Juggling a full-time job with training and racing, squishing into a hired minibus to travel 30 hours to European races, burying yourself during a hard stage race to then cook your own meals and wash your bike/kit. It’s all par for the course for small cycling teams on limited budgets. Here, rider Alice Sharpe of sponsor-seeking elite team NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli, reveals the highs and lows of Tour life on a small budget – and how it didn’t stop her kicking ass on the Tour Ta Malta podium.