We're all virgins at something in cycling, as evidenced on the long weekend with some 'newbies' experiencing some climbing for the first time, and maybe cycling wouldn't hold a life-long interest if there wasn't something new thrown at you now and again. For me it is racing.

I have never raced a bike before in my life, except Cat 6 commuter racing of course. As a kid I used to sail dinghys in a…