One of a kind
As a member of Ineos Grenadiers, Adam Yates is blessed with detailed sports science support, gourmet chefs and cutting-edge kit. But today the Buryborn racer is reminiscing about his less-than-glamorous amateur days, when in 2011 he packed a case, fled the chilly climes of Lancashire and threw himself into little-known races with French teams UVCA Troyes and CC Etupes.
Unlike his twin brother Simon, who followed the now standard British Cycling Olympic talent pathway, refining his skills on the track before switching to the road, Adam did things the old-school way, following in the tyre tracks of the pioneering British road racers of the past.
‘We were just talking about this on a training ride,’ says the 29-year-old. ‘It’s good fun when you come up through the amateur ranks and you drive six, seven hours, step out the car and race. You don’t know anything about your carbs or protein or power, you just go after it, and I wouldn’t change anything about that journey. I enjoyed every minute of living that lifestyle and trying to make it. It’s a bit different to the other guys, but if you put the work in and commit you will go somewhere in life.’
‘It doesn’t matter if it’s the Tour of Turkey or the Tour de France. I just love racing’
The experience offers insights into the mindset of a man who competes not for jerseys or money but for the joyous, instinctive thrill of racing. ‘I don’t
