During some of these wet or cold autumn days when we are stuck on our trainer or even at a desk doing some paper work, we find ourselves putting on some track racing, particularly the UCI Track Champions League. The sheer speed and precision of track cycling never fail to captivate us, especially because there are no brakes to rely on, making every race a high-stakes, adrenaline-pumping spectacle. We're intrigued by the tactical and strategic elements at play, as riders form alliances, showcasing teamwork and coordination at breakneck speeds, akin to a high-speed chess match on two wheels. The electrifying atmosphere at track cycling events, with the roaring crowd and the thundering wooden track, makes for exciting viewing already. Add in a nightclub-like atmosphere with thumping music and laser light shows and our legs are inspired to keep pumping during our corresponding virtual rides. Even if you don’t understand the rules, it can make for fun viewing. It also scratches our itch for watching some racing.

wheels we’re following

kit we’re eyeing

where we’re riding

café-stop reading

We have more “saved routes” on our gps unit than we’ll be able to ride this next year or even in the next couple years. That fact won’t stop us from plotting out many more new routes over the next few cold-weather months. Some of the routes we’ve planned hinge on whether or not we’ll get some new bike or some new kit to try out. Some routes would only be used if we suddenly improve our fitness by two fold. Some routes would only be used if cars suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth. In other words, we spend a good deal of time riding vicariously through our route planning tools. We like seeing the names of segments that populate the routes in order to get a sense of whether the climbs are gentle or brutal or if folks are using long stretches of the road for individual time trial efforts. We’ll even spy out the KOM leader boards to see if we know anyone who’s been on the road before. All this to say, we enjoy a well-planned route even if it’s one we’ll never actually use. However, it’s always best when we do get to use them. Ron Lewis knows something about planning routes. Writing for Rapha.cc, Lewis explores the philosophy behind creating platinum adventure routes in his article Routecrafting.

off the back of the newsletter

Are you cross training this off season? How about a run? Miss racing? Three Days of Grenoble is back on track after ten years. We’re all about WvA going to the Giro in 2024. Lotte Kopecky is torn between the Tour and the Olympics—we feel the same. Nairo Quintana is coming back to Movistar! Listen to RadioCycling discuss the new cycling “super league” and its funding. Watch some UCI Track Champions League this weekend. Wear this shirt will watching some track cycling.

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