2022-03-31 Cycling Weekly

.EST 1891. Thursday 31 March, 2022

RETHINK
YOUR NEXT

BIKE

Why carbon
fibre might
not be best

for you

WHAT IT TAKES TO RIDE THE

ESPORTS WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS

Behind the scenes and behind the screens of the 2022 event

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BINIAM GIRMAY Fast front lights: be Taking on the gravel
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CLASSIC WIN



START LINE 31.03

Idon’t have much in common with 38
riders in the pro peloton, I never
have. But the last week or so there’s Best front lights for TTs
been little difference between them
and me. That’s because we’ve all been 48
stuck at home feeling ill. Being ill is a Introducing our 2022 Fitness Project
great leveller though, as the other week
I could tell everyone that I had about as Photos Andrew Sydenham 26
much chance of winning Milan-San Remo
as Julian Alaphilippe. What it takes to ride the eSports Worlds

No matter how good a rider you are, or NEVER MISS www.cyclingweekly.com/
aren’t, there is nothing as frustrating as AN ISSUE! cw5000
sitting at home as the sun shines (finally!)
through the window knowing you’re SUBSCRIBE AND GET CW
missing out on a ride. DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR

It might just be me, but this winter C YC L I N G W E E K LYS U B S . C O . U K / B RY T O N
seems to have been particularly hard
on my immune system as I’ve suffered
from cold after cold, and have just come
down with another one completely out of
the blue.

It seems there’s something weird going
on. Newspapers are running stories
about everyone coming down with late-
winter flu and in cycling after first being
hit hard at Paris-Nice, the peloton is still
struggling with riders dropping out of
races left, right and centre.

No matter how frustrated I was at not
getting out for a spin last weekend, I can’t
imagine how it must feel for a rider to
miss some of the biggest races of the year.

At least those riders, like me, can
daydream at what might have been, if
only they’d been there.

SIMON
RICHARDSON

Editor
[email protected]

MY HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK

06 Flanders warm-up
22 Pro riders who volunteer
36 Steelbikes still rocking it

Wanty’s big day Sunday’s Ghent-Wevelgem was a huge day
for Biniam Girmay, Eritrea and African cycling. It was also a huge
day for his Belgian team – the squad has won other WorldTour
races in recent years but this one was especially poignant given that
it’s where team rider Antoine Demoitié lost his life after a crash in
2016. In a speech to the team after the race, performance manager
Aike Visbeek said: “I think Antoine was on our shoulder today.”

Photo Belga/PA Images



Girmay makes
history at
Ghent-Wevelgem

Wanty rider becomes first Eritrean to win any
WorldTour race, reports James Shrubsall

If Biniam Girmay can find a quiet Even with a kilometre to go, he didn’t
moment to watch the Tour of believe he could win, he said: “But when
Flanders on TV this weekend, he we got to 400, 300, I’m good with short,
might afford himself a quick ‘what explosive [efforts]... I just closed my eyes

could have been’. and kept going.”

But with his young family – and likely His win capped a strong Classics

the rest of Eritrea – wanting to hug him, pat campaign in which he placed fifth in the E3

him on the back, or just spend some much Saxo Bank Classic only two days before.

missed quality time, quiet moments might There it was he who, after riding an

be hard to come by in the coming days for attacking race, was unable to hold the

the 21-year-old Intermarché-Wanty- wheels of van Aert and Laporte as they

Gobert Matériaux rider. rode away to victory on the Paterberg. It

The new Ghent- was that result that led

Wevelgem champion his team to ride him on

became the first GHENT-WEVELGEM Sunday; prior to that he

Eritrean to win a PODIUMS wasn’t down to race.

WorldTour race, and Despite the pleas of

the first African to win Elite men various journalists and

a Classic, on Sunday 1. Biniam Girmay pundits he spoke to in

when he sprinted to 2. Christophe Laporte the aftermath of his

victory from a small 3. Dries Van Gestel victory, he will now

group to win the head home to spend

Belgian cobbled Elite women time with his wife and

Classic, having taken 1. Elisa Balsamo young daughter, from

in three ascents of the 2. Marianne Vos whom he has been

Kemmelberg, 3. Maria Giulia Confalonieri separated since the more specifically van Aert, as the race
rolled away from Ypres on what was a
extricated himself from beginning of the chilly morning, with a quiet mist hanging
above Flanders’ fields.
the clutches of a U23 men season, and clearly
The Belgian champion and team-mate
dangerous-looking 1. Samuel Watson misses, rather than ride Laporte took an impressive Jumbo one-two
at E3-Harelbeke on Friday, van Aert’s third
Wout van Aert (Jumbo- 2. S. K. Changizi the Tour of Flanders. win of the season. And when the Dutch
team managed to place both riders plus
Visma), and then 3. V. Ratailleau However, he will be Tiesj Benoot in the first major selection at
Ghent-Wevelgem, it seemed almost
dispatched van Aert’s back for his Grand inevitable the winner would be wearing a
yellow and black jersey.
team-mate Christophe Junior men Tour debut at the Giro
The sharp end of the race saw the
Laporte, Dries Van 1. Thomas Capra d’Italia. His dream second and third of two ascents of the
Kemmelberg, the race exploding, and
Gestel (TotalEnergies) 2. T. Svarre wins, he said, are

and Jasper Stuyven 3. J. Smithson Milan-San Remo and

(Trek-Segafredo) in Paris-Roubaix, and

the final 250 metres. Junior women maybe a few Grand

“I don’t have any 1. Nienke Veenhoven Tour stages.

words,” Girmay said, 2. L.L. Sander All eyes were on

“it’s just unbelievable.” 3. M. Trégouët Jumbo-Visma, and

6 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

Girmay took a memorable victory Elementary
that put Eritrea on the cycling map for GB’s
Watson

Samuel Watson’s win in

Ghent-Wevelgem’s under-23

race rounded off a fine team

performance by Great Britain.

The 20-year-old from Yorkshire,

who rides for the

Groupama-FDJ

development

squad,

outsprinted the

entire field in

Ypres after the

peloton caught

the last of a

race-long series

of breaks. Watson’s win bodes
British Cycling well for the future

men’s coach Matt

Brammeier said

his team “didn’t miss a trick”.

“We’ve been out in Belgium since

the first week of March,” Brammeier

said. “We’ve done quite a bit of

racing with the lads and every

week it’s got better. So yeah, to

finish off with a win in the big one is

pretty good.”

The British team had been ever

present at the front, with Jim Brown

and Watson himself having featured

in the breaks that had looked

dangerous as the race tackled its

two ascents of the Kemmelberg.

“I don’t have any words. The one time the team were
It’s just unbelievable”
caught on the hop was when a

group of three slipped away with a

handful of kilometres remaining.

“We were a bit concerned, but the

ultimately, Laporte ending up in the final is taking steps every day. It’s impressive, boys pulled together and you know,
selection of four. and congrats to him,” he said.
I think we only missed that one
As van Aert said afterwards: “Setting up British riders didn’t feature heavily in the
Christophe for the win in a small group in day’s events, 22-year-old debutant Ben move all day,” said Brammeier.
the final was actually our game plan, or Turner (Ineos Grenadiers) doing well to
Tiesj or someone else. It was a perfect make the early selection and ultimately It was a good day overall for Team
situation, it was just a pity [Laporte] missed finish best Brit in 28th.
out on the win.” GB, who also came away from the
Tom Pidcock, who had to miss Strade
Still, he was magnanimous in his team’s Bianche with stomach issues, was back junior events with third in the junior Photo Getty Images, PA Images
defeat, calling Girmay’s win “really big” for in the fray, but admitted his race “shows I
cycling. “Winning a Classic like this is lack a lot of racing. Today I was suffering… men’s from Jed Smithson, and fifth
another step forward. It feels like [cycling] I mean, I was feeling awesome, and then
in the junior women’s, thanks to

Isabel Sharp, while Emma Jeffers,

of the JRC-Interflon/Torelli-Cayman

team was fourth.

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 7

Balsamo’s turn of speed won New boy
her a WorldTour hat-trick Tulett’s lucky 13

They say 13 is unlucky for some –

but not for new Ineos Grenadiers

pro Ben Tulett, who romped to his

first pro victory in only his 13th day

of racing in the WorldTour at Coppi

e Bartali last week.

Tulett said he was “in a little bit

of shock” after the hilltop victory at

San Marino, which saw team-mate

Eddie Dunbar finish three seconds

behind him. The Ineos one-two was

part of what was a fine week for

the team, with Ethan Hayter also

winning a stage and Dunbar winning

the GC and, like Tulett, taking his

first pro win. Tulett also finished

second on GC.

The 20-year-old former junior

cyclo-cross world champion moved

up from Alpecin-Fenix to the

WorldTour for this season. His first

after the first time up the Kemmelberg, I Many were looking at last year’s winner races were blighted

was just not. Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) and new by crashes, but he

“It’s a good start,” said Pidcock, who Strade Bianche champion Lotte Kopecky said that made him

finished 67th. “I think it just gives me a (SD Worx) when the race came down to more determined to

good base. I went full gas today. Even when a full-field sprint, having survived a chaotic come back stronger.

I was dropped I was still going full gas, just final 20km. But Balsamo, wearing the “I’m really happy

to see where I was. And yeah, I’m quite far rainbow bands, surged away, holding off to be coming

off,” he reasoned. runner-up Vos and Kopecky, who was away with my first

Like van Aert, Pidcock lauded Girmay’s fourth. Fellow Italian Maria Confalonieri professional win…

victory, saying he’d “I have won a (Ceratizit-WNT) I’m also really happy
congratulated him third race, was third.
during the race on the to see Eddie coming
good results he had Balsamo described
the victory as “a away with his win.

He thoroughly

been getting. it’s a dream dream come true”. deserved it,”
“It’s really nice to “It was a very hard
Tulett said.

see. This is a massive come true” race, with a lot of And this was no Tulett’s win is
race. He’s going to be attacks. My team was soft victory – the his first as a pro
strength of the field,
the face of the sport perfect, they covered

in Africa. It’s great,” said Pidcock. the attacks and did a great job. Now I have which included Marc

won a third race, it’s a dream come true.” Hirschi (third on GC), Mathieu van

Balsamo unstoppable Cheerfully fending off speculation as to der Poel, and three former Tour de

If the men’s race was a step in the rise of a whether she was now the favourite for France winners in Chris Froome,

new nation to cycling, then the women’s Flanders, she said: “I don’t know… it’s a hard Geraint Thomas and Vincenzo Nibali,

was an assertion of dominance by one of race; but now I have won this, perhaps!” was remarkable.

the sport’s traditional superpowers – or Vos was philosophical in defeat, knowing Next up for Tulett will be a team

more specifically, its top rider. her team did everything right except win. altitude camp in Spain’s Sierra

Italy’s Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) “When you arrive with such a large Nevada mountains, after which

continued her stellar season, making it group, it’s hard to time it well, and Balsamo comes the Tour of the Alps and then

three WorldTour wins in a row following was incredibly fast,” she said. “I don’t think another career landmark – a first

her victories in the Trofeo Binda and the much went wrong. I am satisfied. I wanted start at the Giro d’Italia.

