Table of contents for March 2019 in Cyclist

Annex jacket €215 (approx £190), Thermal Long bibs €225 (approx £200), eu.maap.cc There’s a lot to like about Maap. The Australian brand has helped pave a way into a brighter cycling-kitted future – injecting a bit of Antipodean cool into the staid European market – yet it has avoided the pitfall of ‘all aesthetic mouth, no high-quality trousers’. Admittedly this cold weather pairing is on the conservative side in the colour department, but its materials and fit deserve attention. The Thermal Longs have been pre-dyed so the Lycra colour won’t fade when stretched, which is something particularly noticeable with navy blue garments (which the Longs are also available in). The thermal fabric is lightweight, soft-brushed Super Roubaix and the seat pad has been developed specifically to pair well with modern…

£310, paligap.cc Knitted shoes aren’t as crazy as they sound. In fact, they’re not even that new a concept – Nike introduced its Flyknit back in 2012, and various brands have produced knitted running shoes and football boots since – but the use of ‘knit’ technology is still in its infancy in cycling circles. Fizik and Giro both have designs using knit fabrics to varying degrees, but DMT looks to be the first to present a fully knitted ‘sock’ with its latest KR1 shoe. The idea is that it completely envelops the foot (like a sock), making the upper soft and supple while also being extremely light and breathable. Strategically placed webbing provides the support necessary in a top-end race shoe, as tested by Italian sprint supremo Elia Viviani. Extra…

Things have come a long way since the days when you’d stuff a newspaper down your jersey to prevent chills on descents. Modern gilets protect from the wind, but also disappear into a jersey pocket when not required. The only issue is that they tend to be dull, which is why the new trend for jazzy gilets is a welcome change. And the latest versions haven’t skimped on the technology, either. Void’s camo Wind Vest uses breathable wind block fabrics combined with stretchy mesh panels for a racy fit, while Castelli’s Thermal Pro Vest forgoes windproof fabric for extra insulation and breathability. Primal’s geometric Trimotif protects against not just wind but rain as well, and Café du Cycliste’s ‘tie & dye’ Madeleine gilet (each one unique) has an interior resin…

My one-act play, Peloton, premiered at the Lowry Theatre in Salford in January 2012 and lasted one performance. It was my entry in a competition hosted by an experimental theatre company and it told the story of an everyday family man and his mid-life crisis. A keen cyclist, he decides to enter the Etape du Tour to win back some self-esteem and respect from his wife, kids and friends. During his training, he is visited by ghosts of the Tour, including touristeroutier Jules Deloffre, who entered the 1908 race independently and paid for his bed and board by doing acrobatic tricks at the end of every stage, and 1923 winner Henri Pélissier, whose personal life, from his wife’s suicide to his own murder at the hands of his young lover,…

TRAVEL Cyclist flew to Geneva with Swissair (swiss.com), then caught a train to Le Châble via Martigny using a Swiss Transfer ticket, which covers a round trip between airport and destination from £117, including bikebox. Get more details at swisstravelsystem.co.uk. ACCOMMODATION We stayed a 10-minute walk from the station at Hotel A Lârze in Le Châble (alarze.ch/hotel-mountain-chalet ), which offers secure storage and a workshop as well as post-ride sauna. A double room with buffet breakfast costs from £96pn. This includes a Verbier Infinite Playground (VIP) Pass, which gives free or discounted transport and access to many local attractions. From the hotel to the start of our route you can either ride – 16km all downhill – or take the train to Martigny (20-minute journey, every half hour). GUIDE AND…

…MAKING IT AS A PRO ‘What mattered to me at first wasn’t success, but progress. It is more important that season by season your level improves. In the juniors I was not a world champion – I came 30th. But at under-23 level my season improved. This is the most important thing for young guys.’ …MEMORABILIA ‘Most of my jerseys are in picture frames in my home. I gave jerseys from the 2014 Tour de France to people who are most important to me, like my mum. I also gave one to the mother of Marco Pantani as a thank you for one of his that she gave to me.’ …TRAINING ‘For a champion there are many things behind the results, from the staff to your teammates to your family.…

What’s on offer at the Boardman Performance Centre? Wind-tunnel assessment starts at £195 and goes up to £695 for the full four-hour package that includes a bike fit. Bike fits range from £275 to £575, or you could go for a custom insoles or saddle fit for £150. A ‘Ride MOT’, giving a snapshot of your rider profile and possible goals, is £195. Throwing fit, physiology and aerodynamics together is a complete eight-hour package for £1,200. Not cheap, but in terms of pounds for speed gained, it’s probably cheaper than that new wheelset you had your eye on. Visit boardmanbikes.co.uk  for more details…

