Introducing issue 102, True Grit

Our celebratory 100th issue was our fastest ever seller. The following edition, all-women content guest edited by the fabulous Orla Chennaoui, blew previous numbers out of the water, with both subscribers and single magazine sales making record figures.

How do you follow that?

Well, as ever with Rouleur, we had a cunning plan mapped out, and months of preparation to ensure another killer magazine would be ready to keep you readers entertained, educated and informed. These may be the founding principles of the BBC but it holds true for Rouleur too. 

Two quotes came to mind here. The author Andrea Levy, on being asked about her working process, replied: “I think a lot, I write very little.” And musician Tom Waits, in answer to a similar question, said: “I like hearing things incorrectly.”

So, yes, we do a lot of thinking, but a fair bit of writing too. And while we don’t write “incorrectly” as such, we like to approach every subject from an original angle. Have we seen it before? Is there anything fresh and new in this story? Can it be presented in an exciting way? These are our editorial starting points.

Plus our theme for the issue: True Grit

Photos: Michael Blann

When Gareth Winter pitched us a rather off-the-wall round table discussion which he would host where Bradley Wiggins and Sean Yates recalled their seven favourite Eddy Merckx moments, while Michelin-starred chef and cyclist Ashley Palmer-Watts planned a seven-course tasting menu around the themes – from Roubaix to The Hour to Le Tour – we were in. The results are fabulous, and so refreshing. Wiggins is on superb form, while Yates chips in with brilliant anecdotes and amazing memories. A joy.

Photo: Michael Blann

Emily Chappell, equally adept as an ultra-distance racer and writer, tackles Mont Ventoux at night overcoming the fear and keeping the pain at bay by summoning female heroes in her head to break down the sectors into manageable chunks. A superb read.

Photos: Jojo Harper (left) and Dan King (right)

Two truly gritty racers provide fascinating and contrasting stories: Lachlan Morton, the EF Education racer who also takes on big endurance events such as Badlands in Sierra Nevada and the Colorado Trail, takes us through his favourite rides and what makes him tick. Recently-retired pro Svein Tuft, meanwhile, attempted the 2,000km GBDuro from Land’s End to John O’Groats just for fun but failed to make the distance. It became a journey of self-discovery instead...

Photos: Andy McCandlish (left) and Offside/L'Equipe (right)

Other tasty morsels and tidbits to whet your appetite: Ore Ida, the longest, toughest women’s stage race in history; Jens Voigt on his Hour Record; the eerily empty 2021 Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Ostend contrasted with the pre-Covid19 version 12 months earlier; riding Scotland’s Rob Roy Way with mountain bike talent Isla Short; and Belgium’s longest-running top level team – Lotto-Soudal.

We like the line-up. Original, thought-provoking, entertaining and unusual. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ian Cleverly | Executive Editor

To buy a copy of the True Grit issue, click here