🇰🇿 Stage 95: Faster without doping
Christmas training tips and an interview with the greatest female cyclist
The Ineos Grenadiers go crazy in Mallorca, Mark Cavendish (maybe) signs a new contract and the shiniest bike you’ve ever seen. There’s a podcast with the greatest female cyclist in the world and the question if pro-cycling has cleaned up its act.
Hello,
To quote Chris Rea’s classic, I’m currently Driving Home for Christmas. That’s right, I’m back in the grey lands of the UK. I left sunny Girona this morning and I’m now somewhere in England in my Dad’s car on the way back to Grimsby.
I have pretty much every item of winter kit that I own in my suitcase, as well as summer kit for those inevitable days where I have to go on Zwift. But, it’s good to be back, kind of. I’ll be back for nine days and then head home to Girona just before New Year.
From all of us here at N+1, Merry Christmas!
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 🗞
Cavendish
Mark Cavendish has signed for the Astana-Qazakstan team for 2023, allowing him one more chance at breaking Eddy Merckx’s Tour de France record. Cavendish, who currently has 34 stage wins to his name, “only” needs one more to be the undisputed champion.
Is Astana a good fit? Can he actually break the record? Only time will tell.
⏱ 4-minute read
Pidcock is on fire
The 9.4 km climb on the island of Mallorca has long been used as a testing ground for the sport’s best. Pidcock averaged an incredible 386w at a weight of 58 kg. It’s scary to think how good that is.
⏱ 4-minute read
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The blingiest bike
If you’re a triple World TT Champ AND an Hour Record Holder, you’d expect a pretty cool bike. That’s exactly what Trek-Segafredo have done for Ellen van Dijk with this Trek Speed Concept.
Chrome, rainbow stripes and custom decals around her Hour Record. This is true bike porn.
⏱ 5-minute read
Oakley and Ineos break-up
No matter who you are, whenever a 12-year relationship comes to an end, there will be sadness. I can only imagine how the Ineos Grenadiers are feeling after breaking up with Oakley this past week. Long seen as the best cycling glasses in the world, Ineos have now signed with up and coming brand, SunGod.
⏱ 2-minute read
How are pros getting faster and cleaner?
If pro cycling is now clean, how come they’re breaking all the records of the doping era? It’s a very good question, and one that I tried to answer myself in a recent article for Cycling Weekly.
⏱ 7-minute read
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Christmas training tips
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and the busiest too. Christmas comes with social events, family dinners and countless other things that just seem to pop up out of no-where. Throughout the Christmas period, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with trying to fit training in, or completely avoid the bike all together.
Here is the ultimate guide to tackling Christmas as a cyclist.
⏱ 4-minute read
N+Tweet 🎲
Bike racing in the snow and ice, what’s not to like? I can’t say I’m a huge CX fan myself, but it always makes for a good highlight reel!
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N+Listen 🎧
Annemiek van Vleuten is one of the greatest female cyclists in the world, and perhaps one of the best ever. The Dutchwoman has won two road world titles, including one with a broken elbow. She also won the first edition of the Women’s Tour de France too. What’s it like to be the best in the world and launch daring 100-km attacks? This podcast, with Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, tells all.
⏱ 64-minute listen
N+Watch 👀
Chris Froome is one of cycling’s greats. An umpteenth time Grand Tour champion who’s on his way back from a career ending injury, “Froomey” talks through what a typical build up to a pro-cycling season is like, and how it is for elite athletes coming back from COVID.
⏱ 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… Xendurance
No gimmicks, no jumping on trends, and no compromising on quality to get a lower price. Xendurance products are designed for everyone from amateurs to Olympians and help everyone live happier and healthier lives.
Be sure to download our app and browse their products!