London is hardly the Alps or Pyrenees - and barely even the Lake District or Yorkshire Dales - but that doesn’t make it a bad place for cycling. There are still a handful of hills on which to hone your climbing skills.

Here are the city’s five best training climbs.

1. Swains Lane, Highgate

A tight, walled-in road splitting Highgate Cemetery on the left and Waterlow Park on the right, Swains Lane is arguably the toughest and most famous cycle climb in the capital.

It’s half a mile long, has an average gradient of 8 per cent and a maximum gradient of 20 per cent, which is seriously steep, even for professionals.

A handful of hill repeats on here will get you in good shape.

2. Alexandra Palace Way

The road leading up to Ally Pally from the south (past the garden centre) averages only 5 per cent over its 0.6-mile distance, but that is still plenty enough to build lactic acid in your legs and leave you out of breath.

It’s also good for training because the road is predominantly used only for access to the palace, which means it’s relatively quiet.

3. Broomfield Hill, Richmond Park

The first of two Richmond Park climbs on this list, Broomfield Hill is 0.6 miles long and is guaranteed to have you gasping for air at the top.

Starting from the Robin Hood Gate in a clockwise direction around the park, the first 400 yards are relatively gentle but have the effect of sapping your legs ahead of a tough final 200 yards.

The road swings left and then right as it fights its way up the ever-steepening hill, eventually reaching maximum gradient of 12 per cent just before the top.

4. Dark Hill, Richmond Park

This climb starts at the Kingston Gate car park and ascends in an anti-clockwise direction for a third of a mile at an average gradient of 6 per cent.

Just like Broomfield Hill, the road is straight and gentle for the first half, but the second is comprised of a steep section, a short stretch of flat and then an even steeper second ramp to the top that reaches 12 per cent.

5. Canonbie Road, Forest Hill

Starting at the junction with Forest Hill Road, the short but sharp climb up Canonbie Road is a quarter of a mile long and averages 10 per cent in gradient, so it’s a significant challenge from start to finish.

The hardest part is a left-hand corner at roughly half distance, where a 14 per cent ramp awaits.