We've all been there. Whether it's being dropped on the club ride by the notorious local hitter, being caught by your minute man in a time trial, or being left to watch as an ultra-lean climber vanishes over the horizon at your favorite sportive, we've all wondered what it would take to reach that level.
After a slightly disappointing 2021 season (see panel), I found myself questioning what was next for my own riding. After two years of committed training and with some lofty targets on my calendar, I came away from last year feeling no closer to the rewards I had been pursuing, and possibly even further away than I had been in 2020.
During an extended off-season, I reflected on the exploits of a number of relatable, real-life riders whom it seemed to me had solved the puzzle, successfully balancing the demands of everyday life while still competing at a high level. Two riders in particular: Yewande Adesida and Nick Blight - each riding in a different discipline, in different parts of the country - helped give me the kick I needed for one more tilt at my goals. I decided to ask Adesida and Blight for some tips on how to step up to the next level while coping with the demands of daily life. Here is what I learned...
YEWANDE ADESIDA
RESET: 'Find the right balance'
“Something I took from a webinar early in the pandemic (mid-2020) is that balance is different for everyone and it doesn't have to be achieved every day," said Adesida, a part-time Ph.D. research student, part-time rowing coach, and a track rider, from north-west London. Balancing training, competing and life should not be a day-to-day struggle, said Adesida, but rather a process over the course of weeks and even months.
Denne historien er fra April 14, 2022-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 14, 2022-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CLASSIC BIKE - JOHNNY BERRY
Johnny be good at making beautiful lightweight bikes
UK SCENE - WUNDERKIND HUDSON WINS YORKSHIRE CX
Newly crowned junior hill-climb champ shows his versatility by winning round seven on the mud
WATT WORKS FOR ME TADEJ POGAČAR
The man himself - subject of this special issue - explains the key performance changes behind his record-breaking year
11 WAYS TO POG-UP YOUR PLAN
Tadej Pocačar's performance is out of reach but you can adapt his training to raise your game. Chris Marshall-Bell consults the experts to find out how
Why do modern aero bikes look less aero?
Are today's aero bikes really faster, or is marketing just getting better? Joe Baker investigates...
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
An Olympic year is always special and the cycling season once again delivered a year of highs and lows, from Pogi's triple to Katie Archibald's pre-Olympic trip
MEET THE PARENTS
What made Tadej Pogačar the phenomenon he is today? Chris Marshall-Bell went to Slovenia to meet his mum and dad, Mirko and Marjeta
HALF MAN HALF GOAT
Tadej Pogačar may have had a phenomenal season, but has he done enough to cement his status as the greatest of all time? Chris Marshall-Bell weighs the arguments for and against
Lefevere cashes in his chips and leaves cycling management
The news that Patrick Lefevere will step down as Quick Step boss marks the end of an era, after 22 years in charge
Mathieu van der Poel weighs up skipping Tour de France
Dutchman hints at missing Tour in favour of mtb Worlds bid, reports Tom Thewlis from Dénia, Spain