In this episode George and Jack run a Mock Draft of how they see the teams lining up in 2025 and then they’re joined by the Fighting Irish; two of…
George Thompson
After taking a 17 year break from exercise, George rediscovered mountain bikes in 2008. Six years later, at 40 years of age he started racing Downhill and the following season somehow ended up on the Revolution Bike Park Race Team. As the other members of the team fought for podiums and National Series victories, George searched for mid-pack mediocrity. In a bit to add some value #makingupthenumbers was born; a blog about their race weekends and in particular life towards the back of the field.
Greg Minnaar: Retirement 20 Questions with the GOAT
In this episode George, Jack and Emi chat MSA, 2025 & Team Rumours before they’re joined by the G.O.A.T., Norco Race Division’s Greg Minnaar to chat about his final season…
Tech Spots and Pit Chat: Fort William Special Podcast from Making Up The Numbers
George has been up to Fort William to chat to folks in the pits before the racing kicks off. He’s also sent us a very interesting collection of photos. NB:…
2024 DH Season Preview with Wyn Masters and Making Up The Numbers
In this episode George, Jack and Emilie are joined by the Privateer Project’s Wyn Masters to preview the 2024 World Cup Season… Watch the Podcast Listen to the Podcast The…
Pre-Season Insight with Jess Blewitt and Making Up The Numbers
After a little break over winter, Making Up The Numbers is back! The 2024 race season is already underway and in this episode the gang chats about those races that…
Loic Bruni and Dean Lucas: Podcast Special
It’s a bumper Christmas Special ‘double episode’ of the pod! We kick things off with Dean Lucas’ retirement 20 questions, then Loïc Bruni chats winning World Champs in 2022 and…
Team Rumours Abound: Podcast With Charlie Hatton and Martin Whiteley!
In this episode George, Jack and Emilie discuss 2024, the World Cup calendar and some team rumours. Next up they’re joined by Mr 23 Degrees, Martin Whiteley who has exciting…
Benoit Coulanges, Camille Balanche, & Discontent in the pits: MUTN Podcast
In this episode George, Jack and Emilie catch up on World Champs and three World Cups, including a special guest appearance from Camille Balanche. Then they’re joined by the winner…
Making Up The Numbers Fort William World Champs Special
George made the trip to Fort William between bouts of real life to catch the pros in practice. Hear from: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Thanks to George for…
Back To Racing: Tahnee Seagrave and Roger Viera
World Cup DH racing is back and in this episode George, Jack and Emi discuss the first two races of the season. Then, they’re joined by Canyon Collective FMD’s Tahnee…
Making Up The Numbers Podcast: Aaron Gwin
After a short break they’re back and in this episode George, Jack and Emilie are joined by the five time World Cup Champion, Intense Factory Racing’s Aaron Gwin, to chat…
New Mondraker DH Bike? – Making Up The Numbers Podcast w/ Brook Macdonald
George, Jack & Emilie round up all of this off season’s #teamrumours & chat with the Bulldog, Brook Macdonald, about his struggles in 2022, a new Mondraker DH bike and…
New rules and new bikes! MUTN Podcast with Richie Rude and Todd Schumlick
In this episode… George, Jack and Emilie try and make sense of the new rule changes. Then they chat with two time EWS Champion Richie Rude about that DSQ in…
Epic Race Rumours With Wyn Masters and Ronan Dunne – Making Up The Numbers Podcast
Just a hint of what’s in this episode… A Red Bull Race Series? Mark Wallace, Mille Johnset and Angel Suarez Team Rumours. Wyn bending the plate in his arm. Why…
Old Hand and Young Buck: Greg Minnaar and Jordan Williams – Making Up The Numbers Podcast
On this episode of the pod George and Jack chat with Greg Minnaar about his 2022 season, the three broken vertebrae he sustained in Val di Sole & how excited…
DH World Cup 2022 Finals – Val di Sole (Spoilers)
Where better to hold the finals for what has been an epic World Cup season, than the valley of the sun?
DH World Cup Rd 8 – Val di Sole – Preview & How to Watch
Just like that, we’re heading into the final round of the 2022 DH World Cup season… Surely, nothing can eclipse Les Gets World Champs?
DH World Champs Race Report (Basically, one big spoiler)
The track in Les Gets was fantastic and the crowds turned out in such numbers that this was definitely the biggest World Champs of all time.
2022 Downhill World Champs: Preview and Talking Points
World Champs is the perfect microcosm of the sport of DH. A week of hype and custom paint jobs ending with one race run to win it all.
DH World Cup Rd 7 – Mont Sainte-Anne – Preview & how to watch
Mont Saint-Anne is the venue with the longest World Cup history and it’s back this year after a two-year absence!
DH World Cup Round 6 – Snowshoe delivers drama! (SPOILERS)
Snowshoe, scene of some of the most dramatic DH racing of recent times but always in the dry. Conditions were crazy this week!
DH World Cup Rd 6 – Snowshoe – Preview & how to watch
Snowshoe has only hosted 3 DH World Cups, yet it’s delivered more drama and memorable moments than most other venues!
DH World Cup Round 5 – Vallnord – The new track delivers! (Spoilers)
If you’ve not already watched the downhill action from Vallnord, now would be the time to do so. Or, read on, and then wish you’d watched it not knowing the…
DH World Cup Rd 5 – Vallnord – Preview & how to watch
All photos credit Red Bull Content Pool The last time the DH World Cup visited Andorra was in 2019 and that race is probably the one we talk about most…
Lenzerheide DH World Cup Round 4 – Race Report (Contains spoilers, obviously!)
