Now in his third year at Visma Lease a Bike, the British climber is looking forward to taking more leadership roles this season

Mountain biking in the winter months is hard. It can be cold, wet, windy – often all at once – and that’s before you factor in occasionally riding in the dark. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it.

I’ve long been a winter boot denier. My go-tos for winter riding have always been regular summer shoes (sometimes with vents taped up) plus overshoes and thermal socks. In really poor weather I’d swit

Throw enough cash at any problem and it can usually be solved. It costs billions to send people to space, millions to develop new medicines and tens of thousands to buy a car capable of overtaking eve

‘How can I ensure I’m prepared for a huge biking day?’

STAY WARM AND, HOPEFULLY, DRY WITH THESE COLD-WEATHER ESSENTIALS THAT CHAMPION FLEECE, MERINO WOOL AND HIGH-TECH WATERPROOFING