Day 335 - Should amateur riders wear pro kit?

An article in the Cycling Weekly caught my eye this week with the headline, "should amateur riders wear pro kit?", a question which seems to trigger quite some debate. For me, one who has as his current profile picture with yours truly daubed in British Cycling Team GB kit, the answer is a simple 'yes'.

My current British Cycling profile picture 

The reason for me is easy to explain; I am both a team player - I like to support my team and wear the team colours - and I see a need to support pro cycling's sponsors. Just as many enjoy following their football team, I'm enjoying following the pro cycling tours. This year we've seen a number of sponsors drop out and teams disband. Pro cycling needs sponsors who are going to stick around and this means they need a reason to stay involved, they need exposure and a fan based income stream. What better exposure and income than a slow moving advertising hoarding in the form of a supporter proudly wearing their pro cycling replica kit!

My pro Team Sky race cape curtsey of Luke Rowe

Those in opposing camp see such supporters as wannabes looking stupid wearing pro kit and believe that the only thing a self respecting cyclist should be seen wearing is a clean, matching set of club clothing. To some extent, I also agree with this view, well the bit about the clean, matching set of club clothing anyway. However, not all cyclists belong to a club and not all clubs have a full set of clothing. When I am on a club ride, I would choose 100% to wear the club / team colours and where possible do. When out on a training ride, on my own or with a fellow cyclist, club member or not, I like to show my support to my pro teams .. our British Cycling Team and Team Sky and I see no issue with this, I am after all a paid up member of the British Cycling as well ;) OK, so British Cycling / Team GB is like wearing the country's national colours - but it's same difference in my opinion.

With the successes of Wiggo, Froome, Pendleton and Trott on the international and Olympic cycling stage and the injection of multi millions from corporate sponsors such as Sky (whether you like them or not), pro cycling is on the cusp of a new era; one which motor racing saw in the 1970s when Bernie Ecclestone rearranged the management of Formula One's commercial rights and football saw with the formation of the FA Premier League in 1992. How major a transformation pro cycling will now go through is yet to be seen, but from where I'm sitting, it's getting up a strong head of steam and I'm all for it. My British Cycling and Team Sky kit will remain part of my cycling wardrobe!

What's your view?

Day 307 - Afternoon Two Stepp

Against all the odds, the weather being as it has these last few days, this week has been my best for 5 weeks and reminiscent of my peak riding performance back in September.

My best cycling in many weeks

I've been focussing on my hill climbing this week. This is my weakest area. I normally hit a hill and have to drop to a crawl and without my buddies looking out for me, would be dropped every time. 

Today, I took advantage of a short a break in the foul weather to get out on the Crosstrail, its full mudguards and chunky tyres better suited to the debris strewn flooded roads than my thoroughbred Roubaix. The plan was to do the Stepps Lane climb and return but after the first assent I still felt there was more in the tank and so circled back for another climb. While the second was slower than the first, both were quicker than my previous last two climbs on the Roubaix .. I think I benefitted greatly today form a total lack of any head wind, what a difference it makes.

After the second climb, I stopped to take in the view and snap a winter picture; one with me proudly wearing the Sky proCycling race cape, looking rather snug in my upright position but its amazing how well it keeps out the wind and rain while riding.

The closest I'll get to the Sky Cycling team

Next week, work returns to its frenetic pre Christmas pace and I'm going to have to be very innovative with my time management to keep up this level of training. Oh, if only I'd stuck at this cycling when I last made a return to the saddle some 30 years ago, but then again that was a very different time, today is a unique period in British cycling and I'm going to make the most of it!