🦸🏼♂️Stage 90: Lachlan Morton's new craziest challenge
Which type of gravel racer are you? And a bizarre new Specialized video game
This week’s newsletter takes us all over the cycling industry. We have an unusual video game from Specialized, a look behind-the-scenes of breaking a crazy ultra-endurance record AND Lachlan Morton targeting an ultra-record of his own. Don’t miss the round-up of OutOfCycling’s best moments of 2022 in our Tweet of the Week either!
Hello,
Welcome to another newsletter from a very soggy northern England. I spent three hours out training today and it rained for every minute of them. To say I’m looking forward to heading back home to Girona is an understatement!
I’m fully back to winter training now. However much I enjoyed my holiday period, it’s nice to start to feel like an athlete again. It sounds silly, but it’s even nice to feel tired again! I’m actually relatively happy with where my fitness is, but equally, I haven’t started proper training yet, I’m just building my endurance base back up.
I’ve got a few more days riding back here at home, and then I’ll be on a plane back to Catalonia this weekend. Although before that, and if the weather is okay, I’ll be heading up to Sheffield for a day of riding. It may be controversial, but I think it’s the best place in the UK to ride a bike.
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 🗞
Lachlan is racing around the world (at some point)
The record currently belongs to ultra-endurance legend Mark Beaumont in a time of just over 78 days. The sticking point is when the area around the Russian border is essential to the record, but only a potential problem at the moment.
⏱ 3-minute read
Ian Boswell opens up
Ian Boswell is one of the greatest gravel racers on the planet, winning Unbound in 2021 and coming close to doing the double in 2022. Yet, before he was a gravel racer, the American was his country’s next biggest hope on the road.
⏱ 4-minute read
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Specialized launches a video game
Specialized has just launched its own branded video game on the children-focused Roblox platform. The graphics are retro and we’re a little confused as to why it was launched in the first place, but now you know where to go if you want to play.
⏱ 5-minute read
How to break an ultra-cycling record
Mark Beaumont is a legend in the ultra-cycling world and just recently broke the North Coast 500 record. The 516-mile ride took Beaumont 28 hours and 35 minutes. Across the whole 516 miles, he only took 16 minutes off the bike.
This is the story of how he broke the record.
⏱ 6-minute read
Which gravel rider are you?
The beauty of gravel is that it’s not defined. It can be whatever you want it to be. Whether you’re a bike packer, international racer, sportive rider or simply a weekend warrior, the gravel world has a place for everyone.
⏱ 5-minute read
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How to cycle in a group
For many of us, group ride dynamics have become second nature by now. But, cast your mind back and I’m sure you’ll be able to remember how daunting it once felt. From communication to positioning and handling, this handy article tells you everything you need to know before you head out on your first group ride.
⏱ 4-minute read
N+Tweet 🎲
The best of 2022 cycling, out-of-context style.
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N+Listen 🎧
There’s a new format in track cycling that has been knocking around for a couple of years now, but is only just starting to get the credit it deserves: the UCI Track Champions League. Is this new method reinvigorating the discipline’s popularity? The folks over at CyclingTips debate all.
⏱ 53-minute listen
N+Watch 👀
Pro cyclist and Girona resident Ella Harris has been lucky enough to dabble with a little gravel racing in between her road races. In this video, she takes us behind the scenes at Grinduro Germany.
⏱ 39-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… Chimpanzee
Made in the Czech Republic since 2008, Chimpanzee Sport Nutrition offer natural energy bars, gels and drinks for everyday adventures. There are some interesting flavours too, does a salty pizza-flavoured bar interest you?
Be sure to download our app and browse their products!