Classic Brugge-De Panne. to win but I had to settle for second place.”

8 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly



Vernon takes maiden
pro win in Catalunya

British sprinter shocked to be winning in his first with the team in one of my first races
few months as a pro, reports Chris Marshall-Bell is unbelievable.”

T he disbelief was palpable. any meticulously prepared celebration for Vernon, who grew up idolising his
Upon crossing the line first it revealed just how happy the 21-year-old current team-mate Mark Cavendish,
on stage five of the Volta was to score his first ever victory in just admitted that he celebrated like he did
a Catalunya to claim his his 16th day racing as a professional. because “I couldn’t believe it, really,”
maiden professional win, Ethan Vernon before adding that replying to the
attempted a wild celebration, throwing Thirty minutes afterwards, the shock avalanche of WhatsApp messages on his
his right arm in the air, out and back was still evident. “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” phone would take up his entire journey to
again, and repeating the same manoeuvre the tall Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl sprinter the team hotel.
two more times, his mouth agape to roar told Cycling Weekly. “Maybe tomorrow
with delight. it will. The final in Vilanova i la Geltrú was
a complicated affair with a number of
There was absolutely zero “I mean, I’ve dreamed of being a roundabouts and bends, but Vernon
choreography, but it was as beautiful as professional cyclist, only a few months never looked like being beaten.
ago that came true, so to then win
He reflected: “I was expecting someone
to come round me, but I could see
under my arms there were no wheels

10 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

The Brit threw his hands in the air... and Gadd and Day
waved them around like he just didn’t care take early
TT wins
near me. The last 50m or so I realised I the season; that’s been pushed forward a
Rising talents Thomas Day and
had it sorted. To win so early on in my bit!” he laughed. Lucy Gadd showed their early-
season form by taking victories in
professional career is something special.” “But we don’t stop here, we keep going, the opening round of the Merlin
Cycles Classic Series.
Vernon rode for Great Britain in the keep learning, and hopefully more will
Riding for Belgian-based under-23
team pursuit at the Tokyo Olympics last come this year.” team Elevate Home Solutions
Soenens, Day fine-tuned his
summer, returning from Japan to win a On stage two of the race he finished preparations for a season on the
Continent by winning the
stage of the Tour de l’Avenir. fourth, his previous best result, and he men’s event.

He has impressed revealed that he had The 19-year-old clocked a time
of 49 minutes and 39 seconds over
his Quick Step team on studied the finale to see an undulating 24-mile course in
Dorset, a time hampered by the
training camps with his where he could improve. wind conditions.

raw speed, but even he “We sat down and Day was a clear winner ahead
of Jordan Giles (Primera-Teamjobs)
didn’t predict that he’d analysed the sprint taking second (52-09), while Sam
Thompson (Podium Addict)
have a win to his name from day two and finished third.

before the clocks where I went wrong,” he Under-23 rider Day was using the
event as part of a training weekend
went forward. said. “Well, not wrong, ahead of the Tript Monts Châteaux Photos Getty Images
three-day race in Belgium this week.
“I said at the start of but where I could have
“It was a pretty testing course,”
the year I’d like to learn done better and I put said Day. “I went out pretty hard
over the hills and then rested on the
in the first half of the that into play today and downhills before hanging on in the
last stretch into a cross-headwind.”
season, and try and win a it gave me the result we
Gadd, aged 20, has more
race in the second half of Vernon’s road career has were after.” domestic goals this season with the
Storey Racing member targeting the
started at speed TT National Championships.

The psychology student is
juggling her university studies along
with national level road racing and
time trialling this season.

She set a winning time of 56-03
to take victory ahead of Lilly Chant
(Southampton University Road
Cycling Club) in second (57-46)
and quickest veteran Sally Turner
(trainSharp) in third.

Gadd only started time trialling
during the first lockdown when
domestic road racing was curtailed.

“I was hitting all of my targets
which are above where I was last
year,” said Gadd.

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 11

British cycling takes difficult
first step into new era

Trans woman’s inclusion in elite racing prompts the same 5nmol/L testosterone rules as
concerns, reports Vern Pitt adopted by the UCI and British Cycling.

This weekend’s Omnium Fairness concerns
National Championships are
set to see the first transgender decision to allow the continuation of trans Meanwhile, as British Cycling was
woman compete in a national
competition since British Cycling women competing against cis women had consulting on its new rules the five sports
redrafted its inclusion rules.
let down the latter group. councils of the UK, headed by UK Sport,
In doing so the UK cycling scene is
set to find itself at the centre of a raging British Cycling published its revised published their own guidance. It said:
debate about what constitutes fairness
in sport. trans policy in January this year after a “While there was widespread support for

Cycling Weekly understands there lengthy consultation period. It followed ensuring that sport was a welcoming place
are widespread concerns among riders
and staff at British Cycling that while a fierce debate across sports at multiple for everyone in society, there were some
the policy is a step forward for inclusion
it risks putting cis women (the term levels over whether the testosterone concerns relating to safety and sporting
for women whose gender identity
matches their sex assigned at birth) at suppression levels that BC, the UCI fairness in the inclusion of transgender
a disadvantage.
and others have adopted are enough to people, particularly transgender women,
The issue over British Cycling’s policy
is coming to a head because it is the first counteract the performance advantages and no consensus on how this should
time a known trans woman (whose name
we have chosen to withhold after she of going through puberty as a male and be addressed.”
recently faced abuse online) has entered
a national championship, having fulfilled bring trans women’s performance into It added: “Transgender women are on
the requirement to show her testosterone
levels are below the required 5nmol/L for line with the average likely to
a period of 12 months.
performance of “We have retain physical
Ongoing debate cis women. advantage
However, there is an ongoing debate
among sports scientists over whether In November committed to in terms of
this provides a level playing field with cis last year the physique,
women when the trans athlete in question
has gone through puberty as a male. International reviewing our stamina,
Olympic policy annually” and strength.”
Multiple sources close to British Committee
Cycling who spoke to CW on condition (IOC) changed its As a result it
of anonymity expressed concerns concluded that
that the trans rider may have an unfair
advantage over the cis female riders. guidance on trans sports governing

No one CW spoke to expressed any inclusion. Having consulted with over 250 bodies could either choose to prioritise
criticism of the trans woman competing.
Multiple sources said that they could well athletes and stakeholders, it concluded: transgender inclusion or protect the
understand a young rider who is allowed
to compete taking that chance as any other “No athlete should be precluded from fairness of female sport but not both.
would. Most felt that British Cycling’s
competing or excluded from competition It is with this context, pulled

on the exclusive grounds of an unverified, between the permissiveness of the IOC

alleged or perceived unfair competitive guidance and the, potentially, far more

advantage due to their transgender status.” conservative bent of the UK Sport

While it was a boon for inclusive sport report, that British Cycling decided to

it drew criticism for setting the bar for choose a middle way by sticking with the

trans women’s inclusion too low. testosterone threshold advocated by the

Early in 2022, 38 medical experts UCI and several other governing bodies.

including medical director of the UCI When asked to comment on the

Xavier Bigard wrote in the British internal unease surrounding the decision

Medical Journal of Open Sport and a British Cycling spokesperson said:

Exercise Medicine that the IOC “We believe that the updated policy

framework opened the door to unfair reflects the current evidence available

competition in female sports. It said: to us, however we acknowledge

“Without rules that are perceived as that more research into this area is

fair, sport will not engage the younger required. For this reason we have

generation and likely negatively impact committed to reviewing our policy

future participation rates in the female annually, or more frequently as evolving

category.” Those experts advocated for circumstances dictate.”

12 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly



NEWS

PREVIEW

Tour of the Basque Country

Monday 4 April | Saturday 9 April, Spain

Jumbo-Visma are confident alongside each other. Roglič recently won said. “When they’re both on the level
there will be no clash of egos Paris-Nice while Vingegaard finished where they are competitive to ride for the
between Primož Roglič and second at Tirreno-Adriatico. victory, they can only make each other
Jonas Vingegaard that could stronger. It only gives us an even better
undermine their two-pronged The Dane’s emergence as a serious GC situation in the race, and both Jonas and
attack, continuing the team’s rider has prompted open discussions Primož know that.
spring dominance at the Tour of within the team about his own personal
the Basque Country. goals, but sports director Marc Reef told “It’s important for the Tour that Jonas
Cycling Weekly that instead of potential and Primož are able to race together, to
It will be the first stage race since mutiny, the pair are committed to show that they are getting used to each
last summer’s Tour de France – where working alongside each other to prevent other. It’s important to see how they can
Vingegaard unexpectedly finished rival teams from winning. use each other, how we can use them to
second following Roglič’s injury-induced prepare ourselves as best as possible for
withdrawal – that the duo will race “We speak a lot about this, not only later this year.
with Jonas but also with Primož,” he

14 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

KEY INFORMATION THE CONTENDERS

2021 TOP FIVE REMCO EVENEPOEL British team playing multiple cards.
Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) QUICK STEP-ALPHA VINYL CW rating +++
Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma)
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates) A 7.5km time trial on day one won’t JUAN AYUSO
Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers) permit the Belgian to make significant UAE TEAM EMIRATES
David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) inroads on some rivals, but the absence The Spanish teenage sensation
of high mountains makes this the sort finished fifth at the Volta a Catalunya,
PREVIOUS WINNERS of race that the 22-year-old excels in. impressing with his ability to keep
2021 Primož Roglič pace with the best climbers, launching
2019 Ion Izagirre CW rating ++++ his own attacks and being attentive to
2018 Primož Roglič tactical moves – the latter essential to
SERGIO HIGUITA the racing in the Basque Country.
2017 Alejandro Valverde B O R A- H A N S G R O H E
2016 Alberto Contador CW rating ++
Higuita was in terrific form at the Volta
S TAG E S a Catalunya, finishing third and fourth JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE
QUICK STEP-ALPHA VINYL
Stage Route Distance Terrain on the two mountain days, and then
launching a terrific 125km attack The constant undulations and the
1 Hondarribia > 7.5km TT with Richard Carapaz on stage prerequisite to be punchy throughout
Hondarribia six to eventually top the GC. The
Colombian will be a major threat in this race is perfect for the world
2 Leitza > Viana 208km Hilly the Basque Country. champion, although expect him to
CW rating ++++ focus on stage wins rather than the GC.
3 Llodio > 182km Hilly
Amurrio ADAM YATES CW rating ++
INEOS GRENADIERS
ENRIC MAS
A good start to the season – second at M OV I S TA R
the UAE Tour and fourth at Paris-Nice The Spaniard is looking to kick-start
– means that the Lancastrian is all of his season, and knows that he can go
a sudden Ineos’s star GC man. He will well here, having won the traditional
be strongly supported by the likes of punishing final stage to Arrate in 2018.
Geraint Thomas and Dani Martínez, CW rating ++

opening up the possibility of the

Vitoria-

4 Gasteiz > 186km Hilly

Zamudio

5 Zamudio > 164km Hilly
Mallaba

6 Eibar > Alto 136km Hilly
de Arrate

“We are not working with a sole Words Chris Marshall-Bell Photos Getty Images, PA Images
leader in our team, so Jonas will have his
chances next to Primož, and when he’s
better he will get his chance to maybe win
the race. We will see what the situation is,
but we only see that they make each other
even stronger.”

