OPINION: What is the X Factor?

Words: Gracie Elvin
Photo: Andy Rogers

The x-factor is in any kid that wakes up and the first thing they think of is how much they can’t wait to ride their bike. I’ve been both the benefactor and the victim of this thing. Much like the TV show The X Factor in which future hit singers compete for the validation of a panel of judges, athletes are made to parade around their talents in the hope that they will be selected to be a star and receive the support they need to continue to chase their dreams.

A story as old as time

It is not anything new to bring up the topic of funding in cycling, and I am not here to give a solution for the top end of the sport. Much has already been said about the lack lustre support for our top mountain bikers across all categories, and late last year there was a fantastic example of how the system is not working how it should be, when Bec Henderson posted a screenshot of how she had been classified as “Podium Ready” despite being ranked #1 in her sport for a full season, including 3 World Cup XCO wins amongst a very strong string of results.

What I want to talk about is the positive side of what “The X Factor” could be when it comes to identifying and supporting our stars. When I think of the term “x-factor”, I don’t think of numbers in a lab or results on a page. I think of the motivation, drive, and passion that person has to overcome challenges, to be resilient, and to rise above everyone else with a very similar complement of physical attributes.

It all starts from the day a young person is told “You could be good at this”. This sentence usually only gets said to the people that already know they are better than everyone else. It could be from a Talent ID program, or at local races. This person is already winning races and getting product thrown at them. Don’t get me wrong, these people deserve a shot and plenty of support if they have big goals; but it’s the kids that are there because they LOVE it that deserve a little extra attention. 

The (not so) secret ingredient

The x-factor is in any kid that wakes up and the first thing they think of is how much they can’t wait to ride their bike. The kid that pours over the glossy magazines, turning every page to soak up anything from race reports, adventure trips, and equipment reviews. The kid that shows up to every social ride and club race. The kid that spends all their pocket money to get to races further afield and upgrade their pride and joy. They are not the ones winning, but they are the ones showing up every single time.

I promise you that if these kids are also told “You could be good at this” and provided a little support and encouragement along the way, we would have ten-times as many Bec Hendersons, Troy Brosnans, and Caroline Buchanans. Those were the kids that lived on their bikes, and those are the kids still doing it. Sure they had the talent, but first and foremost they had the love.

I was also one of those kids. I wasn’t the fastest or the strongest, but man did I love it. All I wanted was for my state institute to acknowledge my commitment and potential, but I only ever received it when I was an adult and receiving much higher-level support. It puzzled me that I was never in the Talent ID pool, yet I was the only one left of my year group in either road racing or mountain biking, and went on to become very successful in both.

In your local community, be sure to keep an eye out on those kids. Not the next-big-thing kids, but the every-little-thing kids. Give them a smile, a pat on the back, an encouraging word, or if you can, some product or financial support. It went a very long way for Bec, and for me, so imagine how far it could go for your local rider.

I’m not saying this will fix the current funding, selection, and categorisation difficulties at the top, but mark my words when I say it would make mountain biking a very healthy and thriving sport from the bottom up. And who wouldn’t want to answer the door when the next generation knock very loudly?