Category: Features

Categories
Features

Land’s End to John O’Groats

Martin Butler

There are many classic bike rides to consider: L’Etape du Tour, the Camino, London to Paris to name but a few. Closer to home of course there is the all-too-tempting Land’s End to John O’Groats (or indeed the equally challenging reverse). For Martin Butler, a Health & Fitness Manager based in Oxfordshire, the South to North route had been a long-term ambition; one he finally set off to fulfil with friend Cameron Overton on what they hoped would be an appropriately omened Good Friday. After 950+ miles and 10 days in the saddle Cyclo caught up with him to see what he had learned…

 

Cyclo: How long has this ride been in the planning?

 

Martin Butler: Cameron really got the inspiration after a trip to Lands End, but this was something I had wanted to do for some years; I could never be bothered to plan it though. In the end we planned the ride for a year on and off, mostly off… brief meetings over coffee and a map were pretty much all we did, plus a few kit and accommodation discussions and very casual chats over long Sunday rides.

 

Cyclo: With so many route options how did you settle on yours?

 

MB: The routes were based on the accommodation we had pre-booked, which Cameron took care of with the help of a friend who worked for the YHA. I then planned all the routes with the help of course creation website BikeRouteToaster.com which I uploaded to my Garmin 705.

 

Of course we had maps with the routes marked out too, and in fact we ended up using these far more than we had anticipated as the Garmin proved to be rather unhelpful at times. They were an essential back-up too; for example whilst fiddling about with the Garmin on the morning of the first day at Lands End, I managed to delete the day’s course from the computer.

 

Cyclo: What were the logistic hurdles? Was anyone crewing for you?

 

MB: We were totally unsupported for the whole trip. It was literally us and the open road. Oh, and a credit card.

 

Logistically, the only thing that really springs to mind is the fact that we had to leave so early each morning (usually by 6am) which meant that we missed breakfast at the accommodation each day; subsequently we had to find brekkie en route, not ideal as some of the locations were very remote and cafés/shops were few and far between. Or simply not open!

 

There were a few issues with my bike. I had four spokes snap on the rear wheel due to the weight of my panniers (something I discovered far too late) and seven punctures on the same tyre led me to thumbing a lift through Glen Coe to Fort William to get a new tyre and more spare tubes.

 

Cyclo: What bike did you use? Any modifications?

 

MB: I used a Ribble Winter Audax training bike, which I had purchased though the cycle to work scheme. The only modification I made was to fit some waterproof panniers. I experimented with putting on some heavy duty touring tyres, but they rubbed on the mud guards so I ditched that idea. With hindsight of course I wish I had ditched the mud guards instead, then I probably wouldn’t have had seven punctures.

 

The full interview with Martin Butler will feature in issue 3 of Cyclo for iPad coming soon. For issues 1 and 2 take a look at Cyclo in the iTunes Store – issue 1 is free, issue 2 just £1.49

 

Categories
Features

Critérium du Dauphiné

Just time between getting over the excitement of the Giro d’Italia and revving up for the Tour de France to squeeze in the ever excellent Critérium du Dauphiné which runs its eight stages between June 3 and 10. Established, like so many great cycling events, by a newspaper (the Dauphiné Libéré) looking to promote both itself and the Dauphiné of France, the first running of the event took place in 1947 – Won by Polish rider Edouard Klabinski – and has always been seen as a precursor to the TdF.

 

Now celebrating its 64th Edition the Critérium du Dauphiné, which shortened its name from Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré in 2010 when Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) took over full organisational responsibility, will once again see top teams sporting top riders lining up for the 5.7km prologue in Grenoble this coming Sunday. Amongst them will be Sky’s Bradley Wiggins who finished first in the 2011 Overall Standings (on time, with 26h 40′ 51″) managing to nudge Cadel Evans into seconds at + 01′ 26″, making it clear what an indicator of the TdF it can be given that Evans went on to win le Tour (Wiggins crashing out).