There is frustration among cyclocross followers that their sport isn’t bigger, and that it can often be seen merely as a stepping stone to a career on the road. Particularly irksome is the phenomenon of a great cyclocross rider emerging and then being asked not if but when he or she might transfer their talent to road racing. It is the view of Nikki Brammeier, the multiple British Champion and World Cup winner, that cyclocross is held back mainly by its absence from the Olympic Games. ‘At home, British Cycling backs riders in the Olympic disciplines, which cross isn’t. If it was, the sport would grow massively. I think that’s one of the main reasons it hasn’t developed more. ‘It would be an amazing Olympic sport. We have so many…

From the 13th to the 17th centuries, the Reivers roamed the lawless border lands between Scotland and England. Loyal to neither nation, they were a law unto themselves, raiding towns and villages and building a reputation as some of the most fearsome horsemen in Europe. Sparsely armoured, self-reliant and mounted on stout steeds, the Reivers are a good model for the modern adventure cyclist. Named after them, and rampaging across their former home turf, the 200km Dirty Reiver gravel grinder is appropriately one of the UK’s toughest events. Although pillaging is discouraged, the modern Reiver is not to be taken lightly. It traverses logging roads, farm tracks and sections of forest trail through some of the UK’s most remote terrain. Along with their regular kit, entrants are somewhat worryingly expected…

Thinking of getting a new bike? Or just want a great day of riding? The Cyclist Track Days bring together the top road bikes from the leading brands, all waiting to be ridden on a purpose-built track. There are five dates and four venues to choose from: 28th April in Castle Combe, near Bath; 18th/19th May in London; 9th June in Fife, Scotland, and 22nd June in Leeds. Tickets are £45 for the whole day, including hot lunch, coffee and an amazing goody bag, so head over to cyclisttrackdays.com  now.…

Wheel building has been described as equal parts art and science, and as such can be fiendishly difficult to perfect. Italian component engineer Miche, however, has been refining its techniques for long enough that it can credibly claim to be a master in this particular field – and, indeed, in the production of most bicycle components. Founded in 1919, this year the FAC Michelin family business celebrates its 100th anniversary, and over that century the company has done nothing but manufacture almost every part that comprises a bicycle. ‘The ethos of the company has remained unchanged throughout its history – the grandson of Miche’s founder is our current CEO,’ says Miche’s Peter Cole. ‘What sets us apart is our ability to control every part of the process of wheel manufacture…

It was 25 years ago that the science of aerodynamics really started to matter in the world of cycling. During the mid-1990s, two British riders – Graeme Obree and Chris Boardman – battled it out for the much-coveted Hour record, both of them experimenting with unusual bikes and riding positions in an attempt to eke out any advantage. ‘It’s all about aerodynamics,’ Boardman said of the Hour. ‘Graeme Obree was the first person to look outside the history of the event and look at its real demands.’ Obree may have started the fire, but it was Boardman who fanned the flames. He became famous for his meticulous attention to detail in terms of aerodynamics and physiology, eventually using his vast experience to help guide the GB track squad to Olympic…

You would drive straight past the global headquarters of Sapim if you didn’t know it was there. The nondescript building is housed in a nondescript industrial estate on the outskirts of Antwerp, Belgium. On the face of it, you’d think the site of the world’s preeminent spoke and nipple manufacturer would cede a little to ostentation, but at Sapim functionality reigns. According to managing director Amaury de Cordes, anything superfluous would detract from the company’s primary focus of serving its customers. ‘We recently outfitted and moved into this new building but we were certain we shouldn’t over-invest in luxury. It had to be practical,’ he says. Once inside, though, the building is not without its own identity. Sapim’s yellow and black branding is abundant, and in the foyer hangs a…

The original version of the Focus Izalco Max can lay claim to being the first true disc brake race bike. At a time when most brands’ disc offerings incurred too much of a weight penalty to be considered as genuine racers, the 2015 Izalco Max in a size small could flirt with the UCI’s minimum weight limit – it tipped the scales at just 6.81kg. Yet time waits for no bike and since then several other brands have developed models to match the weight of the former Izalco Max and better it in other areas, such as aerodynamics. ‘Our old model was a real benchmark for early disc brake racers – one of the lightest production framesets available,’ says Fabian Scholz, lead engineer on the new project. ‘But to get…

