Few of us are blessed with the climbing talent of Chris Froome or Alberto Contador – and, for most riders, the biggest challenge on the bike comes when the road heads uphill.

However, it’s something we can all work on in training, be it by improving form and fitness, fine-tuning technique or shedding weight (from body… or bike). But what can we learn from the top tier of professional cycling to improve how us mere mortals perform when climbing?

Ben Swift has been a member of Team Sky since the British-based WorldTour squad’s inception in 2010, in that time establishing himself as a fast finisher able to thrive on punchy courses, with the 27-year-old’s 2014 results including a victory on a lumpy stage of the Tour of the Basque Country and a third place finish on his first outing at Milan-San Remo, as well as further visits to the podium at the RideLondon-Surrey Classic and National Road Race Championships.

We joined Swift on Box Hill, part of the route of the London Cycle Sportive, which takes place on Sunday May 10, to ask the 27-year-old for his WorldTour advice for sportive riders on how to be a better climber.

However, what goes up, must come down, and it’s little use climbing like Froome or Contador, if any advantage you gain uphill is lost on the subsequent descent, so we also asked Swift for his top tips on how to descend safely… and quickly.