For some reason it’s crept up on me this year. Perhaps it’s because the last eight months have gone past in a bit of a blur, with one month slipping into the next. Or it could be because the cycling season has only just ended, and the summer of racing ended up being in the autumn.
Either way, the temperatures are dropping and the mud seems to be deeper every day. With that comes a switch in my mindset when it comes to riding, and the long miles in the saddle have always come next. Except this time, they haven’t.
Although winter training has been a feature of my life for the past decade, and a pretty major one, I now have nothing to train for. I have officially hung up my race bike, and I doubt I’ll have time to take part in anything resembling a competitive event next year.
On the one hand this feels very liberating, and on the other it’s left me feeling at a bit of a loss. I’ve not stopped riding my bike entirely, but it does feel harder than ever to find the motivation to layer up and head out into the elements. It isn’t something I have to do anymore, so I only ride when I want too. This initially felt like a bad thing, but I can see now that it isn’t.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 10, 2020 من CYCLING WEEKLY.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 10, 2020 من CYCLING WEEKLY.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Claud Butler Criterium
A classic British brand ridden by beginners and Olympians alike
Dr Hutch
At what point does a bold show of strength become brazen showboating? The Doc ponders the etiquette of the long solo break
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT...CBD
From reducing pain to promoting relaxation and sleep, myriad are the claims made for cannabidiol but do they stack up? Rob Kemp finds out
Van Rysel D900
Andy Turner discovers whether Decathlon's high-spec, low-price smart trainer can compete with the likes of Wahoo, Tacx and Elite
What prep does my bike need for summer?
Pro bike mechanic Glen Whittington shares his tips for the successful de-hibernation of your bike
2024 GIRO D'ITALIA
Attention turns to Italy and 21 days of Grand Tour action
Pogačar's dominance at the Giro could be dull
While I may have been a little young to understand the full romance of the Tour de France during the Armstrong era, I never understood the sentiment that it was boring just because of Lance's dominance.
Team GB's Paris Olympics track bike launched
BC reveals the bike that it hopes will power riders to medals in Paris this summer
Romandie victory marks Ineos return to stage race success
Carlos Rodríguez wins British team's first WorldTour stage race since 2022, writes Adam Becket
Is pro racing getting more dangerous?
There are many factors that contribute to the perceived greater risks. One that does not get any attention is the greater importance of UCI points and the need to constantly collect them to avoid relegation.