Cyclosportives A Competitor’s Guide

Cyclosportives, or sportives as they are usually known, are the cycling equivalent of marathons. They often last over seven hours and are ridden over distances in excess of 100 miles. If they are to complete successfully, serious sportive riders require a high level of physical fitness, mental strength and focus, good bike-handling skills and the ability to commit themselves to a stringent programme of training and preparation. Written by two accomplished and experienced sportive competitors the book covers: *The origins and development of the sportive *The bike, clothing and equipment *Training and avoiding injury *Nutrition, planning and preparation *Bike-handling and group-riding techniques *The mental aspects of sportive riding *Competing in a race and ‘the recovery’ *Frequently asked questions AUTHOR: Jerry Clark rides over 6,000 miles per year, undertakes about twelve events a season and is a consistent ‘top twenty-five finisher’. He is a ‘grimpeur’ and relishes mountainous events where his excellent power-to-weight ratio is crucial on the climbs, and his pro-level descending ability gains minutes over his rivals. Bill Joss is an ex-elite triathlete and quadrathlete who has competed in hundreds of major endurance events and sportives over the past twenty-five years. Undeterred by a series of major hip operations, Bill trains almost every day, regularly achieving Gold Standard finishes in the toughest UK and European sportives. ILLUSTRATIONS 157 colour photographs