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Interested in cycling then?
 So
your interested or mad about cycling and want to get more involved in the
sport. Maybe you’ve seen the Olympics and Chris Hoy M.B.E or
Vicky Pendleton caught
your eye and thought…..the feeling of adrenaline rush they must
have got
actually racing for their country and being the ‘best’ was quite
amazing, such thrills in world cycling we haven’t really seen
until recent years, shows we have some of the best coaching in the
world right now.
The good thing is cycling can be either a sport or a pastime; the choice
is totally yours & doesn't need to cost the earth. Most riders start off enjoying it as a pastime, it’s
not until later that they might get into racing. There is nothing better
than cycling in the summer with the wind streaming through your hair…...
if
you have any that is, whether it's long open country roads or off roading away
from traffic.
Being relatively cheap, you get to see many places, meet new friends and
have a great sense of achievement when you do begin to get fitter; which
is immeasurable. There are many disciplines to cycling, leisure disciplines
are touring (CTC),
youth hostelling, off road riding, BMX
and commuting. While Road racing (BC)
or WCRA, Mountain bike racing BC or NORBA, Time trialling
(CTT) or
(VTTA), Cyclo-Cross
(BCCA)
and BMX (BC) make up the most popular for racing. With Triathlons
(BTA) and Biathlons as offshoots
of the sport.
With adventure sports becoming more popular, pro cycling is not just about
earning the big bucks, although the top pros don’t complain about the
contracts they can earn, (thanks to Greg Lemond who was the first to capitalise
with multi-million dollar earnings) it is a hard life, sometimes sitting
in the saddle for over eight hours at over 25mph average! Sitting
watching long tour stage can sometimes be time consuming, but single
day stage races such as the Classic Paris-Roubaix are just full on 6
1/2 hours of action packed joy. So from complete
novice the process could take at least three years, unless you are
already a triathlete or become an
Olympic. It is actually a way of life to these
guys, Sean Kelly (multi green jersey winner) actually cried one year because
he had to pull out of the tour (De France). Not the first rider and certainly
won’t be the last. You too will probably build up a passion for the
sport; you just might not know it yet!
Most riders started off joining a local cycling club (see club world), after
actually enjoying general cycling or just as a way of getting fit. Or in
my case knowing that you have accomplished over fifty miles in the morning
with friends, seeing the countryside or just chilling out, coming home while the rest
of the rat race are just getting up for their Sunday paper, on nothing more
than your own pedal power.
What’s the next step then?
Click on to your age category (TBA).
P.O. Box 164 Hitchin, Herts
SG4 0GA
Hitchin Market - saturdays 8:00-4:00
Tel. 01462 440311 (hours 2pm-6pm Mon-Fri) |
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