(swooshing and metal scrape)
- Now we are coming to the end of 2018
it's probably a good time to start thinking about 2019.
And there's no better way to start the new year
than having some goals or challenges.
So in this video I'm gonna walk you through
10 cycling challenges,
some you may have achieved and some maybe
way out your comfort zone.
But hopefully there'll be a few in there
that'll give you a good idea for your next goal
in 2019.
(upbeat music)
Completing your first 100 miles is no mean feat.
And it is a great goal
if you're getting in cycling
and you wanted to take it that bit further.
And as you saw it may seem incredibly daunting,
but with some consistent training
and well, some pit stops,
you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.
So when you do your first century,
pit stops are highly recommended.
Especially as there's no rules to the amount of pit stops
you can have.
(upbeat music)
Point to point are not only fun
but they also give you the ability
to travel further afield than well,
your local loop around your local area.
I mean, actually one of Ollie's favorite tactics,
is to wake up in the morning,
see which way the wind is going
and well, go the opposite direction.
And then get the train back.
But it is actually a great challenge to start in the city
and then end up in another city.
So for example, have a coffee in one town
and a beer in the next.
(slurping)
Something great to tell your cycling friends
and also a really good sense of achievement.
(upbeat music)
So you've ridden from city to city.
But why not push the boat out a little bit more?
And travel across an entire country or state by bike?
Perhaps choose well,
a small country or state for your first one
or plan a multi day route across a country or state
that you've never imagined you'd go across.
There's no better way to see a country or state
than by bike.
Actually, Sy did do a route across Whales
in one day, so could this be the perfect challenge for you?
(upbeat music)
So you've ridden a few sportives
and you enjoy riding with a club on the weekends.
And you've even watched
the pros race up these iconic mountains.
Mountains that have shaped the sport of cycling.
And well, you've never made the commitment
to do it yourself.
Well this is your year.
Why not sign up for an events like Le Mont Mot, L'Etape
or even The Maratona.
These events will take you over these picturesque
and the most beautiful roads in the world.
It will be a fantastic personal achievement
and also when you're watching the pros ride the grand tours,
well you'll know exactly what it feels like.
(upbeat music)
The Taiwan KOM Challenge.
One that we here at GCN love,
but also a challenge not for the faint hearted.
At 100 kilometers long and with an elevation gain
of 3,275 meters up a mountain, called the Hilayan Pass,
this takes climbing to whole new level.
I mean, literally.
And it's definitely a challenge for the climbers.
So is this a challenge that fits you for 2019?
(upbeat music)
while we are on the subject of climbing,
we have got to include an Everesting.
I mean Everest is a mountain that stands
a staggering 8,814 meters high and is the tallest mountain
in the world.
And an Everesting
is about doing the equivalent elevation gain
on a mountain or hill of your choice.
I mean going up the mountain or hill and back down
as many times as it takes to, well,
get to the amount of elevation gain as it would
if you climbed Everest.
I mean it sounds horrific and incredibly painful,
but how much sweeter would the achievement be
when you achieve it.
And I guess if we think about it
if Ollie can do it, we all can.
(upbeat music)
doing a multi stage event could be the cherry on the top
for you if you've been riding for a few years.
I mean it's one thing doing one day events,
but it's a whole different ball game
when you chuck in three, five, or even seven days
of riding back to back.
I mean if you're looking for a really tough
multi stage event, then well the Haute Route is one for you.
And as it happens, actually,
we're doing the Haute Route Oman in March next year.
And if you want to push the boat out even more,
then why not choose a multi stage event off road
like the Cape Epic for example.
An event I would actually love to do,
I mean it sounds tough, gruesome, terrible, painful,
sounds perfect I guess.
(upbeat music)
Now we're on the subject of back to back riding,
what about bike packing?
I mean, exploring the outdoors,
sleeping under the stars
and forgetting about the heart race straps,
power meters and other metrics.
I mean, really rekindle that feeling of freedom
when you first learned to ride a bike.
I mean, everyone should do it
and everyone should experience it
and trust me, you will not regret it.
(upbeat bluegrass music)
This is an epic race
spanning the entire breadth of America
with seven days nonstop riding.
This will test both your physical and your mental strength.
And this is an event definitely on my bucket list.
I mean for me it's an amateur's version of
the Tour de France or arguably even harder.
That one is fully supported, but why not a bike packing one.
For example the Transcontinental.
Or even Brittany to Bulgaria in 2019.
I mean that would be an epic adventure
and a challenge of a lifetime.
(mysterious music)
Yes, before you say it, it's a triathlon,
but it's one of the ultimate endurance challenges.
And I've been told you can wear socks
for two of the disciplines within it.
It's three marathons in three different sports
consecutively with no rest.
Starting off with a 2.4 mile swim, and then 112 mile
solo time and to finish off a 26 mil marathon.
This is an event that has aways been on my bucket list
and one that'll push the limits no matter how fit you are
(exhales).
It's a tough one.
There you have it, cycling challenges.
So I hope that gives you a good idea
of a challenge to tackle in the new year.
And if there is one there that you like,
then do let us know what one you choose
in the comments section below.
And if you'd like to see a video
of Emma tackling her challenge,
then check out her video on Cyclocross just there
and as ever if you did like this video,
then give it a big thumbs up.