 

In many ways the Critérium du Dauphiné can also be viewed as a distillation of all that is great about the TdF – the hills, the TTs, the dramatic sprints, the irrepressible French crowd support, the sheer Joie de vivre. Christian Prudhomme, Director of Tour de France, describes the 2012 edition thus: ‘After a long absence lasting 24 years, the Col du Gran Colombier ascent is back on the Critérium du Dauphiné agenda. Sports fans are waiting with bated breath to witness this year’s hot topic – the strengths and weaknesses in the time trials – between the prologue stage in Grenoble and the 53 km individual time trial between Villié-Morgon and Bourg-en-Bresse. The Rhone Alps region offers competitors a real chance to test their mettle, with its extremely wide range of landscapes, the slog of the roads through the Ardèche and the ascents leading to the mountain passes of Joux-Plane or Colombière. Perhaps this is where Bradley Wiggens, expected to reclaim his title this year, will have to fend off the threats of Cadel Evans, four-time runner-up and winner of the 2011 Tour de France.’

 

Prologue June 3 Grenoble – Grenoble    5.7 km

Stage 1 June 4  Seyssins – Saint-Vallier             187 km

Stage 2 June 5 Lamastre – Saint-Félicien 160 km

Stage 3 June 6 Givors – La Clayette 167 km

Stage 4 June 7 Villié-Morgon – Bourg-en-Bresse 53.5 km (ITT)

Stage 5 June 8 Saint-Trivier-sur-Moignans – Rumilly 186.5 km

Stage 6 June 9 Saint-Alban-Leysse – Morzine 167.5 km

Stage 7 June 10 Morzine – Châtel 124.5 km

 

Full details at www.letour.fr

 

Categories
Features

Giro d’Italia 2012

Well, the last 12 months certainly went by in a flash of a be-spoked wheel; which means it’s time for this year’s Cyclo preview of the Giro d’Italia. Running from May 5 to 21 and celebrating its 95th edition, the Giro, like its French cousin the Tour de France, has its roots in newspaper circulation wars. In August 1908 the Italian sports paper Gazetta dello Sport announced the inaugural staging of the Giro which it planned to organise along similar lines to the car rally supported by their rivals Corriere della Sera; nine months later, May 13, 1909, and the Gazetta’s founder Eugenio Camillo Costamagna, along with director Armando Cougnet and its editor Tullio Morgagni unleashed the first edition with 127 riders set to race from Loreto Place in Milan. Eight stages and 2448 kilometres later Italy’s Luigi Ganna claimed the 5,300 Lira prize and his place in history as the first ever Giro d’Italia winner.

 

Now part of the three Grand Tours (along with TdF and the much younger Vuelta a España, which was first held in 1935 but only became an annual event from 1955) the Giro d’Italia continues to amaze and delight. For the first time in its history this year’s edition will enjoy a Scandinavian start with the opening 8.7km Time Trial taking place in Herning, Denmark with days two and three (206km and 190km) also enjoying spectacular and challenging Danish hospitality before the move on day four to Verona, Italy, for the 33.2km Team Time Trial. In total the Giro will comprise 21 stages with a total ride distance of 3,503,9 km (an average, fact checkers, of 166.9 km per stage) and conclude with the 30.1km Team Time Trial in Milan on Sunday, May 27.

 

With seven flat stages, six medium and five high mountain stages, 2 Team Time Trials and the opening Individual Time Trial the full 2012 Giro d’Italia looks like this:

 

Stage 1 May 5 Herning – Herning 8.7km (ITT)

Stage 2 May 6 Herning – Herning 206km

Stage 3 May 7 Horsens – Horsens 190km

Stage 4 May 9 Verona – Verona 33.2km (TTT)

Stage 5 May 10 Modena – Fano 209km

Stage 6 May 11 Urbino – Porto Sant’Elpidio 210km

Stage 7 May 12 Recanati – Rocca di Cambio 205km

Stage 8 May 13 Sulmona – Lago Laceno 229km

Stage 9 May 14 San Giorgio del Sannio – Frosinone 166km

Stage 10 May 15 Civitavecchia – Assisi 186km

Stage 11 May 16 Assisi – Montecatini Terme 255km

Stage 12 May 17 Seravezza – Sestri Levante 155km

Stage 13 May 18 Savona – Cervere 121km

Stage 14 May 19 Cherasco – Cervinia 209km

Stage 15 May 20 Busto Arsizio – Lecco/Pian dei Resinelli 169km

Stage 16 May 22 Limone sul Garda – Falzes/Pfalzen 173km

Stage 17 May 23 Falzes/Pfalzen – Cortina d’Ampezzo 186km

Stage 18 May 24 San Vito di Cadore – Vedelago 149km

Stage 19 May 25 Treviso – Alpe di Pampeago/Val di Fiemme 198km

Stage 20 May 26 Caldes/Val di Sole – Passo dello Stelvio 219km

Stage 21 May 27 Milano – Milano 30.1km (TTT)

