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As obessesive as I am about my look, some still go above and beyond the levels of cycling chic than I do and stricly subscribe to the view of ‘bella in sella’. Although, this is a new passion for me, I believe that it’s always been the way in cycling, for example, we can turn back time to the age of Hugo Koblet who would sit up on his bike before the finish line, to grab his aftershave and comb from his jersey pockets, whilst Rapha continue to use the label ‘Chartreuse’, the colour officially given to tennis-balls in place of using the standard ‘yellow’ we all believe their garments to be.
I may not be quite as extravagant as Koblet or the names chosen by Mottram, but I still try my damnedest to ensure I follow some basic rules before leaving the house on a Sunday morning, such as matching bare arms with bare legs or covered arms and covered legs - but never mixing and having no gaps between arm warmers and my jersey.
And after all fuss of putting my kit on correctly is over with, I’ll be on my bike… that will more than likely be perfectly cleaned.