter syndrome common in amateur cycling?

Very common, particularly among riders who take the sport seriously without being professionals or elite amateurs. The combination of a performance culture, public data (Strava, Zwift rankings), and comparisons with more experienced riders creates an ideal environment for it.

Does getting faster resolve imposter syndrome?

Not reliably. Riders who've addressed imposter syndrome through achievement often find the goalposts move — they're faster, but now they feel like imposters in a faster group. The resolution is psychological, not performance-based.

Is imposter syndrome related to overtraining?

There's a link. Some riders respond to imposter syndrome by training excessively to feel they've 'earned' their place. That anxiety-driven training often lacks structure and can lead to overtraining — another reason to address the psychology directly.

Do professional cyclists get imposter syndrome?

Yes — and they've increasingly spoken about it publicly. The competitive structure of cycling creates comparison pressure at every level. Benji Naesen's openness about it was unusual precisely because most professionals keep the experience private.

How do I stop comparing myself to other cyclists?

Build comparison habits that you control. Compare yourself to your own previous performances, not to others. Your last 90-day FTP average vs the 90 days before that. That data tells you whether you're improving — which is the only comparison that actually matters.

RELATED EPISODES

HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS

Benji Naesen's Opens Up About Imposter Syndrome in Cycling

Life After Sports: The Untold Struggle with Identity Loss & Depression | David Gillick

Emotional Blocks & Cycling Performance | Roadman Cycling Podcast