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How to descent like Cancellara

This is a masterpiece of skill and bottle. Fabian Cancellara's descent during the 2009 Tour de France will go down in history. The motorbike cameraman also did a really good job sticking with him!

Top rules for riding in the dark

Lights

Lights are the main way you will be seen on the roads at night so don’t skimp on the cost. Get the brightest lights you can afford and do your research before buying them. Also I would highly recommend having a small backup light for when the batteries run out on your main lights these could be a life saver.

Reflectors

As a good addition to your lights, reflectors will offer additional safety. Many companies have reflectors on their clothing as standard now, but extra reflective bands put around your ankles and arms help with cars coming at you from side-roads and junctions.

Think ahead

Riding in the dark can be extremely stressful if you don’t take control of yourself. Always be aware of what’s going on in front of you, take notice of vehicle that may turn in front of you. Always act in the worst case scenario, so if a car is waiting to turn in front of you react earlier and slow down as if the worst case scenario has actually happen and the car has turned. This might just save you from a serious accident one day.

Research routes

If you are using a certain route for training or your commute into work then have a look at it during the day and work out where all the potholes and other potential hazards are. This could save you puncturing on your way home after work or on a training session so it’s a really good idea to do this.

Be Prepared

Having everything to hand is a good thing, bike lock, puncture repair kit, tyre levers and a pump are all essentials to carry around and aren't that expensive (take a phone with you as well). Top time saving tip is to take an extra inner tube with you so that when you do get a puncture you don't have to spend loads of time at the side of the road repairing it. Just remember to check that whatever you punctured on in the first place isn't still in the tyre.

Less street lights, more visual

This might seem a bit unusual but the less street light you have the more visual you become. This may seem a bit unusual but it’s true and if you think about it, if you were on a dark country road with a dark background a red light flashing away, stands out like a sore thumb!

Top 5 tips for your base training

1. Set a programme

Being organised with your base training will help you make sure you get in all the training that you need. Set up a weekly routine, write it down, and log the time and distance of the ride. Logging the ride distance continually will motivate you to go further week on week and gives you a good idea of your progression.

2. Use the 10% rule- build up gradually

Knowing how much to increase your training can be hard to work out. Try to increase your training by 10% week on week during your base miles. This will help ease your body into building up the endurance you will need to race.

For example, if I started with 100 miles of riding in week one, then you should be looking to complete about 110 miles in week two, and so on.

3. Start Small

Your base training is basically used to prepare your body for the more intense training and racing sessions to come, so you want to keep resistance to a minimum during early season to avoid injury. Start your base training on your small chainring (middle chainring if you’re on a treble) so your legs can spin at a low resistance. This will train the endurance engine, before you put the power work in.

4. Eat well

Try and avoid the junk food too much. As you build up your training you will need to build on your healthy foods. Try eating a variety of healthy food and move away from the McDonalds!

5. More is better

The amount of base training you complete is entirely up to you, but the more you complete the better you will be. A good amount for an amateur to aim for is 1000 miles, after this distance you should have enough strength to then move onto speed work and start racing.

Many riders who have already been there will say the larger the base the higher you go, which is evident with the pros but with time limited people, just get in as much as you can and enjoy it.