Riding between fear, hope, and trust: A study of elite cyclists’ experiences of personal data sharing on TrainingPeaks

Cycling exemplifies the intensification of datafication in elite sport, where the drive to enhance performance intertwines with digital technologies that generate extensive personal data about cyclists. While previous sociological research has often conceptualised datafication from the perspectives of surveillance and power, this study contributes new insight by analysing the relational dimensions of data sharing. Specifically, this study examines how elite cyclists experience and handle the sharing of personal data on the digital platform TrainingPeaks. Methodologically, the study is based on interviews with 10 men and 9 women Norwegian elite cyclists. Drawing on Hartmut Rosa's theoretical perspectives, the findings show how cyclists engage ambivalently with personal data sharing on TrainingPeaks. Their sharing practices are driven both by a fear of falling behind competitors and by a hope of gaining support and recognition. Moreover, trust represents a key consideration in navigating the uncertainties surrounding how coaches and team staff may use their personal data. Overall, the findings show how data sharing practices are shaped by how cyclists and others engage with, interpret, and act on personal data. This underscores the importance of including cyclists in decision-making related to data usage and interpretation.