Congratulations, you have answered your own question.
There is no such thing as pointless suffering. All suffering has a point.
A recreational cyclist can have goal, competitive or non-competitive. They are important as they provide the motivation to go and do things that challenge the mind and spirit.
If I started out with a goal of being the best in whatever, chances are I would not start, as there would be someone faster, smarter, or luckier.
It is the proverbial answer to how do you eat an elephant, which is of course one bite at a time.
I probably will not win any races, but I do something that 98 percent of 50+ people can't or won't do. I ride a bike for a good distance, I feel better, and I am healthier, than when I began. I may have draw a poor hand from the genetic pool, but that does not stop me. It did at one time, but not now.
i is an imaginary number, and we can imagine the accomplishments that can be achieved with effort and dedication.