The Tour of the Basque Company
comprises a short opening time trial
followed by five hilly stages, with Roglič
currently the favourite to win the race for
a third time. “It’s one of his big early-
season goals for us, along with Paris-
Nice,” Reef added. “Last year we had a
one-two which was really great, but it
won’t be easy to do that again.”

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 15

NEWS

THE HUB

All the news you might have missed from the last seven days

Walscheid dodges death
Cofidis rider Max Walscheid has said he is “lucky to be alive” after being
hit by a car on a training ride near his home in Franken, Germany. He was
airlifted to hospital but apparently had no broken bones or major injuries.

Walscheid, who was fourth in the Classic Brugge-De Panne last week,
said: “It’s very tough because I was going well, with good results and the
potential to do more. But right now I prefer to still be alive.”

10
Walscheid’s car smash left him The number of host countries in the
shaken but unharmed UCI’s new 12-round Gravel World

Series, which will run from April to

September this year and will

be open to both elite and

fitness riders alike. Riders

W Bernal saddles up finishing in the top quarter

Egan Bernal is back on his of each event will also be

bike, just over two months on eligible for the Gravel

from the training crash which World Championships in

could have paralysed him. the autumn. The events will

The Ineos Grenadier take place across four

posted photos of himself on continents, from Belgium

social media to celebrate to the Philippines, Australia

the milestone. Out on roads and the USA. There are no

north of Bogotá in his home rounds in the UK this year.

country of Colombia, Bernal

was pictured with people

including brother Ronald, W Colbrelli goes home

and team-mate and friend Sonny Colbrelli is to be

Brandon Rivera. transferred to Italy, after

“The happiest day of Retitled Tour of Scandinavia is spending nearly a week
my life,” said Bernal on a nod to the suffering of Ukraine in hospital in Girona

Instagram. “After two months following a heart scare

and 20 broken bones, here I after the first stage of

am, and I want more!” the Volta a Catalunya. His

Scandinavian race drops ‘Battle’ moniker condition is stable and he Photo Getty Images, Egan Bernal

The Battle of the North women’s stage race has changed its name to will undergo further tests

the Tour of Scandinavia to avoid links with the war in Ukraine. Launched once back in his home

on Thursday, the race will consist of six stages over six days across country, said his Bahrain

Denmark, Sweden and Norway from 9-14 August. Victorious team. The

The race had spent a lot of time building the ‘Battle’ brand, said reigning Paris-Roubaix

Bernal’s back director Roy Moberg, but had dropped it “in respect for everyone who champion has said he will
on the road suffers as a result of the terrible war in Ukraine”. need a miracle to start
racing again.

16 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly





GPS fence makes
security sense

Can Geraint Thomas really be I am appalled at the number of bikes
‘just’ a Tour domestique? stolen and it seems so are many of
your readers. What puzzles me, as an
Thomas ready to ride TdF ‘Oldie’ born in 1936, is that all of your
in supporting role younger bike-owning readers have the
answer to this problem in their hands
Supporting who? Ewan James That’s all well and good, but can he keep – their smartphones.
it rubber side down for three weeks?
Great place to be, no real pressure, Brad Ridgley A ‘tracker’ costs £30 or so from
(not like he feels the pressure anyway). Amazon – it looks like, and is, a red rear
Happy for G. Enjoying his time in He is a pretty determined rider so if cycle lamp. A free ‘geo fence’ app on
the pro peloton for as long as it lasts. he is there he won’t be a passenger. your smartphone will enable you to
Respect. James Thurlow Chris Gambs put a ‘GPS fence’ around your bike
wherever you leave it.
Reported wage of £3.5 million a year, With Egan Bernal out, who would be the
I doubt he’s that bothered as long as Ineos GC rider Thomas is supposed to If or when your bike moves outside
he’s there. Ben Peach support? Adam McMurry that ‘fence’, without your permission,
the tracker will call you on your
To be fair, the Tour he won he started as Does former Grand Tour winner smartphone and tell you where it is, Photo Getty Images
a domestique. Jeff Farmer playing domestique ever really work? where it’s going and how fast. Tracker
Bernard Hinault with Greg LeMond is a batteries will ensure this information is
Fair play to him. At least he can notable example, but in that instance he available 24/7 for as long as its battery
offer great support and genuinely didn’t really want to and that was clear lasts, typically 50 hours or more.
understands that a Grand Tour win is a to all. Nigel Lewin
reach too far for him nowadays. That’s I’m sure you could put an article
the kind of team-mate you want in a Fair enough, but would like to see him together explaining to readers how to
Tour. Bags of experience and no ego. get his hands in the air a few more times do this, because at this point it’s all
Fergus Mac Eochaidh before he retires. Ash Lewis beyond me. Keep up your good work.

Edward Johnston

Ed – Thanks, Edward. We have
reviewed GPS trackers in the past,
and written about bike theft and
prevention. Along with trackers,
there are alarms and ever stronger
locks. Info about, and reviews of, all
of these products can be found on
our website.

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Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 19





F E AT U R E

YEAR
OF THE

VOLUNTEER

PROS
GIVING
BACK
We all struggle for time to volunteer but when you’re jet-setting
around the globe as a pro, it can be even harder. James Shrubsall

speaks to some who still find the time to make it work

Photos Andy Jones, Alamy, SW Pix

W hen you’re cast iron; written into a contract with “I’ve been down to their
five points
off that no wriggle room. But as Ben Swift presentations and done bits and bobs.
elusive
second- points out, there are other ways to help I’ve done a few sessions, especially
cat road
licence and your season’s going well, out, such as being the president of the through lockdown when it was all
it’s quite the exercise in selflessness
to forgo a ride in the weekend road club you rode for as a child. done on Zoom – that was good.”
race to volunteer instead. It’s not
impossible though. But when the “I’ve been the club There aren’t
national road champion, who rides
for Ineos Grenadiers no less, tells you president in [Mossley many pros who don’t
that he can’t man the tea room at this
weekend’s road race because he’s riding CRT],” explains Swift, understand that a
in the WorldTour, you can’t hold it
against him. As far as excuses go, it’s who became national large part of their road

22 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly road champion for a to a pro contract was

second consecutive laid by those who help

time last October. “It make races happen

was the club I used to for the love of it, so

ride for as a kid. They they are happy to give

asked me if I’d be a back to the sport, in

lifelong member and ways that only a pro

president of the club. Askey runs skills sessions at rider can.

his childhood club

Volunteers are the bedrock on
which pro careers are made

F E AT U R E

“The volunteers that we need are Keeping the flag flying for grassroots “The volunteers
the guys that are out there in the racing is as simple as giving up your time we need are the
rain, blocking roads, just for the love guys out there
of the sport, they never really get own admission has even less time than
appreciated,” Swift says. “The people before – Lampier has actually stepped in the rain”
who are volunteering on races, it’s a up his volunteering efforts, taking on
massive thing. Our sport wouldn’t exist the management of the South West to put back into the sport is Groupama-
without them.” Junior Regional squad as a sideline. FDJ rider Lewis Askey, who combined
volunteering with qualifying for his
Lampier lends a hand “The South West Region helped me Duke of Edinburgh Award when he ran
For a number of years now, Steve a lot when I was a junior to ride the a series of skills sessions for youngsters
Lampier has got used to being National Junior Series races – back then for his club, Lichfield City CC.
described as a “veteran British pro”, they were called the Pete Buckleys,”
but the 38-year-old retired at the end Lampier explains. “Now it’s my turn to “It was a mountain bike slash
of 2021 to become a DS with his former put something back into the sport in cross session,” says the 20-year-old
team, Saint Piran. He says volunteering that respect, and help these guys.” Midlands rider, who is currently
should be de rigueur for the country’s enjoying his first season at WorldTour
top riders. Helping out as well as competing was level. “You know, teaching picking
something Lampier says he fell quite bottles up; a little race round with a
“I think when you become ‘pro’ or naturally into – partly through a sheer little jump, or up and down the bank…
an elite amateur, especially within the love of the sport, but also through the fundamental skills.
UK, by the nature of the job you have to recognition that he’d enjoyed plenty of
volunteer, you have to give something help himself. “I did maybe six weeks’ worth,”
back,” he says. “You’re an ambassador Askey says. “It was something I really
for the sport, you’re an ambassador for “I think I was always quite aware of enjoyed. Because, you know what
the sponsors, so in that respect, you the help I received along the way. So kids are like – if they like something
should always be giving back. I was always willing to help,” he says. they’ll let you know, and if they don’t
“And because I love racing so much I’d like something they’ll let you know
“I’ve helped out with some youth go to the smaller races when I wasn’t
cycling clubs, because I remember riding bigger races. It was just what I
when I was a kid, you look up to the did, you know, because I loved being at
local hero. So it’s kind of like giving races... whether it was cross, mountain
something back to them,” Lampier says. bike, time trials.”
“I was never a big pro, but it’s that first
interaction with someone who can Doing it for the kids
point you in the right direction.” Another pro rider who has done his bit

The Cornish stalwart has also sat
on the South West Road Race Work
Group for three years, helping to get
as much racing into the South West
as possible.

