Clothing - Race layers and kit bag for early season

I've made a few mistakes in the past when it comes to the amount of race clothing I've started a race in and the way I've worn it. Remember the weather can be quite different from start to finish in a 4 hour race. I remember on a couple of occasions (didn't learn the first time!) wearing a long sleeved jersey as well as a base layer under my race jersey and over heated when the weather and race heated up.

Use a layering system that allows you to get down to racing basics, ie SS jersey, base layer (you can use different thickness of base layer dependant on the time of year), shorts, socks and mitts for when the race has warmed up and going at full gas. Layer clothing on top of these that you can easily remove on the move i.e. full zip long or short sleeves jerseys, arm and knee warmers, gilet and race cape. For the first few races in Spain of my first season with ANC we only had short zip long sleeved jerseys and remember trying to take it off on the move (please don't try this at home kids!), only to get it stuck over my head, which is not great when you can't see the road or the 200 rider bunch in front of you!

You can never have too many pairs of gloves early season, I'd have gloves for every occasion in my kit bag, mitts, thin gloves, thermal gloves and neoprene as a minimum, but remember you need to get in your pockets to get at your race food, so make sure your gloves aren't too bulky.

Also have in your kit bag, race cap, skull cap, Buff, thick and thin overshoes, glasses with different lenses and spare safety pins (extra pins for your numbers, there is an art to putting your numbers on).

If you are lucky enough to have a team car in the race place a 'wet bag' (small bag) in it, that you can place extra gloves, cape etc, there is nothing better than putting some extra dry, warm clothing on if the weather remains or turns bad. You could also place a second pair of shoes in this bag, cleats and buckles do break, so a second pair can be worth it, just think if you were in yellow and your shoe break, those shoes could be priceless, remember your shoes are very specific to you, it's not as easy as going to car for a wheel change. Every elite rider at least should have 2 pairs of shoes on the go at anyone time just in case they lose or break one pair.

Also be wary of embrocation, don't use embrocation that you've not used before and don't use hot balm if there is any chance of the weather warming up, otherwise you'll be looking for the nearest river to jump in!! This from experience, the World Pro RR in Austria 1987, the weather was really cold and wet at the start and i decided to to use hot balm on my legs and lower back and you guested it the weather warmed up, i then spent the next few laps taking mussettes from the masseur, binning the food that was in them and using them to try and wipe the balm off my legs and back, if any of you have used hot balm before you'll realise nothing gets this stuff off and it seems to work for hours after a race!! Always wash your hands well after applying embrocation, otherwise going to the toilet could be very pain full, also be wary of picking your nose or rubbing your eyes!! Also apply your embrocation after you have put your shorts on, otherwise you'll be dragging hot balm where you don't really want it to be!. A lot of the time embrocation and chamois cream come in the same shape, colour pot, so read and SNIFF the pot first before appling cream to your chamois, it has been known for team mates to remove chamois cream from the pot and replace with hot balm.

Always expect the unexpected. so be prepared for everything, come hail or shine.

More photos from my mums

‎1985 Milk Race, final stage in to Birmingham, jumped 5 man break with 1km to go, Johny Weltz 2rd, Jaskula 3rd

More photos on Flickr

Free talks with Adrian Timmis

First of Cadence Sports pre season FREE talks with Adrian Timmis, will be this saturday the 7th at 4pm at the shop. The first will be a Q & A, we'll decide what the remaining talks are, based on what people are interested in, could be the Tour, training, racing, nutrition etc. let us know what you want to talk about. Numbers are limited so please could you let us know if you are interested in coming.
Here is Adrians palmares