CYCLIST SHOP

The Circle of Death – the hardest ever stage of the Tour de France and the hardest ever Big Ride we’ve undertaken: 5,113m climbing over 198km. It’s one epic day out in the Pyrenees, and you can read all about it in issue 141. But we’re not going to stop there.

This issue sees an exclusive sit down with ex-pro Pippa York (who incidentally won on the Circle of Death back in 1983), a catch-up with rising British star Fred Wright, and an in-depth look at how to prepare for this year’s L'Étape du Tour sportive, from training tips to tactics on race day. We take a long, hard look at the state of the British domestic racing scene; we examine breathing, with tips on how to breath better to go faster; and we meet Didi the Devil at L'Étape Portugal. Bikes and kit this month include the Wilier Filante SLR as ridden by Mark Cavendish, the Vitus Venon Evo, Fara F/Road plus the all-new Princeton 3532 wheels. But final word must go to the Moots Vamoots CRD on test, possibly the most expensive titanium bike that has ever existed. Just how much, and how good is it? You’ll have to order up Cyclist issue 141 to find out.