Improve your skills with professional cyclist Marianne Vos - Riding technique tips from Marianne Vos

Marianne Vos is one of the most successful athletes in the history of women's cycling: the Dutchwoman won her first professional world title in 2006 at the age of 19. She is an Olympic champion in road racing and on the track and a 13-time world champion on the track, road and cyclo-cross. And she is one of the best cyclists in the women's peloton - as her seven world titles in cyclocross impressively prove.

With Marianne Vos' tips, you can safely negotiate bends and master other manoeuvres with flying colours:

DRIVE ROUND BENDS PROPERLY

Quite simple really: cornering. Marianne Vos shows the ideal line - the "training line", which, unlike the "racing line", takes account of public road traffic. In a race, she would ride right up to the inside edge of the bend. But watch out for oncoming traffic!

Only brake before the bend. When entering the bend, the speed should be such that you do not have to brake for the entire duration of the bend.

Look inside the bend - and not downwards, but as far ahead as possible! You steer less with the handlebars and more by shifting your body weight. The pedal on the inside of the bend is up, the leg on the outside of the bend is stretched out; leg and crank form a line - this is how the power is transferred to the ground via the pedal. You should sit neutrally and centred on the saddle and put enough pressure on the front wheel. A hairpin bend is in a wide arc from as far outwards as possible to the centre drive through. Choose the line so that you pass through the innermost point of the bend shortly after the apex of the bend (in our case the centre line).

Caution: The right-hand driving rule usually applies!) Then let the centrifugal force carry you back to the outer edge of the bend. Do not brake in the bend. The basic rule is: drive slower into the bend than out of it. You should have selected the right gear before the bend in order to be able to accelerate out of the bend.

...

TURNING IN A CONFINED SPACE

Difficult for many novice riders: turning in tight spaces. Marianne Vos shows that you don't even need a bike length of road width on a smooth, firm surface.

You start off very slowly - in the position that also initiates the standing attempt (see below). Stand on the pedals and turn the handlebars sharply in the direction in which you want to turn. Turn your head over your shoulder and look in the direction in which you want to continue riding.

The pedal on the inside of the bend is at the front and pointing slightly upwards to aid turning in and starting off. The rear wheel remains almost in the same position during the entire manoeuvre.

A balance game of pressure on the pedal on the inside of the bend and release, as well as slight backpedalling by pressing on the rear pedal, stabilises the position and at the same time moves slowly forwards without changing the pedal position significantly.

Once you have reached the desired direction of travel, you pick up speed again - and you can continue. Not quite there yet? Exercises such as the standing test (see below) help you to get a feel for your balance when travelling very slowly.

Tip for beginners: You can also practise this with trainers instead of cycling shoes and clipless pedals.

...

THE WALKING STEP - the basis for sprinting and dynamic uphill riding

The cradle pedal is an important basic riding technique: dynamic riding in a standing position is just as important for riding uphill as it is for sprinting. By standing up, your body weight is used as an additional source of power. Before changing to the cradle pedal, you should therefore shift up a gear and reach for the brake levers to grip the handlebars securely.

The upper body is kept as still as possible, the bike and body move in a harmonious, flowing interplay: by pressing on the right pedal and pulling with the left arm, the bike is placed on the left side. Arm and leg briefly build up an arc of tensionthe arm strength counteracts the leg strength.

Then the pressure is shifted to the left pedal, the right arm pulls and the bike is tilted to the right. The interplay from left to right should be harmonious and playfulthe movements should not be excessive. The ideal riding line is as straight as possible so as not to lose any metres.

...

ATTENTION, EMERGENCY BRAKING!

One of the most important exercises, especially at the beginning: Learn to brake correctly and powerfully! Road bike brakes offer the best performance when you grip them at the bottom of the handlebars - this is the safest grip! You then have a long lever travel available and can finely modulate the brake with little force. Two fingers on the brake lever are sufficient for power transmission. Use the rest of your hand to grip the handlebars.

Basic rule: Use the front and rear brakes equally! If you only brake at the rear, you will hardly get any braking effect on the road. If you brake too hard at the front, you will come off over the handlebars! You should avoid locking the wheels. Start the braking process in a neutral sitting position. If you brake hard, push the handlebars forwards with your arms and push them back.thus transfers the weight to the rear. This gives you more weight and traction on the rear wheel.

Important: You should never brake in a bend! In wet conditions, you have to initiate the braking process earlier than in dry conditions. This applies in particular to rims with carbon sidewalls, which brake less well in the wet than those with aluminium sidewalls.

...

STANDING TEST

An exercise for advanced riders: the standing attempt. The better you master it, the more confident you feel when driving slowly. Clicking off at traffic lights? No longer necessary for experts! The best place to start is on a slightly uphill carriageway. The cranks are horizontal and your centre of gravity is above the pedals. Select an easy gear. Then turn the handlebars in any direction while standing and holding the brake lever. The pedal on the inside of the bend is at the front and pointing slightly upwards - you play with the pedal pressure. Balance and stabilise your knees and torso. Tip: This exercise is also safer with trainers at the beginning.

...

FOR OVERFLYERS: BUNNY-HOP - Jumping over obstacles

A cleanly jumped bunny hop (jumping like a rabbit) is an exercise for experts. Beginners should place a small empty cardboard box or a foam block in their way to practise. Marianne Vos demonstrates the exercise on an obstacle that does not forgive any mistakes. Prerequisite for success: a High approach speed. The cranks are horizontal to the ground before the jump. Press your body weight into the handlebars in the brake grip position, elbows and knees bent ...

... then you can move upwards by Stretch your arms and legs and pull on the handlebars. Beginners often use the pedals to pull the rear wheel, but this is not necessary for a proper bunny hop. Experts can master the manoeuvre even without clipless pedals.

The dynamic moment comes from the upper body. In the air, the arms and legs are bent again, which pulls the bike even further upwards. Using the grip position, you then turn the bike back down around the bottom bracket axle on the handlebars.

The right timing is crucial! Before landing, the bike should be level in the air so that the front and rear wheels touch the ground again at the same time.

The landing is cushioned by bending your elbows and knees, bend your knees slightly when you land.

...