The annual was a guarantee every Christmas. Regardless of what you were into, there would be a thin hardback A4 summing up the past 12 months of stories into a series of comic strips, word searches and spot the differences, and it would be neatly wrapped under the tree.
West Ham United, Britney Spears, Strictly Come Dancing all had annuals. But there seemed to be one exception: cycling. That’s until this Christmas because thankfully tye-dye hipsters Education First have collaborated with their kit manufacturer Rapha to release the 2019 ‘Gone Racing’ annual.
‘A nod to the teenage annuals of the 1960s, ʻ70s and ʻ80s’, Rapha calls this a ‘lighthearted yet insightful’ book to be enjoyed by cycling fans of all ages and Cyclist can confirm this is a proper annual.
Inside there’s all a cycling fan could want. A comic strip depicting Hugh Carthy’s solo win at the Tour de Suisse? Check. A Cobbled Classics-themed board game? Check. A page to colour in your own custom kit? Check.
There’s plenty on Education First’s alternative calendar including an illustrated depiction of Lachlan Morton’s GBDuro victory while there is also a nod to Alberto Bettiol’s Tour of Flanders win.
There’s an autograph page with all the riders’ headshots and behind the scenes stories like deep dives into the life of a WorldTour mechanic, too. There’s even the piece de resistance of any true annual: a maze.
The Education First ‘Gone Racing’ annual is on sale now here and costs a reasonable £15.