David Millar is Britain's most exciting young cyclist.

In 2003 he was crowned World Time Trial Champion in Hamilton, Ontario (Canada) after a fantastic ride which literally blew away the rest of the field.

And he has been tipped as a future winner of the biggest bike race in the world - the Tour de France.

The 26-year-old Scot exploded onto the scene at the 2000 Tour when he won the opening day's prologue time trial in dramatic fashion.

He beat defending champion Lance Armstrong by just two seconds to take the race leader's yellow jersey.

Dave celebrates his 2003 success

Dave retired from the 2001 race with injury but was back again in 2002 and grabbed an impressive win on stage 14.

Illness curtailed his challenge this year and he could only finish 55th.

But he still managed a stunning stage victory in the final individual time trial, clocking the second highest average speed in Tour history!

The big man hopes to push for a podium place in next year's race.

Dave has also enjoyed success in the Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain).

He won two stages in the 2001 edition of Spain's biggest race and despite a disappointing overall placing he added to his haul with a fine time trial win in the penultimate stage of the 2003 race.

This is his guide to surviving the so-called 'Grand Tours' of cycling, of which the Vuelta is the third biggest after the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia.

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Introduction

Grand Tour

Getting ready

Food for thought

No pain no gain

Millar time

Did you know?

The cosmopolitan Mr Millar was born in Malta, brought up in Scotland, England and Hong Kong and now lives in Biarritz, France.

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