Every little helps
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Alex Dowsett's move to Movistar has reaped its rewards, with a series of big successes since (pic: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
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Pay attention to your weight - dropping a few kilos can make a big difference, but you need to strike the right balance (pic: Vaughn Ridley/SWpix.com)
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A happy rider is more likely to make more progress - do what you enjoy, just be sensible says Dowsett Pic: ©Roz Jones
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Working at time trial pace, or just above it, in intervals is a good way to boost FTP (Pic: Roz Jones)
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Thinking about racing? Just do it, says Dowsett (Pic: Alex Broadway/SWPix.com)
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Movistar are no different to Team Sky in their pursuit of marginal gains according to Dowsett (pic: ©Paul Hayes-Watkins)
Every little helps
The reason that Team Sky have done so well is that they’ve thought outside the box before anyone else has.
It’s about going back to basics: making sure you do a warm down, taking recovery drinks, looking deeper into nutrition, all of the marginal gains, and now the rest of the cycling world has cottoned on and is following suit. We’re doing the same at Movistar.
It applies to everyone, every little helps. Everyone looks for that one thing that’s going to make them 100 per cent better – but there isn’t one specific thing that’s going to make you faster.
A fancy set of wheels isn’t going to make you turn out another 50 watts: it’s about dropping half a kilo, taking that extra bit of energy drink, using better quality proteins, working specific intervals into your training and making sure you’re happy – it’s all of those little things that will combine to take you to that extra level of performance.
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