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Making Up The Numbers Podcast with Gee Atherton
Jun 12, 2020
If you had an hour to ask Gee Atherton anything you wanted, what would you ask him? On the latest episode of the podcast we discussed everything from rally cars to crashing, Atherton Bikes to how long he intends to keep racing.
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0:06
[Music]
0:18
welcome to the making up the numbers
0:21
podcast I'm making up the numbers
0:26
podcast to sponsor by hope technology
0:29
revolution by part swallow of the
0:32
world's finest independent mountain bike
0:35
magazine single drag hello everybody and
0:44
welcome to episode 8 of season 2 of the
0:46
podcast with myself George David
0:47
Thompson an SR some 2r1 visions jet
0:50
ready the first weekend in June usually
0:53
sees the downhill World Cup descend upon
0:55
Fort William it's the biggest event on
0:57
the British mountain bike calendar but
0:59
this year for reasons we all know the
1:01
World Cup didn't take place in the
1:04
absence of a live arrestor this weekend
1:05
some of the biggest stars on the world
1:07
cup racing will be coming together for a
1:09
unique event on Red Bull TV called
1:12
fantasy fort william and if you can't
1:14
get the real thing then this should be a
1:16
close second and joining us on the
1:18
podcast today is one of those stars the
1:20
man who I discovered this week I share
1:21
both first and middle names with but
1:23
when it comes to riding bikes there's
1:25
very little else we have in common
1:26
welcome to the show two-time elite men's
1:28
world champion and tutor so in 2010
1:31
World Cup overall winner George David
1:33
Atherton gets a beer thanks having it as
1:40
I think we've asked everyone else over
1:42
the last 12 weeks how you been getting
1:43
on with the lockdown I've been doing ok
1:47
to be honest I mean it's it's a strange
1:49
John and it's a you know it's a tricky
1:51
time I'm sure everyone's everyone's in
1:53
the same boat it's just muddling through
1:55
it but you know it's it's not been too
1:58
bad for me I kind of I think where I
2:00
live helps a lot you know I'm going to
2:01
come beside and we've got um you know
2:04
we've got we've got a gym here at HQ and
2:07
you've got the workshop so you know
2:09
there's things I can character nom with
2:10
them having WI Park as well as been
2:13
massive because you know it's obviously
2:15
we can't open it's all closed up but on
2:18
the plus side to that you know is all
2:19
these trails and tracks that my
2:21
brother's been building that we can kind
2:22
of get up there and do some laps on jump
2:25
on the trail but I can and we've got
2:26
somewhere to ride
2:28
Colio you'll be managing to keep a
2:30
little bit fresh at least yeah trying
2:33
but you know it's it's no substitute for
2:35
for being out there racing and you know
2:37
that's the that's the killer and I think
2:39
everyone's everyone's struggling with
2:41
that you know everyone's like you say
2:43
for will you should have been this
2:44
weekend that's the the biggest race in
2:45
the calendar for me and you know
2:46
chomping up a bit so this program with
2:49
Red Bull it starts in 2010 and it's
2:51
going to be pitting the the winning runs
2:53
since then against each other to see
2:56
who's is kind of the the greatest of all
2:58
time coming into 2010 you know ravine
3:01
world champion winning the 2008 tile and
3:05
you'd had a couple of World Cup wins as
3:06
well but 2010 was a bit different you
3:09
were top three every round of the World
3:11
Cup winning in Fort William Shawn pre
3:13
and Windham and taking the overall I
3:15
know it's a while back now but can you
3:17
remember if he kind of changed something
3:19
coming into that season or if there was
3:21
something specific that helps you to
3:23
kind of discover that level of
3:24
consistency it wasn't so much you know
3:29
changing one thing it was more it was
3:32
more looking at the season you know
3:34
beforehand saying right how you know
3:36
what do I need to improve what can i
3:39
what can I make better and you know the
3:41
consistency was the thing that stood out
3:43
to me now I've always been I've always
3:45
been quite a consistent rider and not
3:47
enough you can loose but I knew that if
3:50
I could if I could perform how I knew I
3:53
could perform again and again and again
3:54
and that would that would really make a
3:56
massive difference and so you know we
3:59
broke that down you know what what will
4:01
make you more consistent you know and
4:03
and look at all the small things you
4:05
know the fitness the strength that the
4:07
technical side of it and and and I
4:09
really just did everything I could on on
4:11
each one of those levels and you know I
4:14
think when you get into a season and you
4:15
and you start off well and you feel like
4:17
you're on a bit of a heater you know
4:18
it's like a little boost you know it's
4:20
like a little spur and you and you and
4:22
you chase and you go harder and you go
4:25
harder and the further you get through
4:26
that season and the better it's going it
4:29
the more you're willing to give them
4:30
that and the more you're willing to push
4:31
yeah I mean give you six years I think
4:34
since you first will Cup win that wasn't
4:36
it you run in 2004 the first one
4:39
I think so yeah yeah 2004 Schladming I'd
4:42
say yeah so that was it's quite a
4:44
distance isn't it from you know six
4:46
years as a racer yeah I went back and
4:50
watched the highlights of 2010 Fort
4:52
William this week and it's a free
4:54
custard job so that you can't see that
4:56
much but the track doesn't look that
4:58
different to how it looks today the
5:00
motorway jumps were a bit smaller and
5:02
you'd have gone left after the day again
5:03
but you're winning time at four thirty
5:05
five point seven was only beaten quite
5:08
recently by Minar in 2016 okay
5:12
hair on a couple of times since that was
5:14
there anything that made it particularly
5:16
