Cycling has always been a large part of my life, whether I was ditching stabilizers for the first time at age four, or competing in my first hill climb when I was 15. Being British, I used to believe that I was tough enough for all weathers - that was until I started training and racing extensively in the mountains, namely the Belgian Ardennes, the Basque country and the Alps.
Here, at elevation, I realised for the first time just how brutal the conditions can be. Fast-changing weather, high altitudes and extreme rainfall can catch even the most experienced riders out - something I rediscovered just a few weeks ago at the Maratona dles Dolomites.
