The Swiss ’cross contingent is here. One of the most recent whips that Swiss Cycling’s Timon Ruegg and Kevin Kuhn pulled attracted more attention than usual.

Claudio Imhof has just set a new Swiss National Hour Record, but don’t expect it to stand for long. The ambitious 29-year-old already knows he can beat it.

“It’s French National Day today, you know, Bastille Day,” comments Alex Sans Vega, the Spanish Sport Direct for NTT Pro Cycling, in an off-hand manner.

For some, the notion of being comfortable whilst riding a bike at a certain intensity is a platitude. “Toughen up,” “don’t be weak,” “embrace the suffering,” are phrases thrown at us when we admit to feeling discomfort.

With racing and events now back on the agenda, riders need to come to terms with the fact that many races will be held when the temperatures are exceptionally high.

When you are putting the hard work in training, you should have some way of telling what is working and what isn’t.

We love the crispness in the air and the glistening of the frost on the valley floor, the way it subsides during the course of the morning, leaving dewy drops on certain branches.

You might not realise you’re wearing a truly great base layer when you reach the top of an alpine pass this summer.

“You won’t hear a single rider complaining that we’ve got ASSOS for this year.”