See those trees up ahead? Don’t stop sprinting until you get to them.” I’m in the leafy expanse of Richmond Park, London, staring at some foliage that's further away than I would like, while Rob McCarthy, a pro team rider with Canyon, is talking me and a small group of fellow rookies through a favourite session of his: power sprints.
These involve getting into a high gear and, from a standing start, working as hard as you can – stood out off the saddle – for around 30 seconds. One all-out effort turns my quads to jelly and my lungs to ire; it also helps me see cycling in a different light.
Rob McCarthy in action for his succinctly titled team Canyon dhb p/b Bloor Homes