Now that he is managing the team
rather than riding for it – and by his

Saint Piran DS Lampier also
manages a local junior squad

24 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

National champ Swift’s
always glad to chip in

too, and a lot of them really enjoyed my didn’t have volunteers, I know a lot of help a lot to bring a group together.
sessions that I was doing, they found it the races that I did when I was younger Especially if their kids are going to be
really cool.” wouldn’t have been run. That’s what got there or if a family member is going to
me into cycling.” be riding. Yeah, get involved and the
Volunteering runs in the family, more people that we can have helping,
explains the Junior Paris-Roubaix And from the experience he’s already the better the scene will be.”
winner – his father was a coach at had, he thoroughly recommends
Lichfield City CC and led the Tuesday anyone give it a go. HOW TO GET INVOLVED
night sessions that helped Askey
develop into the rider he is today. “It is rewarding, especially if you’re Your sport
running around with kids and stuff like needs you
“That was from when I was literally that. They do appreciate it, and they will
seven, all the way to 16, 17,” Askey gain a lot from it,” he says. Become one of the 1,000 extra
says. “That was good, because every volunteers we’re trying to get by
single session, he had that really honest While professional cyclists have heading over to one of the British
feedback from me, and my brother, of less free time than many, and by Cycling or Cycling Time Trials
what we liked. I think that helps a coach dint of their job they come at volunteer website portals to add
as well.” volunteering from a slightly different your name. You could even sign
angle, Swift reckons there are definitely up to learn more about one
Next up on Askey’s volunteering benefits in ‘giving back’, even for the of the courses British Cycling
agenda will be to present the prizes for world’s best. is running, and learn about
local club riders at a ceremony in May, becoming a commissaire, a ride
he says, and once his timetable (which “Oh 100%,” he says emphatically. leader or a coach; or ask CTT
as a first-year WorldTour pro is already “I think it gives you the right values about how to become
pretty daunting) has calmed down a bit, and it shows your commitment. I also a timekeeper.
he’d like to get stuck into some bread- think it shows a bit of appreciation
and-butter stuff at races too. and gratitude if you can do it. So it’s SIGN UP AT:
like, if I am about, and if there is the w britishcycling.org.uk/
Swift work local race on, I’ll go down and do the volunteering
“Me and my girlfriend would like to presentation, or get a little flag out or e volunteer@
volunteer at a race and do stuff like that. something like that, you know?” cyclingtimetrials.org.uk
Because it’s what’s given me my job at
the end of the day,” Askey says. “If we In fact Swift readily encourages Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 25
anyone, pro or otherwise, to get
involved in helping out, promising it
will open their eyes to a new aspect of
the sport. “It will help them to see the
other side of the cycling community.
Doing something like that can really

26 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

F E AT U R E

EW

For most of us the possibility of riding a World Championship seems very
far away, but for one member of staff at Cycling Weekly’s publishers it
became a reality. Vern Pitt charts the story of how a near 40-year-old
journalist got to race against the world’s best, in his garage

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 27

ounded in 1841, Wynberg Boys’ High

School sits in a leafy suburb of Cape

Town, South Africa. It’s a school with

a rich sporting heritage with many

international cricketers and rugby

players among its alumni – most notably

Jacques Kallis, considered to be one of

the best cricketers of all time. An Eddy Borrill’s Zwift avatar resplendent

Merckx in whites. In the hallways there in South African national colours

is an honours board with Kallis’s name

among the long list of notables.

In the mid-1990s 13-year-old Aaron thought it would be possible. It just even get to do that? Borrill’s journey
to the Worlds is one of reluctance,
Borrill, now tech editor at Cycling shows that you’re never too old to perseverance and eventually
satisfaction – sort of.
Weekly sister publication CyclingNews, achieve something.”
Losing it all
looked up at that wall forlornly. “My The reason Borrill is being added to Just for Borrill to be on the start line
in New York/his house required more
sport was cricket; I discovered very that list is that he represented South than a bit of good luck. Unlike other
World Championships there are open
early on I wasn’t Africa at the qualification events for eSports. An
experienced e-racer Borrill took
good enough for “It shows that eSports World it seriously. “In the South African
that,” he explains. Championships qualifiers, I got the [Zwift] Premier
Division riders together. There were
“I look up at this last month. five of us and five spots and I knew if
An amateur the five of us worked together we’d lock
you’re never toothing and I didn’t out qualification instantly. So we had
a [online group audio service] Discord
think I would ever old to achieve who only took up channel going. While the others had no
get my name on cycling 10 years

this board. There’s something” ago he was now
Jacques Kallis and battling it out with

all these crazy pro riders on 19%

names of famous sports stars, and now climbs from his garage.

my name is going on there… If somebody We wondered what it was like to race

told me right then that 26 years later, as an amateur against some of the best

when you’re approaching 40, you’re in the world. Only in eSports does that

going to go on that, I wouldn’t have happen on a regular basis. How do you

28 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

In his pain cave and F E AT U R E Photos Andrew Sydenham
ready to suffer...
WORLDS LOGISTICS

Zwift’s
gargantuan

task

It took a team of 45 people working
six months to organise the eSports
World Championships, Sean Parry,
director at Zwift, tells CW.

With riders across the globe
in their own individual homes
all needing the right kit and
connections, plus a studio
broadcast to manage it was a
logistical challenge unlike anything
the company had done before. “I
would say it’s five times bigger
than organising a normal race, for
sure. Because of the scale and the
importance of making sure that it
all goes well on the day, it’s a high
pressure situation for us,” he says.

Like many big projects
the biggest challenge was
communication. “A lot of the rules
and regulations of the race are very
specific. And you can get caught
out really inadvertently by doing
some simple things wrong. A good
example of that would be if you
forgot to connect your heart rate
monitor properly before the race
started – we would remove you
from the race.”

The standardised equipment
– every rider was sent a Wahoo
Kickr as part of the championships’
partnership deal – was also difficult.
“From January to the beginning of
February, we managed to send out
200 trainers to people who were all
over the place.

“There’s troubleshooting of
issues too. Somebody put the
wrong power cable in and fried it,”
he recalls with a wince.

He adds that much of this though
should make future editions a little
smoother, as having run two World
Champs there is now a base of
knowledge in national federations
about how the process works that
all can lean on.

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 29

F E AT U R E

clue, we knew where we were attacking. Borrill took on the Worlds from
I orchestrated that,” he recalls. his home in leafy Surrey

Finishing third in that race in late 2021
was enough to get him into the team for
the Worlds. Or would have been. “I found
out a week later there was a problem with
my power recording,” he explains; in top
flight Zwift racing riders have to record
their power output using two meters
(usually one in the turbo and one on their
bikes’ cranks or pedals). “The power
meter was under-reading… they could see
how much they were off by. They voided

“I was anti INSIDE THE GARAGE
indoor cycling.
I would ride rain Aaron Borrill’s Zwift
Worlds set-up
or shine”
Bike: 2018 Cannondale SuperSix Bars: Zipp SL-70 Aero
my result. I was absolutely devastated.” Evo Disc Bar tape: Fabric Knurl
The power pedals he was using would Groupset: Shimano Ultegra R8070 Pedals: Favero Assioma DUO
eventually be recalled over the fault that Di2 Disc Head unit: Garmin Edge 520
tripped him up. Saddle: Fizik Arione R1 Versus Evo Turbo trainer: Wahoo Kickr V5
Screen: Samsung LED 42in
It was December and it should have Computer-to-screen cabling Computer: MacBook Pro
been a lovely day decorating his house Fan/cooling: Russell Hobbs
ready for Christmas but his wife pedestal fan
corroborates his admission that he was HRM: Garmin HRM Pro
extremely grumpy. “We went to go and Shoes: Specialized S-Works EXOS
cut down a Christmas tree the day I got Kit: South African National Kit by
the news of my result. I was just ripping NoPinz
around carrying it on my back like a Accessories: La Passione
caveman,” he says. indoor towel

That was that until two weeks later “I didn’t want to do the races, but as I hit a South African friend made contact.
the UCI asked where they should send did I got more competitive – I didn’t like “He said he’d just joined this team on
his turbo trainer for the Worlds. He was people coming past me,” he recalls. Zwift and they do races every Thursday.
confused but unbeknownst to him the It’s massive, there’s like thousands of
South African federation had selected That desire eventually led to road teams and did I want to join him. I said,
him anyway and the email had been sat cycling. “I was anti-indoor cycling. I ‘No, I don’t actually.’ This went on for
in his spam. Now he was excited but had would ride 24/7, rain, shine, anything, weeks,” says Borrill once again reluctant
missed out on two weeks of training for there was nothing to stop me,” he says. to get involved. When he eventually
the Worlds. But then a nasty crash in a mountain relented he was swiftly the first dropped
bike race broke his arm, sending his from the Cryo-Gen team train. That
Exhaustion radius and ulna bones past his elbow, soon changed and he’s now done more
It was one of his friends back in South rupturing the ligaments. Suddenly he time trials with the squad than anyone.
Africa, a coach, who had coached him couldn’t ride outside. A friend offered
before that he turned to now he needed use of his smart turbo trainer and Borrill In January 2022 with the Worlds
to prepare for the Worlds. was on it within 24 hours. looming, time was short and having
been focused on time trialling in 2021
Borrill was well embedded in the Fast forward to 2020 and as lockdown
South African cycling scene before
he’d moved to the UK. Initially it was
mountain biking around South Africa’s
many dirt roads. Then his wife started
entering both of them into races.

30 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly



F E AT U R E

A pixelated peloton kept the pace
at boiling point throughout the race

the transition to make him good at road There were other technical worries moved to two hours before the race
racing was set to be unpleasant. “We
decided to shock the system to get used plaguing his mind too. “I made sure that rather than the usual 12 for other
to max 30 second sprints so there were a
couple of workouts where I was doing 10 at the time of competitions,
times 30 seconds flat out, which sounds
kind of innocuous on paper, but I got the race that no “There’s a big also caused him
to number six and I was done… my wife one was on the anxiety from
took photos of me crying on the floor,”
he says. internet. I’ve got difference being worrying about
an 11-year-old how much to
All of this was going on in the
mornings and evenings around work. daughter, and held back by eat and drink
It was stressful and it wasn’t the only she’s on all her beforehand.
form of stress. One week to the minute
before he was due to be racing the World devices all the gravity and To boot, he
Championships, his home in rural time and I had to mechanical was spending
Surrey suddenly had no electricity. convince her to braking force” these weeks on
Storm Eunice was battering the UK and switch everything the turbo getting
Borrill’s was just one of many homes off, to make sure accustomed to
without power. all Bluetooth using it at 100%

Perfect storm connections on all difficulty (Zwift
“I was thinking, what the hell am I going
to do, you know, was it too late to try devices were switched off except defaults to 50%), a late change to the
and source an inverter, which would be
like an external power supply to keep for mine.” racing set-up that many racers felt made
everything alive, if something like that
were to happen?” he recalls. Plus, in the weeks before competitors the game feel unrealistic. “There’s a

have to complete an exhaustion- big difference between you being held

inducing workout with multiple back by gravity and being held back

increasingly long maximal efforts to help by mechanical braking force,” he says.

calibrate the data from their trainers, “There were parts of that New York

something Zwift describes as a bit like KOM that we went up that pitch to 19%.

a technical version of the biological With that unrealistic braking force

passport for blood doping. applied. There was a feeling like it’s going

Then he says the weigh-in, another to break your knees… Training at 100%

regulatory requirement, which was wasn’t pleasant.”

32 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly



F E AT U R E

Borrill at least had his South
African team-mates to help with the
organisational stuff. For others it
must have been harder. Recognising
the complexity of the task at hand,
Borrill invited Angolan rider André
Matias into the South African squad’s
WhatsApp group as a small sign of
African solidarity. “He had no support
from his federation. I don’t think his
federation even exists. We decided to
bring him on to help him just in case and
we did help him because he didn’t know
certain things that he had to do that
we did know because we were getting
communications from our federation.”

At one point he tells us: “I don’t think
you realise the impact that kind of stress
has on the body.” On the morning of the
race, having not slept very well, it was
coming to a head. “In terms of fitting in
the training with work, and the external
stuff, it was massively stressful. It was
unreal. It got to the point where I woke
up the day of Worlds and I said, ‘I don’t
want to do this.’”

