Meet our Experts
For our 20th anniversary Dragon Ride back in 2024, we put together a team of cycling experts to provide participants with unique knowledge and insight to help best prepare for what is widely considered as one of the most challenging sportives in the British Isles.
Moderator, Event host, Cycling TV presenter & journalist
Having raced in several disciplines of competitive cycling from a young age Rebecca brings a particular wealth of knowledge on the sport. Rebecca is also a popular contributor on Road CC, including presenting online content pieces and recently as the face of Bump and Ride series documenting her pregnancy journey and cycling and sharing valuable experiences. Rebecca also wrote for the record-breaking Rouleur Issue 101, and has also co-written two cycling fitness books with Bloomsbury.
Rebecca can be found regularly hosting large-scale stage panel sessions and Q&As at events such as Rouleur Live, The National Cycling Show and other corporate brand launches. She also presents cycling coverage on channels including Eurosport/Discovery and ITV.
Read Rebecca's articles here:
Rebecca outlines her 5 best tips for getting training started.
It can be so hard to fit training for a sportive into a busy schedule what with work, social and family commitments. Hard but not impossible. Rebecca is on hand to help with six of her best tips to combat time pressures and still be at the top of your game come event day.
By now your training should be well underway but at the same time there's still plenty of time to go. Here's 6 things that you should be doing now to make sure you are in the right place.
7 key ways to help mentally and physically prepare yourself in these final few days before the event.
6x Dragon Slayer
Andy Brockway, our Dragon Ride legend is 51, happily married with two amazing kids and lives just down the road in Cardiff.
Having worked in tech for the last 25 years; he was one of the founding team that built confused.com and now works for www.retailinsight.io a global analytics company. Since getting back into cycling close to ten years ago he has ridden a total of 6 Dragon Rides, working his way up from the Medio Fondo to slaying the Devil in the last two editions.
“Cycling is so versatile, heaps of different styles, you can go as fast or as slow as you like and riding a bike lets you enjoy the outdoors with a real sense of freedom…and the scenery on the Dragon routes are 🎨”
“Go big, go small entirely up to you - just enjoy the ride.”
Read Andy's articles here:
Andy's rediscovery of cycling, his personal Dragon Ride Journey and Key tips for First Timers and Seasoned Cyclists.
Andy's 7 most common mistakes that are made when training for a sportive. We're all guilty of them.. but here's how to avoid them!
6x Slayer Andy, details how best to tackle each of Dragon Ride's unique climbs and ascents.
Embarking on the Dragon Ride is not just about physical and mental preparation; it’s also about packing intelligently for the day to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience. Andy provides a rundown of his essentials for the big day.
Professional Bike Fitter, Mechanic & Personal Trainer
Nas has worked in the cycling industry for the past 9 years and developed a vast range of skills and experience as a professional bike fitter, working with well-established Pearson Cycles in London. Nas has conducted thousands of bike fits and worked at the highest level with elite athletes, but equally working with everyday cyclists to make them more efficient and comfortable on their bikes.
Using the knowledge gained Nas also designs performance road bikes with geometry suitable to the everyday cyclist and recently worked on a road bike that Pearson Cycles launched at Rouleur Live.
Nas background comes from sport and exercise, he is a fully qualified PT with over 10 years of experience. He has a great understanding of how the body should and can function at its best and how to deal with the demands of cycling. He is an avid road cyclist, regularly taking part in cycling events in and outside the UK. Favourite places to ride a bike are Nice and Cyprus.
Read Nas' articles here:
Using his decades worth of experience Nas breaks down just how important having the correct fitting bike and equipment can be.
There's more to riding than just your bike. Making sure you have the correct equipment and clothing will enhance your riding enjoyment and provide better results.
Preparing your bike in advance is key to a smooth event day experience. In this article Nas provides a helpful checklist to give you confidence that your bike is ready for the big day.
Some last minute bike checks which will allow you to have full confidence when riding the Dragon Ride.
Elite cyclist, 2x British Champion, 10+ years in the sport
Ed started cycling 15 years ago by joining a local cycling club in South Wales, with ambitions of becoming a professional cyclist. That dream became reality in 2012 when he signed for what became the UK’s most successful cycling team, Rapha Condor JLT. During this time he became the Under23 British Road Race Champion. He added a second British title to his repertoire at the Hill Climb Championships in 2019.
Since 2020 Ed has become a “privateer” in cycling, working with brands, entering challenging events and creating engaging, relatable content on his YouTube channel. Check out his video on breaking the Dragon Devil record, or where he took on the Sa Calobra KOM.
He is keen to show the “warts and all” of trying to be the best cyclist he can be!
YouTube | Instagram | Strava
Read Ed's articles here:
If you're looking to not just finish the Dragon Ride, but have a time in mind then this is for you. Ed breaks down the training needed to succeed.
Ed provides his suggested nutrition strategy to help you sustain your energy levels while tackling the Dragon Ride.
Cycling through mountainous terrain is a test of endurance, strength, and strategy. Ed provides some helpful tips on how to manage your effort at the Dragon Ride.
Recovering after a big cycling event is crucial to help your body repair and prepare for future activities. Ed provides some helpful tips to guide your recovery process.