I think,
That it depends entirely on the person. Me, I can't stand to lose. Not that I'm a sore loser, I've been on baseball teams that didn't win a single game in a season, a soccer team that scored only one goal the ENTIRE season, and scored less than one-hundred while bowling. But for all the losing I've been through I still can't stand it. I always take losing personally, but on my baseball team I couldnt' make much of a difference, it takes the whole team to win, not one person, same with soccer. But on a bike, or in a running race, it is just me against other individuals(unless you are part of a team like USPS) ,but even then, one person can make a huge difference. So when I race( bike or running) I take it very competitivley and personally, losing means that somebody else is better than me, that he(or she) can push to the brink better. No way dude. I would rather pass out or start vomiting at the end of the race than let somebody beat me, screw the fun, I have to beat these guys.