Rapha Condor Sharp in peak form ahead of Tour of Britain

After the Rapha Condor Sharp team did the Rossington club 10 last Wednesday, Thursday was a training ride accompanied by Sharp's team sponsor's cameraman for some promotional material around the Peak District.

Cycling Weekly were able to join some of the Rapha Condor Sharp team on Friday morning as they went out on a steady three-hour training ride. A bright but cool morning greeted the riders as they readied themselves around the team vehicles outside their Sheffield University campus accommodation.

There were a few last minute tweaks going on with newly crowned national circuit champion Graham Briggs having a new shoe plate fitted. Zak Dempster, just back from the Tour of Utah with HTC-Highroad, was checking out his TT bike position, while Ed Clancy was popping wheelies at the back of the car park.

Kristian House and Dan Craven were also about but off with team manager John Herety to their health care sponsors Claremont Sports Medicine and Performance Centre at the near by Claremont Hospital for some performance checks.

Briggs, Clancy and Dempster rolled out and were joined by a friend of Briggs from Doncaster Wheelers before they headed out to the A57 Manchester Road and in to the hills of the Peak District.

Following in the team car, Cycling Weekly were able to make a few photo opportunities on the hilly route that took in Ladybower, Yorkshire Bridge, Thornhill, Brough, Hope, Edale, Barber Booth, Mam Nick, Winnats Pass, Castleton and back in to Hope.

Then on to Hathersage and along to Grindleford, Calver, Baslow, Cutthorpe, Barlow, Owler Bar, Totley and back to base at the university campus.

The training camp ended on Sunday when the team went across to France for the GP Marbriers 1.2 UCI race (Tuesday, August 23) before returning for the new Twinings Pro-Am premier calendar race on Sunday, August 28, near Salisbury.

Getting ready to roll out

Ed Clancy pops a wheelie

A57 Manchester Road

Warming up for a day in the saddle

Winn Hill in the distance

Ladybower

Thornhill

Edale Valley

Zak Dempster in Edale Valley

Mam Nick

Descending Winnats Pass

Wheel change

Zak Dempster switches to his time trial bike for the final run-in

Graham Briggs grabs a drink

Related links

Rapha at the Rossington evening 10: Photo special