At the top level of 2018 road racing we saw strength, skill, bravery and risk from fizik riders… we witnessed teamwork and togetherness but also spirited individual brilliance. There were decisions made on pre-determined calculations, and others that can only be the sheer gut instinct of a racer who knows when to go – it’s the raw passion for winning that lights the flame within all racing fans. We all share that passion, but only the very best can translate it into performances that put all the others in the shade… performances like these: Thomas wins the Tour on the Alpe d’Huez The loyal lieutenant, the super-domestique, and one of the most popular riders in today’s peloton, few foresaw Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas as the 2018 Tour de France winner – but that’s exactly what he became. The Welshman started in Noirmoutier-en-l’Île as the number one support act to four-time TdF winner Froome, but soon found himself with the strongest position of the GC contenders, triggering a series of question… Could Thomas step out of the shadows and hang on to the lead? Will the other contenders overhaul him Would team orders dictate Thomas handing the win to Froome? The Welshman did most to answer the questions with a sublime attack over the Alpe d’Huez – the first British rider to do so – which made hairs stand up on necks. Backed up with another mountain-top stage win in San Bernando, Thomas enjoyed 11 days in in the maillot jaune on his way to Paris. Valverde wins the Worlds on Höttinger Höll Perhaps we left the most emotionally charged win til last, with the smiles of El Bala in Innsbruck, Austria. Six times previously on the World Champs podium, but never before on the top step, the 38-year-old Spaniard pulled off one of the finest performances of his career to tame the ‘Hell’ hill no fewer than seven times, and see off a final selection of three other top class riders to sprint it home in Innsbruck. One of the highlights of recent WorldTour seasons has been the development of the LottoNL-Jumbo sprint train with the team’s main man, Dylan Groenewegen, emerging as one of the world’s most feared sprinters. Take Stage 7 of the 2018 Tour de France. In the longest stage of the race, the 25-year-old Dutch rider was perfectly positioned by Paul Martens, Amund Grondahl Jansen and, finally, Timo Roosen before choosing Alexander Kristoff’s wheel in the run-in, then coming around the Norwegian with 200m to take the win. It was a great show of power and skill to watch – but behind that display was planning and preparation. RIDERS’ ROLES The sprint train is a complex beast where each rider has a specific role. First up, there’s the ‘controllers’, who determine whether to shut down a breakaway or let them go if it’s small in number and doesn’t include riders from the other teams in sprint contention. Then there’s the ‘positioners’, who’ll bring their team toward the front of the chasing pack and crank up the pace, taking 1km or 2km turns up front. With around 1.5km before the finish line, the ‘speed pilot’ takes charge. Next comes the ‘accelerator pilot’ to drive on again from 1km to 500m, before the ‘lead-out’ (Roosen) sprints from around 500 or 600m. The sprinter (Groenewegen) then takes over from typically 200m out. The sprinter may grab the headlines but to do so he’s often the last link in a well oiled chain. What the fi’zi:k saddle-riding LottoNL-Jumbo team show us is textbook planning and execution but if you don’t happen to have an elite lead-out train to propel you to the line, there are still many things you can take from this most dynamic show of cycling skills. Primarily, it’s the training that underpins the performance. You’re looking to build explosive power alongside the endurance gained from Sunday morning rides. HILLS Hill sprints are ideal. Aim for four to eight efforts of 20-40 seconds each, all seated and all maximal. Shift into the biggest gear you can muster for these sprints, but change right down again for 5 minutes easy riding between each. TRACK You can also hit the track. It’s no coincidence that many top sprinters like Groenewegen spent much of their formative careers in a velodrome, the nature of track riding meaning a focus on high-intensity efforts that’ll pay off at the end of a road race. You can also have some fun with your roadie mates, sprinting to the next sign, for example, when traffic means it’s safe to do so. GYM You should also hit the gym. As Groenewegen explained at February’s Volta ao Algarve, where he won two stages, ‘A key part of my training are squats.’ For many sprinters, these comprise heavy weights and low repetitions in the winter to build power output; come the summer, when racing’s more frequent, it’s lower weights and more repetitions to add sustainability to the sprints. NUTRITION Just remember that building sprint power puts your muscles under greater stress than endurance work, so protein intake is vital to accelerate muscle repair post-session. A quality carb-protein shake is ideal followed by a meal containing protein-heavy foods such as chicken and tuna. And if you really want to go all pro, slip into a pair of compression socks to clear out toxins. You might not match the speed of WorldTour sprinters like Groenewegen but whatever your size and experience, you can improve your top-end speed. This’ll pay off at every kind of race, from sportives to inner-city crits, and, more importantly, on training rides with your friends. BE INSPIRED While this year’s Vuelta a España may have fewer opportunities for sprinters than the first two Grand Tours of 2018, it’s the next great opportunity to watch the masters at work and get inspired. Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas wins the Tour De France 2018 after three weeks of emotions, struggles and great cycling fights! Two stage victories at Alpe d’Huez and San Bernando and 11 days in yellow towards the great celebration at Champs-Élysées. We are proud to be part of this success with our Arione R1 saddle and Infinito R1 Knit shoes. It’s an honor to ride with you G! Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas (fi’zi:k R1 Infinito Knit) hits the final week of the 105th Tour de France in yellow with a 1:39min advantage over six-time Grand Tour winning team-mate, Chris Froome. fi’zi:k riders occupy seven of the top eight positions on GC, with stage winners and race leaders peppering the list. While Tom Dumoulin is a threat, the Dutch danger continues with LottoNL-Jumbo team pair of Primoz Roglic (4th) and Steven Kruijswijk (7th). AG2R La Mondiale’s French fighter Romain Bardet lies 5th and the Movistar Team joint-leaders Mikel Landa (Spain) and Nairo Quintana (Colombia) sit ominously in 6th and 8th. After BMC Racing Team and fi’zi:k’s Greg Van Avermaet’s early turn in yellow triggered by the slick TTT victory, and Lotto NL-Jumbo rider Dylan Groenewegen’s back-to-back sprint wins, Welshman Thomas followed the young Dutchman’s lead and bagged a brace of stages, including the first British victory on the Alpe d’Huez . With the Alps conquered, the Pyrenees follow Monday’s rest day. The Tour’s shortest stage for 30 years (Wednesday 25th), just 65km and featuring the 2,125m Col du Portet, is the hors d’oeuvre for Friday’s quartet of Cols: Aspin, Tourmalet, Souler and d’Aubisque. If the seven-man Team Sky squad can defend until then, how important will Saturday’s 31km Individual Time Trial be in deciding the GC ahead of Sunday’s procession into Paris? Team Sky rider Geraint Thomas is back in the Tour de France leader’s yellow jersey after winning Stage 11 with a blistering finish on the 108.5km Albertville to La Rosière mountain stage. The Welshman proudly wore the maillot jaune for four days last July, defending it after his early ITT blast. But this year the 32-year-old has earned the jersey in the Alps, and wears it with his fi’zi:k Infinito R1 Knit shoes, with the new colorways making their Grand Tour debut.