 

Categories
Featured Features

Bespoked Bristol 2012

 

Cyclo are back at this years Bespoked Bristol – The UK’s premier hand-built bike show. Now in its second year the show has already outgrown its original venue and moved to a larger conference centre right next to Bristol’s main rail station. The station, one of the oldest in the world, is now host to a new transport revolution. As recently as the 1970s the UK was the world’s cycling workshop – maybe this is the start of the comeback.

 

Bespoked Bristol aims to showcase the best of UK independent builders and designers and to celebrate the art of the hand-built bicycle, with this year seeing around 100 exhibitors. It now also includes overseas companies from Italy, US, Germany and France.

 

The backbone of the show is still the builders of one-off, custom, frames but has expanded to include accessories, components, publishing and clothing. This year also included a special area for ‘New Builders’ who have just started out in the business and are looking for their first customers.

 

That brings us to this year’s BB Awards. There were the six main categories covering Road, Track, Touring, Off-Road, Utility and, of course, Best in Show. Added to that were the Public Vote and new awards for ‘New Builder’ and ‘Spirit of Cycling’. Robin Mather’s beautiful ‘Baguette’ tourer won both Best of Show and the Public Vote. Best Road bike went to Ricky Feather for his collaboration with Rapha – which was a unanimous decision although the judges just couldn’t decide in the Touring class; the award was eventually shared between Roberts Cycles and Winter Cycles – from Croydon and Oregon respectively.

 

One of the best things about the show is the chance to swap ideas, meet fellow builders and to help build the UK, and international cycling community. The show also included a series of more formal talks including: ‘How to get started in frame building’, ‘The US custom cycle scene’, and a lively discussion on whether only ‘Steel is Real’.

 

Bespoked Bristol 2012 was a fabulous display of the full range of what today’s frame builders can do, featuring every type of bike, in a range of materials, from carbon to bamboo. Visitor numbers exceeded last years total by the second day so the success of next year’s event looks assured. If you didn’t make it this year, put a date in your diary for next which runs from 12-14 April.

 

 

Categories
Features

Going with the Flow

Think good hydration is just about a glug of on-the-bike water (or a swift half post-race)? Think again. Keeping the body fuelled for exercise is vital and the consequences of drinking too little, or indeed too much, can range from race-ending to life-threatening; but the good news is that the science behind it is relatively straight forward. Cyclo spoke to Andy Blow of PrecisionHydration.com, a company offering a range of products and services designed to pinpoint individual hydration strategies to maximise exercise performance.

 

 

Cyclo: Is there a timeline for hydration/re-hydration strategy?

 

Andy Blow: Absolutely, optimising hydration around the pre/during/post exercise window is critical to ensure that all aspects of your physiology are working at 100%. Body fluid plays a central role in transportation the nutrients to working muscles and the brain, disposal of waste products and temperature regulation so if you end up with low body water (or start an event with tanks only half full) performance is inevitably compromised somewhere along the line.

 

Cyclo: How soon before an event should you start to consider your hydration?

 

AB: Hydration for an event starts 36-48 hours prior. At this time it is a good idea to start consuming fluids with a moderate amount of sodium (such as a low calorie electrolyte drink) in preference to plain water. This helps the body to absorb more of the fluids consumed and ensures that blood sodium levels are not diluted by too much plain water. Drink to thirst and at a rate reasonable for your body size and the environmental conditions; a big guy in a hot/humid environment is obviously going to need to drink a lot more than a small lady in a cool environment.

 

Reduce the amount of tea, coffee, alcohol and any other diuretics that may cause you to pee more in the final 24 hours as this helps you body hold onto fluid more effectively.

