I’d like to acknowledge the help of all the coaches and cyclists who’ve shared their experiences to help me write this book. My particular thanks go to Jo Dytch, Richard Bowley, Richard Newey, Mark Simpson, Nigel Mitchell and Russell Downing. Thanks also go to Hannah Reynolds, Barry Hoban, Dan Fleeman, Adrian Timmis, Alistair Kay, Robert Millar and Peta McSharry.
Chris Opie deserves special mention for being such a good and patient model. As do Ricci and Liz Pascoe for lending me Bissoe Bike Hire and the Ricci Bike Chain shop in Cornwall for photo-shoots, not just in this book but for many other things I’ve written over the years.
Thanks to Becky Senior and Sarah Cole, and all at A&C Black for making my ideas look good. And for all the cyclists pictured in this book, and many who’ve helped but aren’t. Finally, thanks to my wife Kathleen for her patient support and practical help in writing Cyclosportive.