Die Fahrradsucht

Dr. Andrew Langdown hat sein Leben lang zwei Berggipfel bestiegen - er ist ein hervorragender Hüftchirurg mit einzigartigen Einblicken in die Biomechanik des Radsports. Und er hat als Radsportler mehrere nationale Meisterschaften im Zeitfahren seiner Altersgruppen gewonnen.

Dann, am 23. Dezember 2021 – als Andrew von einem ganztägigen Operationstermin mit dem Rad nach Hause fuhr, wurde er von einem Auto angefahren. Andrew verbrachte Weihnachten 2021 auf der Intensivstation des Krankenhauses, in dem er arbeitet, mit einem Schädel-Hirn-Trauma, drei Wirbelbrüchen und einem Wangenknochenbruch. Andrews Überleben wurde dadurch begünstigt, dass einer seiner chirurgischen Kollegen am Unfallort vorbeikam und lebensrettende Behandlungen durchführte. Dr. Langdowns Abend kann weit reichen und bietet eine natürliche Brücke zwischen dem Radfahrer mittleren Alters und der Radfahrsucht (die Andrew den Codenamen „Obsessive Cycling Disorder“ gegeben hat).

Dominic Dentry - High performance sports physio - Gymnastics, athletics, judo, Team GB, European and World Championships, Olympic Games. Worked across both INEOS Britannia and INEOS Grenadiers in 2022/2023.

An evening with Matt and Ben and a possible mystery guest. Matt and Ben will show a few clips of their film. These are designed to provoke a conversation with the audience - topics could include:

Die zentrale Besetzung hätte keine besseren Protagonisten besetzen können, die darauf ausgelegt sind, sich gegenseitig zu quälen – Diskussion?

Herausragende Nebendarsteller – Eddy Schepers, Robert Millar, Patrick Valcke, Davide Boifava

“Everyone’s Gotta serve somebody, right?” But some aren’t born to serve – Roche, Hinault, Armstrong and Visentini – was this Boifava’s mistake?

Empowering female riders, Breaking down barriers. Growing the sport.

Sarah and Holly are reluctant leaders in the world of UK women's bike racing. Sarah is the founder and Team Principal of London Academy. A new kind of women's racing team that Cyclefit was keen to support when ex-Bianchi professional rider, Sarah approached us. London Academy is a mentor-led bridgehead that powers women forward from having an interest in competitive, to wherever their drive and talent can take them. 

The International gravel racing scene reminds us of professional mountain-biking in the late 1980's and 90's. Lots of talented individuals who are living and racing as one person teams and brands. Project Holly is to see what happens if we devote the same level of support that we give the professional riders and teams that we work with (and London Academy), to Holly. Can we help Holly close that small gap that takes her to the top step of the podium in major international gravel races?

Cycling Legend, Peter Georgi talks us through the complex answer.

Peter did almost make it. He was a hugely talented junior road and track rider. But like many of his generation, failed in his ambition to become an international professional athlete. Not because of a lack of talent, but like so many before, Peter stumbled because of a vacuum of information and science, which was all too easily back-filled with opinion and tradition. Like many racers before and since Peter 'doubled-down' on training. Which almost never works.

Peter is the perfect person to help us consider the proposition as to whether we could or indeed should ride Le Tour. Not only has he coached amateur and professional riders he has coaxed them over every col! Here are some of the topics we may cover:

• Training to ride Le Tour route
• Ernährung
• Psychologie
• Bike-handling skills
• Ausrüstung und Kleidung
• Dealing with the unexpected!

What makes us stop? Our heart, our muscles, our brain? A complex question that has never been resolved. Dr Mark Kirkman leads our discussion.

Dr Mark Kirkman PhD in in Exercise Science (Sports Physiology) - University of Cape Town Sports Medicine. As well as an unsurpassed knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics, Mark's coaching philosophy works very well for many clients. "Coaching is 20% the application of the latest science & data. And 80% excellent communication - we have to understand our athlete's intellectually and emotionally, in order to illicit the best training and competition response. We must be their sporting advocates," 

"Most of us think along straight lines, like a bus or a tram - and this applies to scientific researchers who should know better."Professor Christiaan Barnard (Surgeon who performed first heart transplant in 1967)

What every cyclist needs to know about mental health, pain, and preparation for your big rides and events?

The universal truths of the cycling brain that encompass the professional peloton to the the recreational cyclists?

What the evidence tells us about mental health risks and preparing for your next big ride?

Professor Michael Liebrenz

"It was serendipitous that our paths eventually crossed. Whilst researching my current book, The Cycling Addiction, Michael's name kept coming up on tangential research papers. We were both interested in the competitive cyclist's brain - motivation, variance, potential problems etc. We corresponded and spoke many times, which culminated in me flying to Zurich to meet Professor Liebrenz and his PhD researcher, Alex, at the World Championships. The collaboration and sharing of ideas and research continues and the book is progressing well. Both Michael and I are pleased and energised that the whole subject matter of cycling mental-health has exponentially gained acceptance and exposure since we started our respective work."

Bike-racing's ultimate pragmatist – Rarely heard insights from Robert Millar's time in the pro-peloton, with Pippa York & Guy Andrews.