This title deals with mountain bikes, free riding and sportive races. This is the ultimate visual guide to moving up a gear: the challenges of off-road and on-road cycling in over 230 step-by-step photographs. This is an informative guide to training and taking part in sportive rides and mountain bike events, offering expert advice for cyclists who want the challenge of speed and competition. Full of practical information on the preparation needed to build up to basic fitness, it provides professional tips on choosing a bike, equipment and the training programmes that ensure success. This is a guide to the thrills and spills of trail riding, racing and multi-day events, and to the world's most inspirational sportive and mountain bike venues, their routes and the pitfalls. More than 230 photographs inform and inspire. The great sportives of the world such as Cape Argus, Gran Fondo Gimondi and Milan - San Remo are outlined in detail - the difficulties of the rides and the tactics that will help you win. Sportive events are the equivalent of marathon running, in which cyclists are involved in a personal fight to ride long distances. Mountain biking can be fast and furious, although always fun. There are many variations, from trail riding and four-cross to slalom and dirt-jump riding. More than 230 evocative photographs illustrate the bikes and equipment, the skills, the great races and training techniques. This volume is the essential guide for any cyclist who wants take their performance to the next level on a sportive or mountain bike.

This is a definitive guide to the high-speed, high-adrenaline sport of cycle racing: essential reading for beginners and experienced racers. This title is packed with practical advice on bike selection, refuelling and different types of racing. It includes tailored training programmes and step-by-step features on key skills and in-it-to-win-it racing strategies. It also includes a guide to the world's top road, off-road and track races, with profiles of champions and the lowdown on famous competitions. It contains over 200 photos that evoke the thrills of the race as well as offering helpful guidance on riding positions and key manoeuvres. Among the most challenging sports in the world, competitive cycling is a high-speed, high-adrenaline experience and this book is the essential handbook for novices and more accomplished racers alike. Complete with detailed sections on road, off-road and track racing, this book will guide you through every different type of racing, from the intensity of time-trialling to the unique challenges of cyclo-cross and triathalon. Advice on bike selection for each style of racing is included, with step-by-step instructions to teach you essential skills and strategies to get ahead of the pack. All the great races are covered, with information on the different stages of each and profiles of champions. To help you on your way to racing success, tailored training programmes and specialized drills are provided so you can reach top-level fitness.