Big Apple, big ascent

The race itself was difficult. The team

rode for their sprinter James Bonds and

just tried to keep him in touch over the

hill. “The KOM was absolutely brutal.

I didn’t make it over the first time and

I was going to the max. If I had footage

to share and show you you’d be able to

see the snot and bodily fluids that were Borrill’s set-up comprises all

being discharged, just trying to get over. the virtual racing bells and whistles

I was doing probably eight to nine watts

per kilogram

and I was getting “I was doing himself it was an reference points and the changes
shelled out the achievement just in typography like some of the other
guys. They’re spending a lot of time
back,” he recalls. 8-9W/kg and to make it. “I’ve got looking at areas where they can
Borrill found a lot of unfinished save energy.”

himself in a getting shelled business with Olympic hopes
group of around out the back” Zwift and if we [his He’d like to do it again, maybe on
12 riders all Cryo-Gen trade a course that suits his talents a bit
desperately trying team] get back better and anticipates that if eSports
is included in the Olympics at some
to make it back to into the Premier point there will be an influx of top
level riders into the sport. But for
the main pack of around 60. They came Division I don’t want to be mid pack, now he’ll have to make do with looking
up at that board in his school,
within three seconds but with the speed I want to be doing things for the team, a place he never thought he’d get to
and seeing his name among some of
so high could not close the gap. His fulfilling a role and possibly finishing a South Africa’s best.

team-mate finished in the bunch lot higher. But the step up from the A1

but he found himself slipping back division is huge. I mean, I’m doing OK

on the second and final ascent of the in A1 division but the guys competing at

New York climb. He was disappointed. the highest level are just incredible.”

He had wanted to get in the top 40 He has a plan too, he adds: “I’m not

but was 76th. However, he reminded analysing the surroundings and the

34 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly



Should your next

bike be steel?

Steel continues its long and storied journey but
it’s no mere nostalgia trip, says Luke Friend

Its unique performance characteristics tubesets; instead we take time to choose the corners and it utilises a super stiff
means steel can still meet the each tube individually, considering the Columbus HSS tubeset for maximum
demands of a broad range of today’s influence it will have on ride quality and power transfer with a handmade filament
road bike users like no other material overall performance.” wound carbon ISP to dampen vibrations.”
can. By rights, aluminium and then carbon
should have killed it off, but instead steel Mason works closely with some of “The ISP also has the added benefit
continues to evolve. the world’s best tube makers, namely of looking slick and making each build
Reynolds, Columbus and Dedacciai. It totally custom to the rider. All of the lugs
By remaining relevant, steel has seen allows the brand to use a blend of tubing for the ISP are hand made.”
continued innovation from dedicated types as well as custom shapes. For
designers and frame-builders. Whereas example, the Mason Resolution frame Ritchey’s proprietary Logic tubing,
older steel frames were defined uses both Columbus Spirit and Life developed by founder Tom Ritchey,
by slender, uniform tube shapes, tubing that’s progressively butted rather who welded his first frame 50 years ago,
today’s performance steel road bikes than using traditional butting. also looks to strike a balance between
utilise developments in tubing and strength, weight and performance by
manufacturing processes. The result is London brand Isen goes a step further using specific butting profiles, which
a slew of modern frames with distinctly with its R3 Disc, using a carbon-fibre seat are “unique to the location and size of
different shapes from designs past. tube and integrated seatpost with high- a frame” according to Fergus Liam, US
end steel tubing for the rest of the frame. marketing manager for Ritchey. “The
“Tubing material, shape and butting of the top tube at the head tube
dimensions have a huge influence on “We designed this bike as an all-out isn’t the same profile as the top tube at
the way the finished bike will ride,” says race machine with the help of a group the seat tube, and that profile isn’t the
Dom Mason, who founded Mason Cycles of local crit racers,” says Isen’s Caren same on a small as it is on a large.”
in 2014. “We don’t use ‘off the shelf’ Hartley. “The handling is designed to
be super responsive, yet planted in What weight problem?
Steel fell out of favour in the pro peloton
BEN FREDERICK’S RITCHEY SWISS CROSS in the mid-1990s, largely because lighter
materials became available. The material
Ben Frederick, the 2021 singlespeed early-season races, soaking up those has been burdened with a ‘weight
cyclo-cross US national champion, is one problem’ ever since. But while today’s
of the few elite cross racers to still ride bumps and keeping traction down.”
a steel frame. He’s Ritchey’s first official
cyclo-cross factory rider since Thomas Now based in San Francisco, he raced
Frischknecht, the legendary Swiss
champion after whom the Swiss Cross all of the UCI World Cups in the US in
frameset is named.
2021 and has multiple C1 top-10 finishes.
“I’ve been on a Ritchey Swiss Cross
since 2015, moving His current bikes match the Swiss Cross
from cantilever
over to disc in Disc frame with SRAM Red/Force AXS 1x
the past year,”
says Frederick. “I groupsets, Ritchey WCS carbon cockpit
choose steel over
carbon because and seatpost, and Zipp 303 wheels. The
the ride quality of
steel is sublime. It weight is 8.6kg.
shines in bumpy
The aesthetic

appeal of steel is

clearly a big draw.

“Good-looking

bikes are fast,” he

tells CW, “and the

Steel’s classic lines are classic look
easy on the eye of steel tubing is
just gorgeous.”

36 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

Blended tubing and advanced design brings HOT KIT
the all-road Mason Resolution in under 9kg
PIRELLI
Steel’s keeping up P ZERO
with the times RACE 4S

The new Pirelli P Zero Race 4S is
billed as a four-season tyre and takes
over from the Zero Velo 4S, which
impressed us with its grip, rolling
speed and puncture resistance. It’s
a tyre Pirelli is pitching at those
who want a “racing feeling” all year
round without sacrificing durability.
To this end, Pirelli’s engineers have
deployed the brand’s new SmartEVO
proprietary compound.

With internal rim widths getting
ever larger, Pirelli has updated the
shape of the casing to improve the
tyre’s profile. The result is a wider and
shorter footprint, which Pirelli claims
will enhance “smoothness, puncture
protection and cornering control”.

high-end steel bikes cannot

quite match carbon on the

scales, they’re not as heavy

as you might think.

“First off, I think we

need to get off this weight

issue,” says Liam. “A bike

that rides well isn’t solely

determined by weight. That isn’t to say a Fairlight, a UK brand specialising in steel,

well-crafted steel bike can’t be light and produces the Strael, a performance road

ride well. We have a Ritchey Road Logic frame which can be built with affordable

here with alloy parts and tubed wheels components to weigh around 8.5kg. The P Zero Race 4S is Pirelli’s first
100% Italian-made product since the
that tips the scales at 18lb [8.16kg]. That’s It’s also worth remembering that a company returned to cycling in 2017,
manufactured in the renovated
no slouch. Again, it’s how the material frame typically only makes up around Bollate plant 10km from the Milan
Bicocca headquarters.
is used. Logic tubing “I think we 20% of a bike’s overall Photos masoncycles.cc, Ben Frederick, Pirelli
uses every trick it has to need to get weight. In 2019, Belgian Currently, the tyre is only available
produce a light bike that Classics specialist in its clincher version in 26x700c and
is responsive and agile.” Oliver Naesen rode 28x700c. Wider sizes and a tubeless-
ready version will be coming out later
An 8.16kg road bike off this the final stage of that in the season.
certainly is no slouch. weight issue” year’s Tour de France
It’s of comparable on a steel-framed Eddy We’ve got a set in for review, so
weight to many carbon Merckx Corsa. Made watch this space.

road bikes you might buy off the peg. from a lightweight blend of Columbus Q £61.99
Q velo.pirelli.com
Even an all-road bike designed to handle Spirit and XCr tubing and equipped
Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 37
challenging conditions can be built with a mechanical Dura-Ace groupset,

up to a competitive weight. Mason’s Mavic Cosmic carbon wheels and a Deda

four-season Resolution with a Shimano Superzero finishing kit, the rim-brake

Ultegra groupset comes in under 9kg; machine tipped the scales at just 7.6kg.

TECH GROUPTEST

Time trial front lights

With new rules now in play we review the best options

A s of 2022, a front light is of their machine a working front white As with the rear, the reg doesn’t specify Photo Brian Jones (Kimroy)
compulsory for all time light, either flashing or constant, that a minimum size, lumen count or any
trials run under the rules is illuminated and in a position that is other measure of brightness, which
and regs of Cycling Time clearly visible to other road users.” means there are a lot of options and
Trials, the UK’s governing body – that solutions out there, ranging from the
goes for both open and club TTs. Front lights needn’t compromise tiny blinky to the high-powered, high-
hard-fought aero gains end aluminium unit with a bespoke TT
A rear light has been mandatory since extension mount, depending on whether
2020, with most testers now having you plan to obey the letter or the spirit
settled on their favourite unit that does of the rule.
the job of both making them visible
and not losing them too many watts in We’ve rounded up a selection of
aerodynamic drag. highlights from the most popular light
brands including Cateye, Exposure,
But how to solve the problem of fixing Knog, Lezyne and Moon and grouped
a front light to the streamlined, wind them by type to give you an idea of what
tunnel-tested cockpit of a TT rig? The you can expect in each category.
regulation reads: “No competitor shall
be permitted to start either a Type A We’ve also looked into the best ways
[open] or Type B [club] event unless to mount lights to your TT rig – see the
such competitor has affixed to the front panel on page 43.

Knog Blinder Mini Cross £26.99

For its miniscule 17g weight the Knog you’re thinking

Blinder mini packs a huge 50-lumen about fractions

punch. The entire surface of the Weight of watts

front-facing square lights up with 17g saved
multiple tiny but super-bright LEDs. or lost.

There are eight modes to choose As for the

from, including an eyecatching light itself, it is

accelerating flash. truly blinding, as

The ‘Cross’ in the name refers to the you’d expect from

light’s graphics - it also comes in ‘Love’ 50 lumens in a

and ‘Skull’ themes for personalisation (or 30mm square. Of

to broadcast your view of time trialling). the three lights in

For charging it plugs directly into a USB this category it is The Knog Blinder packs a big
punch for a small product
port with no cable required. the brightest by far.
good with the TT tri-bar mount, which it
The Blinder Mini comes with a choice of There’s clearly no requires if you don’t have a round-profile
base bar.
three silicone bands that are swapped into shrouding around
Overall, a hugely impressive little light.
its mounting system, which is designed the lens but it doesn’t dazzle if your face www.knog.com

to protect the USB plug from water. Knog is directly above it, a downside of the R AT I N G

says these bands allow it to fit bars, posts Lezyne Femto.

and tubes from 22-32mm. If you’re riding The Knog is considerably more

a retro steel TT bike with a 1in steerer you expensive than the Cateye Orb and the

could mount it to the head tube, but for Lezyne Femto, but if visibility is something

more modern bikes you’ll need a separate you actually want from your TT light then

tri-bar mount, as pictured here. it could be worth paying the extra.

