CyclingEddy Merckx: The Meaning of an All-Round Champion
Grand Tours and one-day classics asked different questions of Merckx, making his career a useful introduction to cycling's many demands.
Cycling
CyclingMarianne Vos: A Career Across Cycling's Boundaries
Vos connects road, track and cyclo-cross through a combination of adaptable skills and highly specific racing knowledge.
CyclingChris Hoy: Power and Judgement on the Track
Hoy's sprint events show how explosive strength depends on positioning, precise execution and, in some disciplines, coordinated teamwork.
CyclingThe Peloton: Why Rivals Need to Cooperate
Wind resistance and competing team objectives explain why opponents share work and why a large bunch sometimes fails to catch a breakaway.
CyclingThe Individual Time Trial: Racing Against the Clock
Separate starts change the tactical problem from managing a bunch to balancing power, positioning and the demands of the route.
CyclingStage-Race Classifications: Several Contests on One Road
Overall time, stage victories and points classifications create different objectives for riders who appear to be competing in the same race.
CyclingThe Track Sprint: Why Slow Riding Can Be Tactical
The opening manoeuvres of a sprint race are a negotiation over shelter, space and the best point from which to accelerate.
CyclingCross-Country Mountain Biking: When Terrain Becomes the Contest
Technical sections, limited passing opportunities and changing grip make cross-country racing a continuous exercise in choosing and executing a line.
CyclingCrosswinds and Echelons: How a Flat Road Splits a Race
A limited strip of shelter can turn an exposed road into one of the most decisive sections of a cycling stage.
CyclingThe One-Day Classics: A Race Settled in a Single Day
Cobblestones, climbs and distance shape the distinctive demands of cycling's most celebrated one-day races.