Life In The Saddle

The cobbled Spring Classics races are notoriously hard to ride. I interviewed World Champion, Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders winner Johan Museeuw. These are his top tips for riding on cobbles and taking on the Spring Classics. Johan Museeuw was World Champion in 1996; he won Paris-Roubaix three times and he won the Tour of Flanders three times. With this incredible parcours, he is undoubtedly one of the best riders to share his advice on riding the Spring Classics, whether you are a racer or a sportive rider. Tip 1 – Tyre Pressure and Size for Riding Cobbles "Normally, everyone is riding with a tyre pressure of 7 to 8 Bar (100-110 PSI). But, for the Spring Classics and Paris Roubaix, depending on your weight, this changes: we ride 5 to 6 Bar (70-85 PSI)." A lower tyre pressure allows the shocks of the cobbles to be absorbed, and for better grip on the uneven surface. "For tyre geometry [size]  for the Spring Classics and Paris Roubaix, you go bigger. In my time,...

I have been on a fair few cycling holidays: from hardcore spring training camps, to bikepacking across Europe and sleeping in fields. The Velusso cycling holiday experience is by far the most luxurious bike riding trip I have been on to date. On landing in Palma Mallorca, we are collected by James - the founder of Velusso, and a keen cyclist himself. We are driven across the island to our private villa in the foothills of the Tramuntana mountains. A buffet lunch of local delicacies and tapas awaits us on arrival; freshly prepared by our gracious villa host Jamie. The quick fuel-up gives us enough of an energy boost to get out and spin the travel out of our legs. Velusso is a young company, but their bespoke and personal service is already impressive. After a great night's sleep in the secluded traditional finca villa, we are woken by a Mediterranean sunrise, and the smell of fresh coffee and croissants. Over breakfast, we meet our 'Legend' ride guide: Johan...