Yesterday’s journey to my first crack at a UCI Marathon Series started about fifteen years ago, after seeing Miguel Martinez solo to a marathon win on Eurosport, having ditched his punctured back tyre and ‘rimming it’ from about 5km out. I’d been an armchair fan of Cape Epic and loved the footage of the dust covered athletes racing MTB’s in dramatic landscapes. I’m in my fifties. I still want to be that man. Tragic I know.
Over the last thirty years I’ve raced and trained consistently. From consistent top ten finishes in the CTT British Best All-Rounder competition, through cyclocross and MTB Cross Country. Twenty to thirty starts a year on average. Under normal circumstances, I love my sport and drive home just as euphorically happy after turning myself inside out to hang onto a group in a cross race as I did to score the occasional win against the watch fifteen years ago.
A good friend of mine who’s ridden and completed the Tour de France 3x, once told me that cyclocross is a great discipline to ride, as it increases your handling skills
Pirelli is all geared up to backing Marco Trentin’s prestigious mountain bike team once again, with the announcement of an even greater commitment.
Beyond talent, Maeve’s passion and positivity for cycling are contagious. Read our interview with Maeve and give her a follow @maeveplouffe on instagram to see her fantastic photos
Driving the lead car on open roads for a UCI team on a Tour de Yorkshire recce is certainly interesting; so when my good friend and team DS for Vitus Pro Cycling, Cherie Pridham asked me to help out, I was delighted and excited. After all, at heart I’m just a cycling fan like the rest of us.
