A humble rider with a fierce heart, Jaebin Yun has his sights firmly set on future glories. Currently a student at the Korea National Sport University, he's charting a course balancing academia and his passion for cycling. With a dream to make the WorldTour one day, he's even taking his studying extra-curricular with a recent summer vacay to Europe sampling the elite end of the sport first-hand: "I wanted to have a close look at the Tour de France and the Paris 2024 Olympics, and most of all, learn a lot from European athletes in various fields such as training and nutrition, so I decided to go abroad with my savings and, thankfully, with the blessing of my parents who support my dreams."

Not only was Europe a sightseeing trip for two of the biggest events on the planet, it was also a valuable experience to hone his own race craft, competing in several UCI events in Belgium, usually as the only Asian rider in the field. A sometimes lonely experience he admits, but one that’s been highly rewarding. With this singular determination, If Jaebin continues down this path, it's no stretch to believe his WorldTour dreams might one day become a reality. Back on home soil, we checked in to find out what training in Seoul is like for someone looking to go pro.

I usually wake up around 7-8 am, attend my academic classes in the morning, and after lunch, I prepare for training. I ride for about 4-5 hours to get an entire session in. After dinner, I wind down by reading or watching movies while stretching and a bit of massage to finish my day.

I want to pay attention to both, as academics and training are equally important to me. I try my best to maintain a 50:50 balance, but when a major competition is approaching, I do shift to a 60:40 ratio, prioritizing my training schedule. I focus on my studies in the mornings, and the afternoons are set aside for a full training ride. I do my very best to make the most out of the time I have.

This might be an unexpected answer, but I often find myself first thinking about what to wear for the ride. I'm quite interested in fashion, so I pay a lot of attention to my training outfits—always choosing MAAP, of course! Once I've got the right kit on, I mentally review the route, the training plan, and my fueling strategy through image training to prepare my thoughts for the session.

For beginners, I recommend starting with the Han River. It's a flat bike path without any cars, so it's safe, and you can fully focus on the ride. Once you're comfortable with that, you can try challenging yourself with Namsan or Bunwon-ri routes.

This route is one of the most iconic. You can ride along the beautiful Hangang River, and its moderate difficulty level includes some uphill sections, which makes it enjoyable. Additionally, the surrounding area has many delicious cafes and restaurants, which adds to its appeal.

Another really enjoyable route along the beautiful Hangang River offers a closer connection to nature than other options.

A ride through the heart of Seoul provides the opportunity to ride on some of the city’s most iconic uphill sections.

An excellent training course for riders preparing for long-distance events. It has minimal traffic and plenty of uphill sections, which makes it a popular choice for building some base KMs.

The most competitive and popular in Korea, the Namsan Tour Bus segment, is a nice tester in the middle of Namsan Park.

Another segment that's one of the most famous uphill sections in Seoul, and a part of the  Cheonggyecheon Bike Path route. They are popular courses for assessing riders' abilities, and their challenging nature inspires that sense of competition we all love.

A part of the Wild Pig route, this segment starts with a gentle uphill section, but the gradient becomes steeper toward the end, making it enjoyable for both beginner and advanced riders. Additionally, it is close to nature, which adds to its charm.  I also hold the Crown on this segment!

For sure, I always listen to music while riding. I usually enjoy electronic or pop, especially Alan Walker's tracks. The upbeat music helps me stay motivated and focused during training.

My school provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so I typically eat there. In actual fact, our school meals are usually quite tasty, so when a major competition is coming up, I avoid them to prevent weight gain and prefer to prepare simple dishes like pasta or bibimbap with vegetables at home.

I think the biggest reason is the well-maintained bike paths, especially along the Han River. I recently cycled in Europe for over a month, but I've never seen such well-kept bike paths like the ones in Seoul. Plus, a great selection of cafés and bakeries make riding here even more special.

Jaebin Yun was shot on location in Seoul by Jinseong Choi wearing the latest season of MAAP Training kit, available now.