This week we recap the first week of La Vuelta from the side of the road and have a peek into pro-life on the gravel scene. There are questions around pro-cycling environment record, and one of the most bizarre articles you’ll see all year. We also have an inspiring story from para-cyclist Meg Fisher, too. Enjoy!
Hello, and welcome to the newsletter.
This week we’re coming at you from my home town of Grimsby in north-east England. I’m back home for a few days in between races, and while it’s good to be back, I do miss the mountains of Catalonia.
Yesterday, I took part in the British National 10-mile TT Champs. I finished 8th and was amazed at the differences in equipment and the difference that aerodynamics make. I wrote a full Twitter thread on it if anybody is interested!
I’m heading back to Belgium tomorrow to start a three-day stage race, the Flanders Tomorrow Tour, in what is my penultimate race of the season. Where does the year go?
Happy Pedalling,
Joe
Feel free to email me at joe@nplus1.cc if you have any questions, or feel I’ve missed something that is worth putting in the Newsletter.
N+Read 🗞
La Vuelta a España
With the first week behind us at La Vuelta, young Belgian Remco Evenepoel is in the driver’s seat. It seems to be a Grand Tour for the young guns, with three of the current top five born after the turn of the millennium. Zwift sensation Jay Vine has taken two mountain stages, and Sam Bennett is back in sprint form.
We still have two weeks to go too. Who’s your pick to take the red jersey?
⏱ 5-minute readㅤ
AI creates cycling photos
Artificial Intelligence has the potential to take over the world, just not yet. The beauty of this technology is that you can put in some words and the tech will spit out some random images. It’s fair to say things got very, very weird. Check it out for yourself.
⏱ 7-minute read
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Cycling has an environment problem
It’s no secret that professional cycling has an environmental problem. The sport involves covering hundreds of kilometres per day, sometimes for three weeks in a row. The number of riders, staff and race personnel all start to add up.
⏱ 5-minute read
Incredible Para-MTB
A couple of weeks ago, Meg Fisher became the first para-cyclist to complete the LeadBoat Challenge. The American was in the saddle for nearly 26 hours to finish the 105-mile Leadville Trail 100 MTB race and the 142-mile SBT GRVL Black course, back-to-back.
This whole story is incredible, from an athletic, psychological and technological perspective.
⏱ 7-minute read
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Steel is real
Steel bikes are some of my favourites. They’re cool, niche and have a unique charm. In modern cycling, everyone wants a carbon bike which is stiffer, lighter and faster. I think we should all step back and reconsider steel though.
While you’re not going to be able to win a Grand Tour on a steel machine, for cafe cruising and club racing, they’re amazing. Check out this review of the Top 5 Steel bikes of 2022 and tell me you’re not inspired.
⏱ 5-minute read
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Understanding the training jargon
Cycling is confusing, as is physiology. Put the two together and you have the potential for disaster. Do you know the BPMs from the RPMs or CdA from LT1? It’s my job to know, and I often get them mixed up, or have to clarify what everything means.
⏱ 8-minute read
N+Tweet 🎲
This is possibly the most bizarre and unlucky crash that I’ve ever seen. All of the riders were okay.
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N+Listen 🎧
We’ve covered Nathan Haas’ gravel bikes a lot this year in the newsletter. With his sponsors Colnago and Castelli, the Aussie has made five custom kits and bikes throughout the year. In this podcast with Colby Pearce, the two talk about how the deal to race gravel came about, why FTP is stupid and what he means when he says he’s “not a bike racer”. Enjoy!
⏱ 117-minute listen
N+Watch 👀
There’s nowhere to hide at Unbound Gravel. Two hundred miles of razor-sharp flint gravel, rolling storm clouds and mucky roads amid endless expanses make it the most gruelling, and famous, day in the emerging discipline. This video goes behind the scenes with eventual second place winner, Keegan Swenson.
⏱ 16-minute watch
N+1 Introducing 👋🏻
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… Le Picot
Swiss-based clothing brand Le Picot offers cycling-inspired casual clothing whether you’re city riding or bar hanging. It’s designed with an appreciation for cycling’s history, the maximum aim of sustainability and respect for nature.
Be sure to download our app and browse their products!