Cycling has undergone a revolution during the last ten years: it has become fashionable. The bikes, the clothes and the lifestyle appeal to people in numbers never known before. What other form of exercise doubles as your ride to work and a vehicle to explore the countryside, and is always there for fun and adventures?

And you can use your bike to challenge yourself, or others, or the terrain; traditionally by racing, but more recently in a type of mass-participation event called a cyclosportive. These long-distance rides, often along challenging routes, have grown quickly to rival the incredible marathon-running boom of the 1980s.

They underline the very essence of cycling: that bikes allow people to travel long distances under their own power much faster then they could by using only their own two feet. Bikes are the definition of man, woman and machine working in harmony, as they roll over our planet leaving hardly a trace behind.

Cyclosportives are for everyone. You’ll find them in all corners of the world. Taking part means anything you want it to mean, from completing the distance to setting the fastest time. You decide what that challenge is.

They’re tough, just like running a marathon is tough – although, as with marathons, you set your own pace. And preparation pays dividends. That’s where this book comes in. In it, I’ll show you the most efficient way to meet the challenge and get what you want from cyclosportives. I’ll tell you what bike to buy; how to set it up and look after it; and how to ride in a way that will enhance your enjoyment and help you achieve your goals. I’ll look at how to train, what to eat and what to do in an event. So read on ... then hit the road, and get pedalling.