All photos credit Red Bull Content Pool How do you turn a ‘bike parky’ race track into something much better? Well, it turns out it doesn’t take that much for…
DH World Cup Round 4, Lenzerheide – Race Preview & how to watch
George brings us a close look on the likely riders to watch at the next round of the DH World Cup, in Lenzerheide. All photos: Red Bull Content Pool I’m…
Podcast: Flo Payet, Camille Balanche, and Lenzerheide World Cup Preview!
On this action packed episode of Making Up The Numbers, George apologises to the fastest woman in the world right now, Camille Balanche for not making her the favourite in…
DH World Cup Round 3, Leogang – Race Report (Contains Spoilers)
All photos – Credit Red Bull Content Pool If you were to design a track to provide the best spectacle for the sport of DH, you’d probably use a similar…
When & how & who to watch at Leogang DH World Cup on Saturday
All photos – credit Red Bull Content Pool In the latest episode of the Making Up The Numbers podcast Jack Reading states that Leogang is the hardest track to race…
Making Up The Numbers Podcast With Danny Hart and Dakotah Norton
On this episode of the podcast, George, Jack and Emilie chat all things Fort William and Leogang. They’re joined by 2011 and 2016 World Champion Danny Hart, and 2021 US…
DH World Cup Round 2, Fort William – Race Report (Contains Spoilers)
In last week’s race preview I talked about form and history being the two factors that can help guide us towards picking a race winner and the next time my…
DH World Cup Round 2 – Fort William Race Preview
When you’re trying to pick the winner of a DH race, there are two factors that help guide you towards your decision: form and history. Amaury Pierron, the winner of…
Making Up The Numbers Podcast with Loic Bruni
Joining George, Jack & Emilie on this episode of the podcast is the one and only #Superbruni! We chat about everything from his mental strength to his epic WorldCup overall…
DH World Cup Round 1, Lourdes – Race Report (Contains Spoilers)
The 30th season of UCI DH is underway and what a race we had in Lourdes, France to kick things off! Pre-race concerns about the weather in the foothills of…
When & how & who to watch at Lourdes DH World Cup on Sunday
For race fans, the week preceding the first World Cup of the season is perhaps the most exciting of the year. “Who will be fastest this season?” is the ultimate…
Making Up The Numbers Podcast with Matt Walker and Izabela Yankova
We’re on the cusp of the 2022 DH World Cup Season and there’s much to talk about… And joining George and Jack as co-host for 2022 is Emilie Siegenthaler who…
2022 Downhill Season Preview – Get hyped!
The 2022 DH World Cup season starts relatively early this year, with the season opener taking place on Sunday 27th March in Lourdes, France. Famous for its healing waters and…
Amaury Pierron Interview – Podcast with Making Up The Numbers
In 2018, Amaury Pierron won 3 World Cups in a row & clinched the 2018 World Cup Overall title. In 2019 he won another 3 but dramatically lost out on…
Making Up The Numbers: Benoît Coulanges and Emilie Siegenthaler
In the last two seasons Benoît Coulanges has jumped from the world’s top 30 into the top 10 & is now a podium threat at every race. Along the way…
2021 Down Hill Season Review – A Gripping Year!
We’ve asked George to take us back through the 2021 DH World Cup, letting us relive the highs and lows, the dramatic finale, and already turning our thoughts to what…
Making Up The Numbers Podcast | Vali Höll and Thibaut Dapréla
They’re the two young guns taking the DH World Cup by storm, but their 2021 seasons were diametrically opposed! Thibaut Dapréla started the season strong, podiuming at each of the…
Making Up The Numbers Podcast | Loris Vergier
He might not consider himself the man to beat at World Cup level but we certainly think he is and this is his first solo podcast! We’re delighted to welcome…
Making Up The Numbers Podcast: Myriam Nicole and Greg Minnaar!
We’re calling this one ‘The Royalty Episode’ because our guests are the GOAT, Santa Cruz Syndicate’s Greg Minnaar & 2017 World Cup Overall Winner & 2019 and 2021 World Champion,…
Making Up The Numbers Podcast | National DH Champs Special
Here’s something a little bit different! As well as racing the GB National DH Championships this weekend, George took a mic along & chatted to some of the riders. Starring,…
2021 Making Up The Numbers Team Launch Video!
Ahead of National Champs this weekend here’s the 2021 Making Up The Numbers Team Launch Video. Enjoy! Massive spoiler, it’s exactly the same race team as 2019 & (although we…
#MUTN Les Gets Special – Aaron Gwin, Camille Balanche, Joe Breeden & Aaron Dobie
Race season is in full swing & joining us for this episode of the pod are 5 x Elite Men’s World Cup Champion Intense Factory Racing’s Aaron Gwin, 2020 Elite…
Making Up The Numbers Podcast – EWS Special
This episode of the pod has everything! Florian Nicolai is the most consistent finisher in the EWS in recent times, having finished in the Top 3 in each of the…
Making Up The Numbers: Reece Wilson, Nina Hoffmann and Jamie Edmondson
Let’s go racing! The 2021 Downhill World Cup is about to get underway and in this season preview episode of the pod George and Jack catch up with Reece Wilson,…
Fizik Goes Gravity with Versor and Tensor Shoes – first ride review
Fizik has gradually built up its shoe range, starting with road, then heading through XC, trail and gravel – not forgetting winter boots – and now onto Gravity riding. The…
Making Up The Numbers | MTB Training with Richie Rude and Todd Schumlick
Todd Schumlick has trained some of the world’s leading bike sports athletes from Aaron Gwin to Stevie Smith, Sam Blenkinsop to Emmeline Ragot. Richie Rude is the 2 x EWS…