 

Cyclo: Any easy ways of checking that you are drinking the right amount before an event?

 

AB: To check your general hydration status, monitor the colour of urine. It should be a pale, straw like colour. If you are peeing infrequently and it is very dark you need to drink more, if you are peeing very frequently and it is completely clear in colour you are probably over drinking, so slow down.

 

The full interview with Andy Blow will feature in issue 3 of Cyclo for iPad coming soon. For issues 1 and 2 take a look at Cyclo in the iTunes Store – issue 1 is free, issue 2 just £1.49

 

For further information on Precision Hydration, including details of where and how to arrange an individual ‘sweat test’, see: PrecisionHydration.com

 

Categories
Features

Feet First

Your feet are incredible. Yes, yours! Think about it: 28 bones, 33 joints, 19 muscles and 107 ligaments in each foot and, when working well in harmony, will support many long hours on the pedals. But they do take a pounding with each ride and many cyclists, whilst taking good care of quads, calves, knees and more, shamefully neglect the lower extremities. Cyclo thought it high-time we redressed the balance by taking a looking at three common and relatively easy to treat conditions (Bursitis, Plantar Fasciitis, Sesamoiditis) that, if ignored, can not only end a ride but a whole season.

 

Bursitis

Helping to reduce friction between muscles, tendons and bones, the bursae are small sacks filled with synovial (yolk-like) fluid. Bursitis occurs when these become inflamed and whilst in cyclists this can occur around the knee it is also relatively common both under the foot around the Achilles tendon at the heel. Causes vary, but generally over-exercise or a sudden increase in miles ridden can be a factor (as can over-tight, poorly fitted shoes). Pain, particularly around the front, underside of the foot can range from a dull-aching throb to sharp sudden stabbing pain this may not become apparent on a ride but often afterwards, particularly after sitting for a long time or first thing next morning once out of bed.

 

A simple ice-pack or coolant bandage works well and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs (often abbreviated to NSAID, and including the likes of Ibuprofen) quickly relive pain. Opt for a cream NSAID rather than tablets as the gentle massage act of rubbing in also helps recovery. More serious bursitis can be treated professionally with steroid injections – a painful but very effective solution to long-term inflammation.

 

Plantar Fasciitis

Like Bursitis, Plantar Fasciitis is both an inflammation and over-use injury but affecting the plantar fascia, the thick band of fibrous connective tissue, similar to a ligament, that runs from under the heel to the ball of the foot. Often starting as a dull ache along the middle part and arch of the under-foot, plantar fasciitis can develop into sharp stabbing pain that feels like stepping on sharp stones. Again, as with Bursitis, poorly fitted shoes can be a cause but the switch to rigid cleated shoes can also contribute so it can be advisable to make the transition gradually. Ice-packs and NSAIDs will help relieve pain and a reduction in the miles cycled until the problem has resolved is advisable. Massaging the sole of the foot gently with either a sports massage oil or foot cream helps to speed recovery too.

 

Sesamoiditis

Certainly one of the lesser known (but no less common) cycling complaints affects the sesamoids, two small pea-sized bones under the main joint of the big toe. Seasmoids are unusual in that they are not connected to other bones by joints but rather embedded in soft tissue (a little like the knee), they can become inflamed and even rupture under the stresses of cycling. Inflammation will cause a general aching pain that may come on slowly, but a direct rupture/fracture, will cause an immediate shooting pain under the big toe. Swelling and even bruising can become evident and difficulty bending the big toe can be a sign of Sesamoiditis. If you suspect a fracture then professional help needs to be sought immediately (and a brief ‘retirement’ from cycling likely) but simply inflammation should be controllable with ice-packs and, again, NSAIDs. Reduce your miles and intensity of training until fully recovered.

 

General Foot Care

You will have noticed that with all of the above conditions both ice and NSAIDs are broadly speaking the solution. Cyclists can do well to observe the so-called RICE regime – Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation – for an impressively wide range of injuries and complaints with the use of Non- Steroidal creams used for dealing with pain and a wise addition of an extra ‘R’ (making it RICER) with the final letter standing for ‘Referral to a doctor’ is things don’t improve or if you are not entirely certain of what is wrong.

