The ‘Power and Pain’ of Professional Cycling Explored in new DCU Study

The power dynamics, social changes and controversies that have shaped the history of professional cycling are explored in a new book by Professor John Connolly of DCU Business School.

Power, Pain and Professional Cycling: A Historical-Sociological Study explores the evolution of the sport from the start of its professional era in the late 19th century. Prof Connolly assesses the historical and sociological factors that influenced the development of the sport, including the emergence of professionalism, organisational structures, the issue of doping, American involvement in European professional cycling, and the shifting power balances that have reshaped both men’s and women’s professional racing in recent decades.

Drawing on a wealth of historical literature, the book offers fresh insights into the processes of stigmatisation and counter-stigmatisation within professional cycling including the development of anti-doping.

Published by Edward Elgar Publishing, Power, Pain and Professional Cycling is an essential resource for academics and students in the fields of sport sociology, sport management, and sport psychology. It also offers valuable perspectives for professionals in the sports industry, particularly those with a vested interest in the complexities of professional cycling.

The book has already garnered praise from leading scholars in the field. Professor Stephen Vertigans of Robert Gordon University notes that Connolly’s work “follows in a rich tradition stemming from the legacy of Norbert Elias and Eric Dunning’s sports research,” while Dr Paddy Dolan of Technological University Dublin commends the book for its “compelling sociological account of the many processes involved in the development of professional cycling over the last 150 years.” Additionally, Dr Stijn Knuts of Geheugen Collectief, Belgium, highlights the book’s innovative use of the concept of shame to offer “an original and nuanced understanding of the makings of the sport’s doping issue.”

For more information on Power, Pain and Professional Cycling and to purchase a copy, please visit the publisher’s website.