- I'm not a huge fan of superstition myself.
The idea that all of your hard work,
dedication, and talent could be undone
by forgetting one simple task
or not even carrying a lucky charm
just seems preposterous to me.
- Yeah, but some people love them, Chris.
So coming up are the weirdest superstitions that we know of.
Hmm.
- Now you might be wondering why I'm spending so long
in the bath the day before the racing shaving my legs,
but don't worry, it's not going to soften my muscles.
And it's not going to cost any extra energy
to grow back the hairs that I'm shaving off.
This was the belief of riders for years and years and years.
And when we were younger, we were always told
never shave your legs the day before a race.
In reality, my legs are going to look smoother,
they'll look better, they'll look stronger,
and because of that, I'm likely to go better on my bike.
Now leave me to it, and close the door on the way out.
One of the most baffling things you'll ever see
at a pre-race hotel is little balls
of dough all across the table.
The belief being that our stomachs couldn't possibly digest
the inner, doughy part of bread.
Not only that, but bread legs.
Bread legs are basically your own legs,
just a little more swollen and slightly puffier.
Basically full of bread.
The belief being my old-school team managers
that this was a bad thing.
In reality, though, swollen, sore muscles are probably
your muscles full of the carbohydrate consumed in bread.
Therefore, bread legs must actually be good legs.
- Putting your numbers on the day of the race.
Most big races, you get your numbers the day before,
which allows you to relax and chill and put your numbers on
when you've got loads of time.
Where Chris, on the other hand,
believed that if he had a mad rush
to pin his numbers on the day of a race
that that would spike his energy levels
and he would have a better race.
Yeah, not sure I believe that one.
- If you're designated number 13 in a race,
you are to wear it upside-down.
This has been a longstanding tradition
in the world of cycling and it is, therefore,
incredibly rare to see two number 13's the correct way up.
And finally, one of my favorites is
from a former teammate, Marcin Bialoblocki.
He would take his race numbers
and calculate his results based on a variety
of calculations he could make from the digits.
35, for example, could be five minus three equaling second.
66 could become six divided by six equals first.
Quite a funny one if you ask me.
But mental arithmetic was a way
to keep himself busy on the team bus.
Lucky socks or, if it was your favorite race
of the year, brand new socks.
There's nothing like sliding into a fresh pair
of socks in the form of your life
at the race you've been targeting all season.
And that goes for skinsuits, undervests, gloves,
and glasses or anything else, too.
New shoes, everybody loves new shoes.
It just adds to that feeling of being absolutely invincible
at your favorite event of the year.
Except of course, if your new socks
or shoes happen to be white and it's raining.
Nothing prepares you for the pain
of destroying those new shoes and socks on race day.
Something I personally did, which I haven't really
considered a superstition at the time,
was to reuse kit that I've either won races in
or at least had results I was proud.
I refuse to call it superstition to this day.
But I'd use the same undervest, gloves, or glasses
almost religiously after that good result.
- Something you'll often see in the pro peloton
is pros wearing charms or trinkets
in the form of necklaces, bracelets,
or even stickers on their helmets or on their saddles.
Now this could be a fashion statement
or it could be a true believe
that they really can't ride without it.
- [Chris] Talking of carrying trinkets on the bike,
Cancellara famously flashed his angel to the cameras
on the way to his victory in the 2010 Tour of Flanders.
He's not alone in carrying a lucky charm
and showing it off as he blasts to victory.
- Who knows how or why but some riders
feel they have to stick to a certain order
when putting on their clothing.
For example, right arm before the left arm.
And they feel that will give them
a performance advantage when out on the bike.
- Never, ever attack the leader's jersey
when they have a nature break.
I can see both sides of this one.
Whilst it's a great sign of respect
to the leader not to attack them
when they need to relieve themselves, surely they could just
time their toilet stops a little more.
I mean, just because you're leading the race,
it shouldn't hold you up on a pedestal
that deserves special treatment.
Maybe once you've won the race
you can elevate yourself to that sort of status.
Many years ago, I had won a bike race
and the meal I had before that was a pizza.
So now, before every race I do,
my pre-race meal has to be a pizza.
Ooh.
I know, it makes no sense, does it?
I won the race because I had good legs,
not because I had pizza.
But that is how superstitions work.
Oh, I have been looking forward to this.
Whoa!
Hank, where?
Where's my pizza?
You know I can't win without pizza.
Let us know in the comments box down below
if any of these frankly bizarre superstitions
strike a cord with you.
Maybe there are a few that you would like
to share with us that you do yourself at home.
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