Presumably you have a bike and won’t be buying a new one for the ride, so it’s a question of tweaking and fine-tuning rather than re-writing the manual.

When considering an Everesting, your natural reflex is probably to focus on bike and kit weight.

Don’t.

Focus on comfort instead.

Out of light and comfortable, I’d pick comfortable every time. If you’re fortunate enough to own a few steeds, pick your most comfortable one and the same goes for your kit: it’s all about comfort.

Make sure everything is tried and tested. Do not buy new nicks/shoes for the attempt for the same reasons that marathon runners don’t use new shoes on race day.

Take as much kit as you can, as the feeling of putting on new bibs, a new jersey and new socks part way through becomes a benchmark incentive (it’s remarkable how uplifting the repeated countdown of “5 more laps til new bibs and jersey” can be) and the source of motivation and a spike in energy and comfort levels, often at critical moments.

Think carefully about what kind of casette and crankset you’re running and if in doubt, go big: granny plates are the way forward and to be commended with Everesting.

Things no-one ever said: “unless you use a 28, it doesn’t count”.I run a compact (52-34) with a gargantuanly unapologetic 32 on the back and it is the most delicious combo out there in spite of the ridiculing looks and comments from diehard roadies.

Get your bike checked and serviced at your LBS no less than 2 weeks out. This will remedy any issues while allowing time for minor tweaks to newly stretched cables etc before the big day.