When Merckx skidded around a corner, Ocaña couldn’t stop and careered off the road. Rumours swirled that he had died or been paralysed On the evening of 5th July 1971, 10 members of the Bic team were sat around a dinner table in their hotel. Spirits were high. Earlier that day the team’s Spanish leader, Luis Ocaña, had won Stage 8 of the Tour de France. Ocaña, who had claimed the Vuelta a España the previous year, had escaped on the climb to Puy de Dôme to win by seven seconds over Joop Zoetemelk. More importantly Eddy Merckx, the two-time Tour winner who Ocaña considered to be a bitter rival (the Spaniard even named one of his dogs after the Belgian just so he could call ‘Merckx’ to heel) hadn’t…

On long winter rides you gain an appreciation for how much more you can pull from your body than you think you can Dear Frank My friend subscribes to the old-school ‘base training’ mantra of spending winter doing long, slow miles. Personally, I prefer to get out, ride hard and get home quickly before my toes freeze. What is the Velominati’s preferred winter riding policy? Julian, Cambridgeshire Dear Julian I’ve been having this very debate with my nephew, who is quickly climbing the ranks of the East Coast junior racing scene here in the States. He’s a few points shy of his Cat 1 upgrade, yet the longest ride he had ever done until recently was around 100km. That sort of thing doesn’t compute for an old-school rider like me.…

1984 Vincenzo Nibali is born on 14th November 1984 in Messina, Sicily. 2000 Moves to Tuscany, aged 16, to join the GS Mastromarco team. Two years later he wins the Italian junior Road Race title. 2006 After signing his first pro contract with Fasso Bortolo in 2005, Nibali joins Liquigas in 2006 and wins the GP Ouest-France. 2010 Wins the Vuelta a España, aged just 25, beating Spaniard Ezequiel Mosquera into second place. 2013 Achieves his first Giro d’Italia triumph, winning three stages along the way. 2014 Claims the Tour de France with four stage victories and a winning margin of seven minutes and 39 seconds. 2016 The Sicilian wins his second Giro d’Italia but crashes out of the Olympic Road Race, fracturing his collarbone. 2017 Wins the Giro di…

Having spent more than two decades attending and competing in some of the biggest cycle races on the road, Dean Downing was unprepared for his first Cyclocross World Championships in Holland last year. He had been to one or two cyclocross races when he lived and raced in Belgium as a professional rider, but it was as a coach that he went to Valkenburg to watch one of his charges, Ben Tulett, represent Great Britain in the junior race. It was, says Downing, ‘insane, in a great way’. Twenty-five thousand people packed the course, creating what he describes as ‘a phenomenal atmosphere. I was there with Ben’s dad and it was the most nervous day of my life, barring my wedding day. Ben’s dad was in a worse state. But…

Nipples start life in a remarkably similar state to spokes, as a huge spool of wire. But where spokes are thin steel, nipple wire is a lot thicker and made from brass. ‘The spool is drawn into basically a large pair of scissors,’ says Sapim technical manager Michael Vlaeminckx. The machines are stocky hunks of aged metal that chop the straightened wire into rivets. Sapim has 10 of these machines, all spitting out rivets like Skittles being emptied into bowls. ‘The machine feeds each into a nipple mould. They are then stamped roughly into shape. No matter their final destiny they are all the same now – the fine details come later. Later processes are what determines which of the 10,944 possible variations they turn into,’ says Vlaeminckx. The rivets…

TRAVEL Kielder is one of the most remote spots in the UK. While a few hardy riders schlepped the hilly 50km from Hexham station, for most the only option is to drive. ACCOMMODATION Camping is part of the experience and the site is right beside the start line. Pre-booking is essential and costs from £10 per night. Book at kieldercampsite.co.uk . For a bit more luxury, the Dirty Reiver website ( dirtyreiver.co.uk ) has a comprehensive list of alternatives, from bunkhouses to B&Bs. BIKE With an event village and gravel expo, you’ll be able to find some basic spares on-site. Otherwise, the nearby Bike Place ( thebikeplace.co.uk ) in Kielder Village should be able to sort you out. THANKS Gratitude is due to…

Four years ago, Sir Dave Brailsford spoke of his vision to make his team ‘indisputably the best in the world’ by 2020. But with Sky ending its sponsorship at the end of this year, his plan may be stymied. Akin to Miss Merton’s famous question to Debbie McGee – ‘What first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?’ – the inverse could be asked of the broadcaster’s new owner, US media giant Comcast: what made you decide to end a 10-year relationship with the scandal-ridden cycling team? Could it have been the Jiffy bags or salbutamol storms? Or perhaps the testosterone patches and dodgy doctors? Maybe the lost computers or even – just a hunch – the parliamentary report concluding that the team had crossed an ethical line? Any of…