Having spent time among bike racers and triathletes, there is another factor the article doesn't mention: lots of toys.
Serious cyclists love to spend money on equipment, and the market is often designed around forced obsolescence. While there are stories of cyclists doing great things on sub-standard equipment, the "marginal gains" that top-flight gear provide make it difficult for the cyclist with just average or below-average equipment to do well.
I am, of course, talking about competition here--plenty of long distance cyclists (randonneurs) ride 1600km on "sub-standard" equipment. Just browse a gallery of the Paris-Brest-Paris brevet to see.
Serious cyclists love to spend money on equipment, and the market is often designed around forced obsolescence. While there are stories of cyclists doing great things on sub-standard equipment, the "marginal gains" that top-flight gear provide make it difficult for the cyclist with just average or below-average equipment to do well.
I am, of course, talking about competition here--plenty of long distance cyclists (randonneurs) ride 1600km on "sub-standard" equipment. Just browse a gallery of the Paris-Brest-Paris brevet to see.