“it was the essence of cycling. ‘someone else should do it,’ is our mantra”

The Doc decides that most cycling disciplines are all a little bit unusual

The Doc wilts in the ferocity of the commuter games

Cycling ignites passion, but too much pressure and expectation can burn it away. Psychologist and racer Steve Mayers tackles the delicate issue of burnout

Too fast to fettle: the Doc isn’t a stickler for set-ups

Organised chaos and hot stress. That’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the Tour de France. Then I worry if I will have enough shirts to last over four weeks on the road covering fir

Previous pages, top right: ‘The whole of Alto de El Morredero on Stage 17 was a barren, blackened landscape as far as the eye could see. Spain had had some of its worst ever wildfires there about a mo