RESET, REBUILD, RESTART

We’ve all been there. Whether it’s being dropped on the club ride by the notorious local hitter, being caught by your minute man in a time trial, or being left to watch as an ultra-lean climber vanishes over the horizon at your favourite sportive, we’ve all wondered what it would take to reach that level.

After a slightly disappointing 2021 season (see panel), I found myself questioning what was next for my own riding. After two years of committed training and with some lofty targets on my calendar, I came away from last year feeling no closer to the rewards I had been pursuing, and possibly even further away than I had been in 2020.

During an extended off-season, I reflected on the exploits of a number of relatable, real-life riders whom it seemed to me had solved the puzzle, successfully balancing the demands of everyday life while still competing at a high level. Two riders in particular: Yewande Adesida and Nick Blight – each riding in a different discipline, in different parts of the country – helped