The switch is set into the rubberised It’s also the lightest of the three in this

plastic casing and doesn’t protrude in case category, and aerodynamics look pretty

38 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

MICRO-LIGHTS UNDER 50 LUMENS

Cateye Orb £10.99

At a tiny 25g with streamlined 50 hours on constant, the batteries via a silicone band that’s joined to the
casing and it fastens around the back with
styling the Cateye Orb could be Weight should last the average time triallist a single hook which, again, makes for a
the ultimate TT front light. a whole season. clean look and maybe a miniscule saving.
25g Operation is simple – the
This is the non-rechargeable For attaching it to a tri-bar extension
you’ll need to use a separate mount (see
version that runs off two CR2032 lens works as the switch. This has page 43) as it only faces in one direction.

batteries (included). The USB the added advantage of keeping the The Cateye is surprisingly bright – and
not just from directly in front. The cut-
rechargeable version costs £16.99. casing smooth and hopefully saves a outs at the sides of the casing may not
be visible if you’re using it on a tri-bar
However, with a claimed run-time of fraction of a watt over a light with a extension with a mount, but the lens is
well shrouded at the top and bottom so
100 hours on its two flashing modes, or raised button. Said casing is made from that it doesn’t blind you if it’s positioned
below your face.
aluminium and
Lights don’t come much more aero or
the two halves lighter than the Cateye Orb. It’s cheap too.
www.cateyecycling.co.uk
unscrew to access
R AT I N G
the batteries (or
+++++
the charging port).

There’s no

waterproofing

rating but

according to the

spec it can be used

in rain, and we’ve

The Cateye is aero, light shower tested it

and budget-friendly to back this up.

Attachment is

Lezyne Femto USB 15 £17

The Lezyne Femto is a small inline waterproof (can be

light with a neat, unfussy design and submerged in 1m

five modes. Weight of water for 30
In its lumen count, power and minutes), and
26g it has a secure-
price it’s one up from the Cateye

Orb, and is USB rechargeable, fitting cap at the

coming with a short micro-USB cable for rear to stop water

plugging into a computer. from getting into the

It also comes with a stretchy silicone USB charging port.

band that works with 31.8mm or older As for the light

25.4/26.0 bars – but obviously you’ll need itself, it emits a The Lezyne Femto
to use it on a tri-bar extension mount if slightly yellower beam is discreet yet visible
you’re using an aero-profile base bar. than the very blue

The band is attached via two hooks that Cateye, and despite

protrude from the Femto’s rubberised the 15 lumens compared to the Cateye’s for this particular application – it’s not such

moulded plastic casing. These stick up into 10, isn’t quite as piercingly bright. an issue, but we preferred the shrouded

the airflow giving it not such a streamlined Lezyne says the ‘wide angle optics’ lens lens of the Cateye that shines directly

profile as the Cateye, but we’re talking provides 270 degrees of visibility, and it’s forward and can’t be seen from above.

fractions of a watt. true that you can see light from directly ride.lezyne.com

The switch also protrudes from the above and slightly behind. For a time trial

casing – again, not such a clean solution light that might be close to your face this R AT I N G
as the Cateye with its lens doubling up as could be a little distracting in its flash
a button. modes. In constant – and it’s generally +++++
going to be daytime when this light is used
Lezyne says the Femto is IPX7

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 39

TECH GROUPTEST

MINI-LIGHTS OVER 50 LUMENS

Lezyne KTV Drive 200 £28

The Lezyne KTV Drive is a scaled- submerged in

down version of Lezyne’s larger 1m of water for

lights. However, it’s a step up Weight 30 minutes).
in size and power from the All five
inline blinky-type lights. It also 50g
modes, even

weighs a bit more at 50g, but it ‘flash 2’, which has

doesn’t need a separate mount since a 20-hour run time,

its own can swivel, meaning it can be emit a lot of light.

attached to the underside of a tri-bar The daytime flash (6h

extension, and this is the best position 30min run time) is

for it. incredibly bright.

The only issue with the tri-bar position The edge of the Lezyne’s KTV Drive

is that the extension needs to be lens on the underside is a simple solution

horizontal in order for the KTV Drive to (it would be upside-

be pointing directly ahead rather than down attached to an but it’s almost a teardrop shape and

upwards, since it’s not adjustable in the extension) is not shrouded by the shouldn’t be any less aerodynamic

vertical plane. casing but the light that escapes is than the blinky type, especially

For charging, you pull the rubber cap not dazzling, plus if you’re mounting it as it doesn’t require a separate mount.

off the rear to reveal a USB connector under a tri-bar extension it would be ride.lezyne.com

that plugs directly into a USB port. mostly hidden. R AT I N G
The cap is close fitting and secure and Is it aerodynamic? As ever it’s hard
Lezyne is confident enough in it that +++++
it claims IPX7 waterproofing (can be to say, and it would be pretty difficult
to get consistent real world data on it,

Exposure Trace Mk2 Daybright £45 (Trace aero bracket £15)

The Exposure TraceR is the rear light to bracket for it, available separately enough to do a ‘24’, you’re in luck because
in low pulse, the run-time is exactly that.
beat for most UK riding, and you can for £15.
Exposure has gone for maximum
say the same for the Trace front. Weight Charging is by micro USB, all-round visibility, which is good for
being seen but bad for dazzling yourself.
With its standard handlebar 40g with the port concealed under a However, with the aero bracket you can
mount the Trace can be attached silicone band. Waterproofing is IP6, mount it underneath an extension where
it’s mostly out of sight. Also, if you want
using a separate tri-bar extension meaning it can be exposed to water to run it on constant at low power to avoid
the flashing in your peripheral vision,
mount, but since it would be sitting on but not submerged. there’s nothing in the CTT rules that says
you can’t.
top of it rather than in line with it, a better The Trace has three programs, each
This light is ideally suited for time
solution is to buy Exposure’s own aero with a constant and a pulsing mode: in trialling with an unbeatable ratio of size,
shape and weight to power and brightness
Daybright mode and is probably the most aero of the three
lights in this category thanks to the clean
you get six hours mount. It’s more expensive but the price is
fair for such a high quality light.
of super-bright www.exposure-use.com

pulsing, which is R AT I N G

almost as long +++++

as the Lezyne

KTV mode’s

equivalent

setting, but

the Exposure

does look even

brighter despite

the 125 lumens to

Exposure has ticked all the relevant the Lezyne’s 200.
boxes with the Trace Daybright If you’re

tough/mad

40 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

Moon Aerolite £35.99

The Moon Aerolite has a red light at Like the Exposure Trace and the 38 hours on the flash setting is pretty
good. The beam itself isn’t particularly
its rear, meaning it’s very versatile if Lezyne KTV it’s best slung underneath bright compared to the others in this test
including the micro silicone band types.
you also plan to use it outside of Weight one of the extensions and, like
There are three front light-only modes
the TT setting. It works well as 55g them, it uses its own mount for including one flashing, which don’t do
a helmet light for commuting and this. Like the Exposure (but unlike much more than comply with the letter
of the rule, but if that’s the way you’re
comes with two mounts in the box to the Lezyne) the mount can be angled playing it, brightness is irrelevant.

give you the choice. up or down so that the light is horizontal If aero is your only concern, the cigar
shape should do well, but the mount is
Of course you can use it as a front only, even if the extension isn’t. a square chunk that might offset some
of the watt saving, and the hooks for the
which is how you’d have it on a TT bike. Charging is by micro USB with the port silicone O-ring stick out into the airflow.
We’re only talking tiny fractions of a watt.
under a rubber
The price is reasonable since you’re
cover on the effectively getting two lights and actually
getting two mounts, but the light lacks
casing. Moon brightness and the mounts could be neater.
www.moon-sport.com
claims IPX4
R AT I N G
waterproofing,

which is really just

splash proofing

but there’s no

need to worry if

it’s raining.

Battery life

is comparable

with the other

The Aerolite is unobtrusive but two mini lights
its mounts could be tidier here – though

the claimed

How aero is my front light?

AeroCoach wind tunnel Frog-type with an integrated silicone own integrated light TT mount). The
tested a variety of band that sits above or below a bar or long light mounted under the computer
different-shaped lights mount, which we chose not to include. (similar to our mini-lights over 50
with different mounts lumens category) was 1-5 watts slower
and in different locations on a TT bike The type mounted on a 31.8mm round than no light.
both with a rider and without a rider section that sits off to the side of a pole
at 45kph. Xavier Disley and his team – as used in our ‘micro-lights under 50 The rectangular light on the base bar
tested all three of the categories in lumens’ category – was one watt slower (our ‘strip lights’) category was also
our test plus the very small Knog than no light at all (or mounting a light in around one watt worse than no light.
front of the computer using AeroCoach’s
A good front light will largely At time trial speeds for most riders a
go unnoticed by the stopwatch single watt saving equates to a handful
of seconds over 25 miles. In Disley’s
words: “There is only a small penalty
from mounting lights of different
shapes and sizes in various locations
on aerobars, and in some cases [namely
mounting an inline light in front of a
computer using an integrated mount]
no penalty at all.”

For the full results to go to
w w w.aero-coach .co.uk /f ront-
light-aerodynamics

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 41

TECH GROUPTEST

STRIP LIGHTS OVER 300 LUMENS

Knog Cobber Mid £62.99

The Knog Cobber Mid is made up of a that doesn’t matter so much because The Cobber Mid is really simple to
use. You just cycle through its eight
curving bank of LEDs rather than a the Knog is incredibly powerful, with modes with single button presses.
Or you can reprogram it using Knog’s
regular strip. The only place to Weight the light from all the LEDs making ModeMaker app.

mount it – or any strip light - on 55g it into a brilliantly bright object It’s lightweight at 45g including
a TT bike is on the front of the rather than a focused beam. the mount.

base bar, much as you would a light In fact, the multidirectional light is Is it aero? Again, according to
AeroCoach’s testing the strip light type is
on a standard handlebar. It might end likely to dazzle the rider unless you can no less aero than the other options.
The Cobber looks pretty efficient with
up not pointing directly ahead if your attach it to the base bar underneath an its curving leading edge although it
doesn’t sit quite as flush as the Lezyne
base bar has raked wing sections but armrest so that it’s hidden. Assuming you Strip Drive 400.

can do that it’s Assuming you can fix it somewhere
so that it doesn’t dazzle you, the main
a great option. drawback is the price - it’s the most
expensive light in this test by a big margin.
It comes with two www.knog.com

mounts: one for a R AT I N G

round bar and one +++++

for an aero bar top,

so it fits a TT base

bar securely with the

longest silicone band

it comes with.

Like the Knog

Blinder Mini, it has

The Cobber: quality product an integrated USB

with a chunky price tag connector and plugs

straight into the port.

