đĄ Stage 72: Le Tour kicks off in style
coffee boost, the best footballer of the peloton and gravel tips from the greatest
This weekâs newsletter is Tour de France themed, of course. The biggest event in world cycling has finally kicked off and we have new tech and kit coming from all angles. There are also tips on how to use caffeine to aid performance, and gravel legend Ian Boswell gives a run-down on his top gravel tips.
Hi,
Welcome to this weekâs newsletter from Milan Malpensa airport. Weâve had a small race block in Italy and are now on our way back to Girona. The first race wasnât too good, with 40-degree plus heat and a 20 km climb putting an end to my day.
The second race, a nighttime road race through the city of Brescia was so much fun. Starting at 8.15 and night, and lasting 120 km, it was gone 11 pm by the time we crossed the line. 21 laps of a city centre circuit with the stand-out feature being a 1 km partially cobbled climb and then a cobbled switchback descent.
It was fun, it was fast. While there were no results to write home about, it is these slightly different events which I really enjoy.
Happy pedalling,
Joe
Feel free to email me at joe@nplus1.cc if you have any questions, or feel Iâve missed something that is worth putting in the Newsletter.
N+Read đ
Le Tour de France
The beauty of the Tour is that every day there are dozens of different storylines. By the time youâre reading this, new stories will already have been written. So, Iâll give you a quick rundown:
Copenhagen was incredible, Wout van Aert is a legend and EF are looking a little whacky.
â± 1-minute read
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EFâs TDF kit has⊠dinosaurs?
EF are well known for their crazy kits. In the 2020 Giro dâItalia, they collaborated with the streetwear-skateboard brand, Palace, to bring an unusual kit with ducks. In this yearâs Tour de France, theyâve gone one step better with dinosaurs. Another collab. with Palace and this time it includes Crocs tooâŠ
â± 2-minute read
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Fighting for Equality
Women in sports have always had an uphill battle to fight for equality. This yearâs Tour de France Femmes goes some way towards bridging the gap, but it marks the beginning, rather than the end of the process.
â± 4-minute read
Getting the perfect photo
The Tour de France is not only a bike race but a tour of France. With that, comes different landscapes, people and emotions. Photographer, James Startt is following the race, and in this article, he explains what goes into getting an iconic shot.
â± 2-minute read
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The Transcontinental - cyclingâs pilgrimage
The Transcontinental is âsimple in design but complex in executionâ and designed to test entrantsâ capacity for physical endurance, navigation, planning, judgement and self-sufficiency.
â± 5-minute read
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Is coffee worth it?
Short answer: Yes. The official answer, maybe. Caffeine has long been used as a stimulant to aid performance. Some studies have shown that there is a multiple per cent increases in performance, some claim it is just a placebo. This article tells you everything you need to know about coffee and cycling on a performance level.
â± 6-minute read (depending on how many coffees youâve had)
N+Tweet đČ
This is a video of the worldâs best cyclist rapping, make of it what you will.
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N+Listen đ§
Ian Boswell is one of the best gravel racers in the world. The former World-Tour pro swapped the road for gravel two years ago, and never looked back. In this podcast, Ian, the winner of 2021 UNBOUND Gravel, sits down and tells you all about the tips and tricks he has picked up. Enjoy!
â± 52-minute listen
N+Watch đ
The Tour de France may be the most gruelling sporting event in the world, but itâs important to have some fun too. YouTuber and pro-cyclist Bas Tietema goes in search of the pelotonâs best footballer. Note: some of this video is in Dutch so be sure to turn on the subtitles.
â± 25-minute watch
N+1 Introducing đđ»
In this part of the Newsletter, each week we introduce one of the brands we work with at N+1.
This week we are introducing⊠Wilier
Founded in 1906, Wilier are a legend in the cycling game. Traditionally Italian, theyâre stylish and cool. The bike rides are a dream and will make you stand out on the group ride. A win-win in our book.
Be sure to download our app and browse their products!