02 Teamwork makes the dream work

For the first time, organisers have opted for a team time trial, with stage five from Cockermouth to Whinlatter Pass a 14km slugfest. With the stage finishing on a lengthy hill, it poses a quandary for teams as to what sort of bike to use: road bike, road bike with clip-on bars, or a time trial setup.

“A time trial bike will be faster,” says Madison Genesis rider Rich Handley, despite the course rising nearly 400m over just 14km.

“The Tour may not be won on this stage, but it can be lost,” adds Sturgess. “Having a TTT on stage five could be problematic, if, due to withdrawals, a team is down from the starting six riders to four or less. In a TTT the strongest rider is often the weakest link as they can rip the team apart if they ride too hard. This is the greater worry when team numbers are reduced.”

It will be fast for certain. Studies show a team time trial and its wind-protecting formation results in speeds 10 per cent faster than individual efforts. These stats will have riders like Handley buzzing – as will his pre-TT routine. “I’ll load on beta-alanine and take 20g of sodium bicarbonate between 2.5 and 1.5 hours before the stage,” he says. “Caffeine intake’s high – somewhere around 400mg – finishing that about an hour before.” A warning for Handley’s time trial teammates: sodium bicarb is known to irritate the bowels...