Spring is turning the corner into summer, and whether you are dodging the unpredictable northern weather on the local roads around the Winter Hill climbs or laying down power in the pain cave, May is where the real fitness starts to show.

We’ve checked the global peloton and the latest tech drops, and here is your weekly dose of Muckers motivation.

1. Never Sit Up: The Tom Crabbe Masterclass

If you ever need a reason to keep pedalling when your legs are screaming, look no further than Stage 2 of the Tour of Turkey this week. Tom Crabbe found himself completely dropped from the leading group with just 10km left to race. We all know that feeling—the elastic snaps, the gap opens, and the brain tells you your race is over.

But Crabbe refused to sit up. He put his head down, ground his way back to the front group in the final 1000 metres, and somehow still had the matches left to win the sprint. Next time you get gapped on a Thursday Race Night, remember the Tour of Turkey. Dig deep, hold your threshold, and never assume the race is over.

2. The UK Sportive Season is Here

For those of us putting in the hard outdoor miles, the massive success of this weekend’s Etape Loch Ness is the perfect wake-up call. Over 6,500 riders smashed out 66 miles around the Scottish Highlands on closed roads.

It is the perfect time to start looking at the calendar. All those brutal winter miles and Sunday Hill Climbs we’ve been logging on Rouvy are about to pay off in the real world. Get your kits sorted, double-check your tyre pressures, and start targeting those summer weekend epics.

3. The Tilting Pain Cave

The line between virtual riding and reality continues to blur. If you are looking to upgrade your indoor setup, the smart bike arms race has officially escalated. Wahoo’s latest updates to the Kickr Bike Pro now feature physical gradient simulation that actively tips the entire bike backwards up to 20% on climbs, and dips you forward 15% on the descents.

Not only does this mean your virtual climbing will feel a lot more like the real thing, but it actively forces you to use different muscle groups as the gradient kicks. If you see someone suddenly putting down massive W/kg on our next mountain stage, they might just be riding a bike that’s pointed at the ceiling!

Mucker’s Takeaway: The month of May is all about transition. Take that indoor power, translate it to the outdoor climbs, and no matter what happens in the final kilometres—never sit up. Ride on!