 

Cyclo Top Tips

Feet get hot and can swell on a long ride. Leave them bare immediately afterwards.

Peppermint foot cream can be the ideal post-ride pamper.

Bruising to the sole and heel can be treated with arnica cream and topical (applied to the skin) Ibuprofen can reduce swelling.

Use a ribbed, spindle foot roller to massage the soles of the feet and help treat minor plantar fasciitis.

Carefully pick cycling shoes. Have them properly fitted and check for wear and tear.

Make the transition to cleated shoes gradually.

Make sure your bike fits and is always properly adjusted to you.

 

The above is strictly intended as general advice and in no way constitutes professional medical opinion. Always consult your GP, physio or other healthcare professional.

 

Categories
Featured Features

Cycle the Camino – Part One

We sent Del, our foreign correspondent and chief miserablist, on a 15 day tour through Spain. The ride took him from Biarritz to the ‘end of the world’ following centuries old pilgrim routes.

 

After 1,000 km in search of God, Cake and clean socks he finally arrived at peace with himself and the bike – but it didn’t start out that way. Watch Part One of his Video Diary here. If you want to see redemption watch Part Two in our latest iPad edition.

 

http://itunes.apple.com/app/cyclo/id465051524

 

Categories
Features

Paris-Nice: Preview.

Running from Sunday March 4 to 11 the 2012 Paris-Nice is almost upon us. This, the 70th edition of the classic, will cover a total distance of 1,155.5 km across 8 stages with director Christian Prudhomme describing it thus:  ’As the season’s first major stage race in Europe, it provides an opportunity to test out the winter training regime but remains a major event in its own right – and a key ingredient of the complete rider’s CV. This major anniversary year will be no pushover, especially if the weather – as is so often the case in March – decides to blow hot and cold.’

 

As with many of the most iconic races on the season’s calendar the history of the Paris-Nice has its roots in newspaper publishing. First held in 1933 (and won by Belgium’s Alfons Schepers) it was the brainchild of Albert Lejune who owned two newspapers – Le Petit Journal in Paris, and, lacking some titular imagination, Le Petit Niçois in Nice. Wanting to strengthen the association between the two publications, and of course drive up circulation in the process, Lejune followed the lead of the Tour de France (already well established with a 30 year lead) and the only-slightly-younger Giro d’Italia (1909) and established what was initially called, in rough translation, ‘Six Days of the Route.’

 

Ownership of the race has changed hands several times over the decades, but is now under the control of Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the organisers of the Tour de France, Paris–Roubaix and other iconic French sporting events, and has been part of the UCI World Calendar since 2009.

 

In time-honoured fashion Cyclo brings you a few nuggets of cycle trivia for the exclusive use of winning pub arguments:

 

Sean Kelly (Ireland) won in 1988 for the seventh time in seven years – a record that still stands.

 

For two years (2000 – 2002) the race was under the control of double Tour de France winner Laurent Fignon before ownership passed to ASO.

 

Despite the name the race invariably starts south of Paris – the 2012 edition begins in    Dampierre-en-Yvelines.

 

For fairly obvious reasons the race has acquired the moniker ‘The Race to the Sun’

 

Jacques Anquetil has bagged 5 wins on the race (1957, 1961, 1963, 1965 & 1966),  Eddy Merckx, Joop Zoetemelk and Laurent Jalabert each have three victories to their names.

 

France has the most wins with 21, followed by Belgium (14), Ireland (8) and the Netherlands and Spain equal on 5.

 

The tragic death of Kazakhstan’s Andrei Kivilev at the 2003 edition was instrumental in the UCI making the wearing of helmets mandatory.

 

The 2012 Paris-Nice Stages:

 

Stage 1 Dampierre-en-Yvelines – Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse 9.4 km (ITT)

Stage 2 Mantes-la-Jolie – Orléans 185.5 km

Stage 3 Vierzon – Le Lac de Vassivière 194 km

Stage 4 Brive-la-Gaillarde – Rodez 178 km

Stage 5 Onet-le-Château – Mende 178.5 km

Stage 6 Suze-la-Rousse – Sisteron 178.5 km

Stage 7 Sisteron – Nice 219.5 km

Stage 8 Nice – Col d’Èze 9.6 km (ITT)