Sense of Control - A sense of control comes from the belief that one has the skills to handle the ride or race. This confidence in skills, training and ability allows the cyclist to be free from anxiety, and secure that he or she can cope with whatever comes along. The cyclist is free from worrying about how others see him or her, and whether or not they can succeed. This allows the cyclist to be totally immersed in the activity, a merging of action and awareness focused on only the ride. When there is total concentration, there can be an altered perception of how the time has passed.
Some cyclists report that time just stood still, or that time was accelerated during a race.
Other terms used by cyclists are in the zone, on a roll, feeling high, buzzed, or exhilarated. Still, approaching the finish line is very sweet.