From animating Tour Series crits, to mixing it up in the Tour of Britain’s king of the mountain’s classification, Tom Stewart is one of the UK’s most versatile and attacking riders.
From animating Tour Series crits, to mixing it up in the Tour of Britain’s king of the mountain’s classification, Tom Stewart is one of the UK’s most versatile and attacking riders.
We caught up with him to find out what training he’s doing through winter – and get his top tips to stay warm in all conditions when on a long training ride.
Talk us through a regular week of training through the winter
It changes as the weeks go by. At the minute I’ll do three to four hour rides with a couple of days on the chaingang, a couple of days in the Peak District and a day on the cross bike. As I get back in to training I still have a couple of easy days a week.
Any training partners or do you go for it alone?
I’m extremely fortunate to have a strong core of riders in the surrounding area. At this time of year I’ll probably only ride alone once a week. There is a healthy community of other professionals and talented amateurs where I live so we train together daily.
Do you stop for Christmas/new year celebrations or is it just another day?
Not especially. For the last four years, as well as this upcoming Christmas, I’ve been in Gran Canaria training. My family are always there so Christmas day will normally involve a nice ride in the morning then an afternoon spent with them.
Any advice for aspiring racers who are looking to start a training routine in the new year?
Think carefully about your equipment and kit choices and spend your money wisely.
There are some fantastic products out there to facilitate your training and help you stay comfortable in all weather.
Apart from that, introduce some variety into your training, and make sure there’s always an element of enjoyment on even the bleakest of rides.
What are your top tips for staying warm when it turns really cold out?
I think the secret to warm hands and feet lies in keeping your core nice and toasty. I’ll wear a thicker base layer now such as Madison’s Isoler Merino and layer up on my body from there depending on the temperature.
Sometimes it can be nice to wear something a bit more subtle/casual on the bike so I have been wearing the Sportive Windproof Jacket as an alternative to our team issue kit. I have one in red and it just helps with visibility when I’m finishing some training rides after dark.
If it is a particularly long day and the weather forecast is for rain, I sometimes take a spare base layer and gloves in a bag in my back pocket to put on at the cafe. A fresh dry pair of gloves and base layer is absolutely magic when you’re cold and wet and still have a couple of hours to go.
What adjustments to your bike do you make for the winter months?
I don’t use mudguards at the minute (controversial I know). I do permanently have lights on my bike though as I often get caught out in the dark and sometimes will have them on during the day through the rough weather.
I’ll also run 25 mm non-folding Continental GatorSkin tyres through the winter. They are heavier but crucially very hard wearing and puncture resistant.
How do you feel about indoor training – do you prefer rollers or turbo?
I will avoid the turbo if I can; I just find it unforgivably dull. I’d rather go out and brave the weather for an hour or so and do my efforts on a local climb. I do use the rollers though for a short 20 minute session, where efforts revolve around pedaling at a high cadence but with minimal resistance.
Finally; any new year’s resolutions planned?
Nothing in particular, just keep working away and remain focused on the bigger goals. They always roll around much quicker than you realise.
Follow Tom's winter training and check out his race files on Strava.