Lezyne Strip Drive 400 £37

With its 400 lumens the Strip Drive ones. However,

is the most powerful light in this Weight you’ll probably
test, with a row of five LEDs. need a
67g longer
As with the Knog, it mounts

to the front of the base bar, and silicone band

the Lezyne is well suited to this with than the strap that

a slot in its rubberised rear that flexes comes in the pack:

to conform to the shape. we had to borrow

However, the Lezyne actually mounts the Knog’s longest

better than the Knog: thanks to a cut-out band to make the The Strip Drive is a powerful
designed to allow the end of the light to Lezyne fit around and focused front light
sit over a standard stem face-plate, you the base bar.

can turn it the other way round to angle Like the Lezyne

it so that it more or less points forwards KTV Drive, the Strip Drive has a It’s longer, thinner and only slightly

on a base bar with raked wings, whereas rubber cap that pulls off to access the heavier than the Knog. It’s half the price,

with the Knog you’re stuck with the integrated USB connector so that no packs more lumens and with its focused

angle of your base bar. cable is necessary. It’s IPX7 waterproof. LEDs is arguably better suited to TTs.

It also sits slightly more flush with As for the light itself, if you can mount ride.lezyne.com

the bar than the Knog, looking slightly it so that it’s out of your peripheral

cleaner both in aesthetics and airflow. vision, the day flash is absolutely R AT I N G

This is just as well because the blinding – the brightest in this test – and

Lezyne’s bigger LEDs are more focused has a run-time of five hours, so perfect

than the Knog’s array of multiple tiny for all TTs up to 100 miles.

42 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

How to mount a TT front light

For the ‘micro-lights 50 lumens and end to fit your extension pole and AeroCoach’s integrated
under’ category we used AeroCoach’s drill holes for the zip-tie. Wrap with light/TT mount
standalone mount for a 22.2mm round electrical tape to cover up the logos
tri-bar pole. It simply zip-ties to the on the tube (optional).
pole wherever you want to locate it and
costs £18.50. If you’re after an integrated computer
and light mount, we used the AeroCoach
Making your own standalone light one (right) that costs £39.50 and comes
mount out of an empty Berocca tube in Garmin or Wahoo fittings and can
(other effervescent vitamin tablets recommend it as a neat solution. You’ve
are available) is also very easy: simply got to mount your computer somewhere;
hacksaw the bottom off the tube if you mount the light inline with it using
(remembering to measure twice and cut this one, you don’t lose any watts at all
once), use a round file to mitre the open according to AeroCoach’s data.

Of the micro-lights that use Leading lights In the rectangular strip light
a standalone mount to fix category, the type that mounts
to the extension poles, we At just £10.99 for the non-rechargeable to the front of the base bar, it was
liked the Knog’s quirky version and £16.99 for the USB one, it’s third time lucky for Lezyne, which
design, surprising brightness and light also great value for money. has an expansive range of lights and
weight. The Lezyne Femto USB also was represented in each category.
ticked most of the boxes for a small In the next category – slightly more Its Strip Drive 400 just shaded the
inline light. However, it was the Cateye powerful lights that are best mounted incredibly luminous Knog Cobber
Orb that impressed us the most with its under the extension poles – the Exposure Mid thanks to a shape that’s better
smooth, classy styling, aluminium case Trace was best of the three in our opinion, suited to the front of a base bar, a
and suitability for time trialling with a and judging by the ubiquity of the TraceR more focused beam and a blinding day
forward-focused beam that didn’t leak rear, we expect to see this superb little flash – just make sure it’s out of your
light into the user’s peripheral vision. light adorning the front of many TT bikes peripheral vision.
from this season onwards. This is a great
quality, great looking, functional and
durable light that is just made for TTs.

Lumens Modes Dimensions Weight Run time Contact Score
27x27mm 25g
Micro-lights under 50 lumens

Cateye Orb £10.99 10 Modes 3 100 hours cateyecycling.co.uk 5
max

Lezyne Femto USB 15 £17 15 Modes 5 37x29mm 26g Max run- ride.lezyne.com 3

time20 hours

Knog Blinder Mini £26.99 50 Modes 8 30x23mm 17g 1.8-30 hours knog.com 4.5
Mini-lights over 50 lumens 200 Modes 5 71x33x27mm 50g
Lezyne KTV Drive 200 £28 Max run- ride.lezyne.com 4
5
time20 hours

Exposure Trace Mk2 Day- 125 Modes 6 57x28x19mm 40g with 3-24 hours exposure-use.com
bright £45 60 Modes 6 mount

Moon Aerolite £35.99 65mm x 55g with 5:50-38:20 moon-sport.com 3.5
23.5mm x mount hours
27mm

Strip lights over 300 lumens

Knog Cobber Mid £62.99 320 8 (plus 28x43x 55g with 2.5-120 hours knog.com 4
program- 62mm mount
Lezyne Strip Drive 400 £37 400 mable) 2.5-21.5 ride.lezyne.com 4.5
85x25x 67g hours
Modes 10 30mm

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 43

F E AT U R E

44 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

F E AT U R E

REGULAR
RIDER,

CLASSIC
CHALLENGE

We could hardly expect him to mimic Tadej Pogačar’s
breathtaking gravel heroics, but what would CW’s Steve Shrubsall

learn from taking on the white roads of Tuscany?

ne-day Classics How to prepare? Riding alongside us was Italian former
are arguably
the toughest Thankfully, I wouldn’t be the only pro cyclist, now representing Destination
races on the
professional CW-affiliated rider providing a point Sport Experience, Andrea Ferrigato – no
cycling
calendar. of comparison with Tadej Pogačar’s stranger to Classics as a veteran of Liège-

They are awesome performance from the previous Bastogne-Liège, the Tour of Flanders and
long, relentlessly
undulating, and many of them include day. Alongside me in the clamouring start Milan-San Remo. What was his advice on
sketchy, bone-clattering cobbled and
gravel sections. As this Classics season pen in Siena was Danny Lloyd, one preparing for a gran fondo as challenging
approached, I pondered what it would
take for a regular rider like me to ride of the trio of new participants in as this one? “During the three weeks
such a course – and what I might learn in
the process. CW’s 2022 Big Fitness Project before the event, I’m training four
Right on cue, an email came through
suggesting I ride the Gran Fondo Strade series (see page 54). Danny’s days a week,” said the 52-year-
Bianche, a 148km sportive the day after
the pro race, using many of the same target was clear: to finish old, “and at least twice, I do a
roads. In fact, it’s almost exactly the same
course used by the WorldTour women’s the event in as close to five four-hour ride with 2,000
race, including 51km of white roads, i.e.
gravel sections, with more than 2,600m hours as possible. How metres of ascent.” As for
of climbing. Gulp!
had he trained for this the pro race winner’s

A-list adventure? preparation, Pogačar had

“Not as well as I’d posted a KOM up the

have liked,” said famous Coll du Rates in

Danny. “I had Covid the Costa Blanca in the

in the first week lead-up, before hopping

of February, meaning over to the Middle East

nine days off the bike. I to take the UAE Tour title.

resumed full training just A worthy ‘training’ block if

16 days before the event. there ever was one.

In that time I managed 19 The author hauled his heft If you want to take on a long,

sessions and 25 hours” over 148km of Tuscan hills arduous sportive like this, there

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 45

F E AT U R E

is no avoiding the fact that you need to get A large percentage of the Strade
used to the sensations associated with Bianche is ridden on loose gravel
spending upwards of five hours in the
saddle on tricky terrain. In this respect,
Danny had his doubts. “Mentally I was
concerned about not having done more
than two hours 20 minutes in one session
– the thought of five to six hours on the
bike was a concern.”

How to deal with the unexpected?

Fitness aside, this was to be an event that,

given the sheer density of riders, would

require near pro-level group riding skills. “Arms and hands
“The start was like nothing I’ve ever been must be soft –
involved in,” said Danny. “There were 300
of us all squeezing through the tight lanes

of Siena. Lots of the local riders were pedal in circles
frightened they would get caught behind a

split in the bunch and were fighting to get going uphill”
out the front. The noise was incredible!”

As Ferrigato had already told us, there

are ways to minimise the crash risk in such

a heavily populated and fast start to a race. How to execute the plan? into practice? “My plan was to give it full gas

“Keep to the right side of the road and give Having completed a textbook first half on the flat, with just steady and controlled

yourself a few inches from the curb but not of the event, would Danny manage to tempo efforts on the climbs,” said Danny.

enough for someone else to ride through,” stick to a race plan that yielded his best “After four hours, my legs were feeling it

he suggested. performance? Ferrigato was again on and I could tell the last 40km was going to

Having survived the baptism of fire, hand for expert guidance: “The best way be tough. I knew I had to ride smart, take

Danny soon found a rhythm: “The first to get a fast time in a long and hilly gran advantage of the flats and descents and

70km of the gran fondo I was flying fondo like this is to ride in Zone 2 as manage my efforts on the climbs.”

and averaged over 34kph,” he said. “I much as possible, only going up to Zone

felt good.” At this stage, he was well on 4 – and not beyond – on the climbs.” How to excel on gravel?

course to meet his target time. Did Danny manage to put this advice Looming ever closer was Strade Bianche’s

fearsome Monte Sainte Marie. It was

on this section, the previous day, that

PRO VERSUS AMATEUR Pogačar literally left his rivals for dust.

Breaking away v hanging on The 23-year-old Slovenian surged ahead
on a crest, then flew down the descent

Photos Phototoday via getpica.com, LaPresse/PA Images, Getty Images to go clear. From the moment he broke

In making his decisive move on the sector, with sporadic bursts of 850 away right to the finish line at Piazza del

Monte Sainte Marie gravel sector, Tadej watts to keep the attack going. How did Campo in Siena, the double Tour champ

Pogačar smashed out 600 watts to his stats for the sector compare with sustained an average power of 350 watts,

make good his escape before holding those of us regular riders and last year’s equating to 5.3W/kg for his 66kg weight,

around 400 watts for the rest of the winner Mathieu van der Poel? finishing nearly 40 seconds clear of

second-placed Alejandro Valverde.

