And so is the active rest that comes when the cycling season ends – during the long, hard winter for professional road cyclists, at any given time of the year for trail riders – when you can recharge both physically and psychologically.

During these periods of less frequent cycling events and training, try not to look at the bike too often. Take it out once or twice a week at most, and always on short and easy rides. Ideally, you should just forget about the bike for a few weeks, because psychological rest is very important, so when the time comes to pick it up again, you’ll be hungry to do so!

The off-season is a time to relax, to get a massage and to stretch at ease, even when you haven’t been exercising, to give your body a break. A trip to the spa might do you a lot of good. Other sports such as jogging, tennis and basketball are ideal to keep from swelling and to work other areas of the body that don’t get much of a workout in cycling. Add to that a moderate routine at the gym to strengthen the upper body, which you don’t use so much on the bike.