Whether to encourage Sepp Kuss will keep the La Vuelta red jersey every week or waking up at dawn to watch the incredible sprints of the Tour de France, cycling fans are not only dedicated, they are among the most stressed sports fans, according to a new study from The Grueling Truth.
The October 2023 study surveyed 1,249 U.S.-based sports fans and asked them about their favorite sports, their stress levels during various activities, and how they deal with stress while watching events key athletes. Sixty percent of respondents were men, 39% were women, and 1% identified as non-binary, with the average age of respondents being 43.8 years old.
Cycling fans were found to be the eighth most stressed fans during a ‘crucial match’, or competition in the case of cycling, with fans rating their stress levels during a key race at 4, 9 out of 10. Baseball was first on the list with a 6 out of 10 and golf was tenth with a 4.3 out of 10.
The top 10 most stressful sports, from most to least stressful:
1. Baseball
2. Ice Hockey
3. Basketball
4. Tennis
5. Football
6. Soccer
7. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
8. Bike
9. Car race
ten. Golf
During the survey, sports fans were asked to rate the stress level of everyday activities such as commuting and public speaking.
Cycling fans found that public speaking, taking an exam and work meetings were far more stressful than a key competition, with the three actions all scoring 6.7 out of 10 on the stress scale. Tackling a DIY project is barely better than watching a bike race, with a rating of 5 out of 10.
A birthday party (3 out of 10), family reunion and long journeys (both 4.4 out of 10) are less stressful than a key competition for cycling fans – but it’s unclear what happens if a cycling enthusiast watches a key competition on a birthday. party or meeting.
The study also explored whether fans are more stressed watching their sport of choice alone, with friends or family, regardless of the sport.
A whopping 45% of fans said they were equally stressed about the match or competition no matter who they were watching with, followed by 24% saying being alone was the worst case scenario, and 16% and 15% saying watching with their family and friends respectively was the most unfavorable situation.
Additionally, The Grueling Truth asked how fans deal with their stress: Do they yell at the TV, sit in tense silence, or pace around the room? Around a third of fans admitted to shouting at the TV while 29% prefer to sit silently with a straight face. Fourteen percent refresh their minds by chatting with friends, and 10 percent prefer to channel their nervous energy into another activity like cleaning or pacing. And let’s not forget the 6% who said they have good luck rituals and sporting superstitions to help them get through their stressful times.
The most stressed sports states might surprise you: Idaho takes the top spot with an average stress score of 7.5 out of 10, followed by Utah, Louisiana and West Virginia with an average of 7 out of 10 The least stressed states included Oregon (2.5 out of 10), Rhode Island and Oklahoma (4.4 out of 10).
With the rise of cycling competitions broadcast live around the world, cycling fans now have more access than ever to critical races happening in real time. And, with the rise of professional women’s cycling events such as the Tour de France Femmes with Zwift, cycling fans have a whole host of new races to get excited about – er, stress – about.
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Image Source : www.cyclingweekly.com