‘Cycling saved my life - and I’m fitter at 55 than I was at 25’ - cycling coach still gaining watts explains how

The term 'FTP' hadn't been invented when Richard Stern first tested his, but he's stronger now than he was in 1995

Richard cycled into the distance on a gravel ride
(Image credit: Claire Strachan)

 Cycling is an activity, or sport, you can enjoy at any age. Fitness writer Hannah Reynolds has been speaking to cyclists in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond, bringing tips, advice and inspiration from cyclists who are still pedalling as the decades progress.  

“Cycling is probably the most important thing in my life,” cyclist and coach Richard Stern tells Cycling Weekly. The 55-year-old’s consistency would certainly attest to this. “I was 14 when I started racing in 1984 and I haven’t missed a year since! I am about to start my 41st consecutive year of racing,” he says. Well into his fifth decade, he’s still getting faster, and has been riding daily for over seven years.

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