Never has time come at such a high price, physically and financially. Racing the clock, time triallers spend their lives, not mention half their earnings, trying to ride set distances (usually ten, 25, 50 or 100 miles) fractions of a second faster than ever before.

And nothing is left to chance. Comfort and fashion are out of the window first to beat the clock. Then there’s body fat, that’s got to go. In their place are teardrop helmets, all in one skins suits, and bikes that are, at best, endured rather than enjoyed.

The image: The world’s fastest mammals. Detail obsessed, their sworn enemy is time itself.

Bike: High end road bike heavily modified with deep section or disc wheels.

Fashion: Fashion is a liberal term for those in their skin suits and teardrop helmets.

Media: Cycling Weekly, cyclingnews.com and The Daily Mail.