Being a professional bike racer is tough.

Maybe not so much in the sun on a flat transitional stage of the Tour de France that's mostly sunflowers and chatting with a sprint at the end. But chasing back on to a charging peloton, up the 25% slopes of Honister Pass, in the rain, after you've stacked it earlier in the stage? That doesn't sound like much fun. And let's be honest: there's more days like that in the life of a pro than there are glory days of helicopter pan shots, dark lenses and glass-smooth tarmac.

Here's part one of the Madison-Genesis record of their first home tour. Mostly it's filmed through a damp lens and there's lots of grimacing. It's a fascinating record of what it's like to be in the thick of a major cycling event though. Enjoy.

Madison Genesis – Tour of Britain : Part One from Madison on Vimeo.