MONTE SAINTE MARIE (11.48KM) By this point in the race, us mere

Total time Pogačar Van der Poel (‘21) Danny Steve mortals were in no state to attempt Pog-
21.03 20.44 42.49 41.52 imitating heroics, but it was important for
us to stay focused and in control on the

Av. power - 444W 170W 163W (est.) testing terrain. Ferrigato was again doling
Av. speed 32kph 33kph 16.1kph 16.2kph out sound advice: “It seems strange but
the bike is driven with the legs and feet,”

Max speed 64kph 64.4kph 45kph 40kph said the two-time Giro stage winner. “The
Av. heart rate - 172bpm 143bpm 158bpm arms and hands must always be soft, and
you must pedal in circles uphill, push and

pull with the same intensity to prevent

46 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly

F E AT U R E

the wheel from slipping. Downhill, on the pleased with how I rode it,” Towards the end of the event, where I was
other hand, you have to be very soft and Danny added. “I didn’t take any carefully reserving energy and Danny
put weight on the pedals to turn the bike.” risks in the bends and kept it was clinging on, the pros at the sharp end
sensible in terms of power and were just coming into life, producing their
On the section where Pogačar heart rate.” best power numbers – a vivid testament
accelerated away decisively, how did to their next-level fitness, stamina and
Danny fare? “It was a really tough section, How to fuel strength, and an exhibition of the very
the toughest of the race with no real let- The better you fuel a race of reason they’re performing at the business
off,” he said. “It was very fast with tricky this distance, the more matches end of the sport.
descents and some sketchy turns, and so you’ll have to burn. After three Q With thanks to Strade Bianche
hard to get into a rhythm.” Nonetheless, or four hours, your body’s Gran Fondo tour organiser
he got through it unscathed. “I was glycogen stores are depleted destinationsportexperiences.com
and, on a testing event like
Danny, post -event, in Strade Bianche, you can’t rely on MISSED STRADE?
the Piazza del Campo fat stores alone. To stay topped TRY THESE…
up, Danny got through two
bottles of Styrkr carb mix, one 3 of the best
bottle of water, three OTE bars, Classic-style
two Luchos Dilliotos and four
SiS gels – taking on a whopping amateur
100g carbohydrate per hour. events
This seems ample, but did his
mid-flight meal earn a five-star Liège-Bastogne-Liège
rating? “Four and a half hours into the This sportive is your chance to ride
event, I started to feel a bit sick. I was out the same course as the pros who will
of practice on the fuelling and struggled to follow a day later. You can choose to
take the last gels on,” he said. Ferrigato’s ride the full 257km course, but shorter
fuelling advice was simple: “Don’t wait to routes of 147km and 70km are also
eat or drink. Do it early and do it often.” guaranteed to test your legs!
More details: bit.ly/3io7njz
Debrief – what have we learnt
from the experience? Roubaix Challenge
Finishing in a time of five and a half The ultimate challenge is to
hours, Danny missed his target by 30 ride the 172km from Busigny to
minutes – but rightly cuts himself some Roubaix, on the same course as
slack in light of his Covid-disrupted the pros will do the day after.
preparation. His bike-handling skills and However, the routes of 145k and
fuelling strategy both proved solid – he 70k will also give you the chance
neither crashed nor bonked. His biggest to experience clattering over the
mistake was going too hard from the cobbles of nothern France.
start. The groups ahead soon splintered, More details: bit.ly/3wsu6Di
meaning he was left in no-man’s land for
much of the event. “I needed to ride more Etape du Dales
in a group,” he recognised. “I spent far Rivalling the Fred Whitton Challenge
too much time surging between groups, for the moniker of ‘Britain’s toughest
riding nearly all of it on my own.” one-day ride’, the Etape du Dales
takes in 110 miles of Yorkshire’s
As for me, Ferrigato had noted my finest terrain – including ascents
sprinter’s build (ahem!) at the start and of Garsdale Head and Fleet Moss.
advised me to stay well within myself on Bring your climbing legs, and a
the climbs while making up time, as best sense of humour.
I could, on the flats and descents. This More details: etapedudales.org
proved very productive, leaving me with
energy to burn during the final 25km
stretch into Siena, where I passed many
riders who had ridden themselves into the
ground too early.

The stats (see boxout) don’t lie, though.

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 47

THE BIG
CW FITNESS

PROJECT
2022

Kicking off a brand new Big Fitness Project,
welcome the class of ’22 – Julia, Steve and Danny

JULIA BARTE

THE NATURAL BORN SPORTSTAR

G rowing up in Sweden, I way to escape and get my hit of exercise. team, and I made it my goal to join and
was a sporty kid right
from the start, playing By the summer of 2020 my body had start racing in 2021. That didn’t go quite
football from four years
of age. I’m not sure adjusted, I was feeling comfortable on to plan, as on New Year’s Eve 2020 I
why, as no one else in my family was
especially sporty, but I just loved trying the bike and did my first 100k ride. fell off my bike on black ice, and only six
it all: horse-riding, snowboarding,
kite-surfing, Taekwondo, everything! I’m still playing football, having months and 4,000km later found out I’d
Football was the one that stuck, and I
went to a football high school and have signed for Tunbridge Wells Foresters broken my collarbone – by which point
always played at a relatively high level.
FC, but I’m now combining it with it had healed itself.
I work for a big tech company, and
in early 2020 I accepted a transfer to as much cycling as I can squeeze in. In January this year I joined 1904RT,
London and moved from Sweden two
weeks before the first lockdown. It was Usually that got my race licence
weird being stuck at home for the first
three months. My partner [Del Ward], means riding JULIA BARTE and have done two
who’s from Yorkshire, is a very keen
cyclist, and he encouraged me to buy a on the trainer Age: 30 crit races so far.
bike, partly as something to do while
football was on hold. I was a complete Monday to Hometown: Tunbridge Wells I won the first one
beginner – I couldn’t believe my new
bike didn’t come with pedals! Friday, before Occupation: Operations lead in tech retail and came second

My first few rides were cold and work, with a long Rides for: 1904RT in the next. This
uncomfortable; I never imagined then
that I’d come to love this sport. But ride outdoors Current FTP: 187W | 3.1W/kg early taste of
because there was nothing much to do at
that time, I got an indoor trainer too and at the weekend @BarteJulia success has given
got into Zwift. I’m a very energetic kind
of person, and cycling became a nice – 17-18 hours of juliabarte me too much

48 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly exercise per week. confidence – I now

Almost right GOALS FOR APRIL want to win every

from the start, I Recover from Covid-19 and race! All of this is
knew I wanted return to training completely new to
to compete on me, but I’m hungry
the bike; that’s Put in a strong performance at 172km to do as many
just my mindset, Paris-Roubaix Challenge (16 April) races as possible.

I’m naturally P R O J E C T G O A L S ( N O W - O C T ) Once the football Photos Andrew Sydenham

competitive. Compete in as many races as possible season ends, it’ll be
Through my Move up to Cat 3 licence easier to fit it all in.
Right now, I have
bike mechanic, Lose 6kg without losing power Covid, so the first
I heard about Perform as strongly as possible at Etape challenge is getting
1904RT, the Caledonia (15 May), Vätternrundan (18 back to full health.
women’s race
June) and Etape du Tour (10 July)

Julia is set for a breakthrough The data:
year on the bicycle it starts here

Wahoo Systm’s Full Frontal test
produces a ‘four-dimensional
power’ (4DP) profile with four
key metrics. These are Julia’s
benchmarks at the start of
the Project:

Neuromuscular (NM)
5sec power: 607W (10W/kg)

Anaerobic capacity (AC)
1min power: 307W (5W/kg)

Maximal aerobic (MAP)
5min power: 218W (3.6W/kg)
Functional threshold power
(FTP) - 95% of 20min power:

187W (3.1W/kg)

CW fitness editor says: Relative
to her FTP, Julia’s one-minute
and five-second power are more
impressive than her five-minute
max. This is no surprise for
someone coming from football,
where repeated short efforts
are the name of the game. This
explosive fitness is already helping
Julia in crit races, and once she
has developed her longer-range
capabilities, she may well be a
force to be reckoned with. Her
natural talent and willingess to
train hard are only too clear!

Cycling Weekly | 31 March, 2022 | 49

CW FITNESS PROJECT

STEVE FAULKNER The data:
it starts here
THE SCIENTIST
Being a sports scientist, Steve is
I ’m 38 now and have been that will give a benchmark. The limiting able to test himself in the most
cycling since my university factor for me up to this point has been accurate way possible – in the
days – I got into it during that, despite my coaching knowledge, lab. These are the results from
the last two years of my I often just want to ride my bike rather his latest VO2max test:
sports science degree at than doing specific sessions. I need to
VO2max: 62ml/kg/min
the University of Birmingham. Just start practising what I preach and doing Max Aerobic Power

a few years earlier, aged 16, I’d been the training prescribed. (MAP): 361W (5W/kg)
Critical power (CP): 295W
diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma, I’m still training for triathlon, doing FTP: 295W (4.1W/kg) (est.)

and thankfully made a full recovery – 10-15 hours in total per week, with six or CW fitness editor says: Far be
it from me to tell the scientist
only later finding out it was a cancer seven of those hours on the bike. Fitting what his data means, but Steve’s
VO2max of 62ml/kg/min shows
with a 5% survival rate. I started cycling it all in can be challenging, as I have a he is well trained, albeit sub-elite.
His recent hour on Zwift averaging
because I was the idiot who’d say yes two-year-old son, so the 10-mile target 297 watts indicates that he’s
getting close to the power he’ll
to everything, suits me, as it need to crack 20 minutes for 10
miles. As Steve knows only too
whether it was STEVE FAULKNER means I can focus well, his focus will need to be on
VO2max work, very hard efforts
rugby, athletics or Age: 38 on shorter, sharper of three to seven minutes, as
well as longer bouts at close
whatever, and 20 Hometown: Loughborough, Leicestershire efforts. From now to lactate threshold.

years later here I Occupation: Senior lecturer in sports until May I’ll be

am still that idiot! engineering & physiology doing TT-specific

After uni, I Rides for: Coalville Wheelers sessions, tracking

started doing Current FTP: 295W | 4.1W/kg (estimated) my numbers in

triathlons, and @SHFaulkner the lab. Thanks

in recent years stevefaulkner1984 to my job, I have

I’ve begun to the support of a

focus more on GOALS FOR APRIL pro rider, albeit

time trials. Given Research equipment choices (wheels, with the talent of a
my job [senior chainrings, bearings, clothing etc) weekend warrior!

lecturer in sports Increase training volume For me, it’s
engineering at Refine TT bike position about asking if
Nottingham I can maximise

Trent University], P R O J E C T G O A L S ( N O W - O C T ) my physiological

I’m very much Go sub-20min for 10-mile time trial ability with the
into the techy, Reclaim my club’s TT titles time available,
geeky side of (Coalville Wheelers) and then how
how to go faster. much I can use
In a way, I’m my Maintain focus on TT-specific training technology to go
own practical Race more TTs and improve my pacing that bit faster. Too

experiment, with many riders train

the hypothesis that maybe I can break in an unfocused way, riding in the grey

20 minutes for 10 miles – my main aim area that’s neither hard nor easy, which

for this Fitness Project. I’m hoping won’t work if you have an ambitious

that making the goal public will help goal. I’m now doing two hard sessions

motivate me by making me accountable on the bike each week, working at the

to the Project. Breaking 20 minutes right intensity. Based on my number-

would be great, but whatever happens, crunching, I know that achieving

I’ll discover limits as yet untested. sub-20 is going to take about 320 watts. Photos Andrew Sydenham

My 10-mile PB currently is 22.09, on I did 297 watts for an hour on Zwift

a lumpy course in the East Midlands, recently, so I’m getting closer!

and running the numbers I know that Unfortunately, like Julia, I’ve just

sub-20 on the right course should be tested positive with Covid, so my first

within my grasp. My first attempt will challenge is to shake that off so that I

be on 6 May on a fairly fast course, so can resume training.

50 | 31 March, 2022 | Cycling Weekly