Life in The Peloton by Mitchell Docker and Tom Southam
Want to terrify a neo-pro set to join the World Tour straight out of the junior ranks? Don’t warn them of the difficulty they’ll have on the climbs against Pogačar or having to rub shoulders with Van Aert on the farm tracks of Flanders. That’s what they’re looking forward to. No, ask them if they know how to collect a full musette while riding at 40km/h, or preferably two in case their team leader wants extra and remind them they need to master this otherwise they might be the guy who wipes out on first contact with a cotton bag, taking down Van der Poel in an early season race and being roasted alive on social media.
There’s a lot to master for neo-pros and Docker’s book is a manual for newcomers making their way in the peloton. This could mean a niche readership even if they’d do well to read it but reading the advice and anecdotes is of wider interest as it touches on tactics and other skills that sofa spectators can enjoy.
