The countdown to Christmas has begun, and the windows of many an advent calendar are being ripped open up and down the country.

But the run-in to the festive period does not mean we will be dropping the pace at RCUK Towers, and this week has been another busy one.

With a trip to a certain Glasgow velodrome to meet a certain Olympic champion, and then a news conference at Google’s London HQ with a certain five-time Grand Tour winner, we’ve barely paused for breath.

Our 2013 winter bike build got underway this week, with the Kinesis GF_TI V2 at its heart, having decided to stick with the Sussex-based firm following the success of last year’s build.

We certainly intend to stay out on the roads this winter, and Mike Cotty shared his tips on how to plan the perfect recovery ride with us.

We have also started looking back over the past year – here are our round-ups of the best of January and February.

You can also have your say on the best bits of 2013, which, let’s be honest, has been pretty spectacular. Voting is open for the #RCUKAwards 2013.

And with this year drawing to a close, preparations for 2014 are in full swing – Welshman Luke Rowe is hoping for a successful Classics campaign, while Nicolas Roche is targeting two Grand Tours.

At domestic level there is change afoot too – we will bid farewell to Rapha’s sponsorship of UCI Continental team Rapha Condor JLT after what will be nine years at the end of next year, but we say hello to French legend Bernard Hinault who has joined Team Raleigh in a patron role for 2014.

Missed any of this, and much more, on RCUK this week? Check out the best of the last seven days over the following pages.