“If They Can Do It, Maybe I Can” - why representation matters

Words: Hamedel Ndiaye

Photos: Wales Gravel Rally

Whether we want it or not, there is something powerful in seeing someone who “looks” like you doing something you never thought was for you.

Notice how “look” is between quotes? Let me explain. 

They probably aren’t exactly like you. But from a distance, we often notice the obvious things first: skin colour, gender, body type, maybe age.

You have to get closer to know the rest.

Where someone is from, what shaped them, their religion, who they love, how they see the world, what they are afraid of or dream of.

All of those things can divide us or connect us, but you only discover that by getting close enough and for that, something needs to trigger your curiosity.

That is why representation matters. It is about that first little spark of recognition. The moment someone sees you in a space they hadn’t pictured themselves in and thinks: Wait. Maybe this is possible for me too.

Cycling is one of those spaces where this matters. From the outside, its culture can sometimes look like a world with a very specific type of person in it. The pro peloton, the start line of various races, the bikes, the kit, the coffee stops etc. It can all send a message, even unintentionally.

When I turn up to cycling events, triathlons or more recently, gravel rides, I am often the only Black person there. It does not ruin the experience at all! People are always nice, welcoming, and the atmosphere is great, but the question is still there: Why is that?

And maybe more importantly: How many people never turn up because they assume this world is not for them?

Some of my Black friends joke that I am always doing “white people stuff”. I laugh because I understand what they mean. Not because cycling or being adventurous belongs to white people, but because that is often how it looks from the outside.

And that perception matters because if you never see anyone who looks like you in a space, why would you want to be there or get involved?

That is why I think being visible matters. Not in a grand, inspirational kind of way. Just in a simple human way.

You do something you genuinely enjoy. You share it. Someone else sees it. Maybe they get curious, and that curiosity is the doorway.

A few weeks ago, I entered the Gravel Rally in North Wales for fun. I was not really trying to race, but every so often my competitiveness kicked in, and when it did, I realised how much I loved the mix of effort and skill. It was not just about pushing the pedals. It was about handling the bike, choosing lines, and reacting to the ground. It felt good!

And yes, I was the only Black person there again. That did not stop me from enjoying it. But it did make me think about who else might enjoy it too, if only the sport looked a little more imaginable to them. 

Representation does not force anyone through the door. It just makes the door easier to see:

It says: You are not the first.

It says: This might not be as far away from you as you thought.

It says: you are allowed to try.

Because sometimes the first step is not a training plan, a fancy bike, or a race entry.

Sometimes it is just seeing someone and thinking: They look like me. They are doing it. Maybe I can too.