“Peloton stud” Rory McIlroy invites golf rivals to static cycling challenge

“Peloton stud” Rory McIlroy – the nickname is from Golf Digest, not us – has challenged his rivals to a static cycling challenge on the indoor cycling brand’s platform with their sport, like most others, on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The world number-one golfer and four-time major winner revealed last month that he rides his Peloton two or three times a week and admitted to being the unnamed professional golfer flagged on Twitter as having racked up an impressive power output on the static bike.

> Golfer Rory McIlroy is “a bona fide Peloton stud”

He bought his Peloton earlier this year to add an element of fun to his cardiovascular training, never his favourite part of his conditioning regime, but it has become indispensable to him during the current pandemic.

And in a video posted to Instagram a few days ago after a session on the bike, a sweat-drenched McIlroy threw down the gauntlet to golfing rivals who are also on the platform to try and get above him on Peloton’s virtual leaderboard.

"I beat you again." 😂

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy is taking the competition from the course to the Peloton bike while in quarantine.

(📹:@McIlroyRory) pic.twitter.com/dXKurTMVgv

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) March 21, 2020

“Billy [Horschel], JT [Justin Thomas], Charley [Hoffman] and everyone else who wants to do this Peloton thing while we're in quarantine or social isolation or whatever you want to call it, I beat you again,” he said.

“The target was 800kj and I just got there. Sixty-ninth on the leaderboard out of nearly 11,500 people.

“Grinded on this one and yeah ... bring it boys.”

Speaking last month after he bought the machine, the 30-year-old, who lives in Florida, said: “I like the fact it makes me earn my dinners and keeps me in shape.

“Cardio was always a problem for me, I never really liked it, but since getting the Peloton and joining that whole community, I've really started enjoying it.

“I like the leaderboard aspect, the fact it is competitive in some ways, and you're always trying to beat your last score,” he added.

Much the same as golf, then – though it will be a while until he will be strolling down the fairways again.

To riff on an old cliché, indoor cycling is the new outdoor golf, it seems.