fast in 2010 Oh was it just a
5:18
particularly direct route through the
5:20
woods yeah it's a tricky one you know
5:23
for William doesn't change a huge amount
5:26
and that's why this thing that Red Bull
5:27
are doing looking back over these these
5:29
last 10 years is so cool because it does
5:31
work you know it any other track it
5:33
would be difficult but for William you
5:34
know it works and you can compare year
5:37
upon year because you know the track is
5:39
consistent you know you've got this
5:41
rough aggressive Rock line down Fort
5:45
William and you know the woods do change
5:46
and the woods are altered slightly but
5:49
you know 90% of the track is is fairly
5:51
consistent and you know I think that
5:55
yeah you'd have to look at all the
5:57
little details and see why that was a
5:59
fast year like I say it was just me but
6:02
you know the thing with Fort William is
6:05
is that the the small kind of changes
6:07
like the weather that was it slightly
6:09
wet was there was there lack of wind you
6:11
know all these things make quite a big
6:14
difference there and all the finer kind
6:17
of details make a faster or slower year
6:19
what's it like to win Fort William it's
6:23
awesome
6:23
I know there's a feeling like it you
6:25
know I don't think I'd say winning Fort
6:28
William World Cup was was equal to
6:30
winning World Champs for me you know
6:31
you're you're racing in front of a home
6:33
crowd it's a massive build up to it you
6:35
know not just the days before but the
6:37
weeks before you know that the closer
6:39
you creep towards this event the tension
6:42
just building and building building you
6:44
know even at the event people are there
6:45
your friends are there your family are
6:47
there you know everyone's there to kind
6:49
of see a Brit women that feeling of
6:52
cross
6:53
the line into the hot seat seeing rider
6:55
after rider not beat your time and then
6:57
suddenly bang you've won and the place
6:59
just erupted you know it's it's it's an
7:01
incredible feeling you know your head
7:04
standing on end at that point it's it's
7:06
it's awesome yeah it was a big one for
7:09
me looking back now is that your
7:11
favorite memory from 2010 oh yeah
7:14
definitely
7:15
yeah it would be because that was the
7:18
first time I'd won Fort William you know
7:19
it was I couldn't have anticipated how
7:23
good it was you know I couldn't have
7:24
anticipated what a special and
7:26
incredible feeling that would be and I
7:28
think you know not knowing that maybe
7:31
helped me because is the pressure off it
7:33
was like yeah okay cool to win that
7:34
would be amazing but I don't think I
7:35
realize how good it would be until it
7:37
happened it's nice that that's the case
7:39
because sometimes with things like that
7:41
as you say British crowd you you do
7:43
expect it to be a big thing when it does
7:45
happen and if then it does happen and it
7:48
even supersedes what you're expecting
7:50
then make it even more special and it
7:53
really did you know it was even
7:56
instantly in the moment you know as soon
7:58
as that clock ticks over on the last
8:00
rider and bang you've won you know the
8:02
eruption of the crowd in that in that
8:04
Stadium people not cheering your name
8:06
you know walking through the throngs of
8:08
people to get to the podium it's you
8:11
know I remember thinking like that's yes
8:13
as good as its yes you know that was
8:14
like a you're peaking at that point yeah
8:17
definitely
8:18
so 2011 year another great season podium
8:21
and at four rounds including Fort
8:23
William and finish if in the overall
8:26
that was your final year on the am an
8:28
animal comment cell team I think we saw
8:31
somewhere quite recently that looking
8:32
back you thought the comment cell was
8:34
the best bite you've ridden until you
8:36
created your own bike round is that
8:39
correct
8:40
and if so what was it about the comments
8:42
all that you like so much about then I
8:43
say it was yeah it's an incredible bike
8:46
and you know there's no there's no
8:49
secrets of that and the reason why is
8:52
because the guides that comments are you
8:55
know max and the engineers were so good
8:59
to work with you know it's it's a
9:01
similar situation to well I find myself
9:04
now where
9:05
you're with a group of guys a group of
9:07
engineers who are saying right how can
9:10
we make this bike the fastest bike you
9:12
know how can we make this bike the best
9:13
fight and and that's what max did you
9:17
know he was saying right how can we how
9:18
can we win World Cups how can we create
9:20
a bike that is as fast as possible and
9:23
you know as a racer that is that's where
9:27
you want to be that's that's what you
9:28
want to hear someone say to you know you
9:29
only don't hear we you know these are
9:32
the restrictions this is what we've got
9:33
to work with in blah blah blah you know
9:35
you want to hear someone say right
9:37
how fast can we get this bike to go and
9:39
that's what max did and he created what
9:41
we wanted and you know he listened to us
9:43
and we made a bloody good bike no and I
9:46
said I can relate to that now from from
9:48
what that what they're like because when
9:50
we were written looser and Portugal last
9:52
spring's
9:53
who's the head engineer they came over
9:55
to me in the pits he's got his entire
9:57
team there with all Murray and Remy and
10:00
came over and asked me how I like the
10:02
bike and if I had any suggestions and
10:03
I'm thinking you really want my opinion
10:06
when you guys just genuinely interested
10:10
haven't picked up on anything and yeah
10:12
so you've got those kind of guys with
10:16
you as well
10:16
well we modelled it you know we we said
10:19
no I've talked about that many times
10:21
since then and and we said look guys you
10:24
know this is this is what works this is
10:26
how we need to do it this is how we
10:27
create good bikes you know you can't you
10:30
can't go to Asia and say right you know
10:32
what you got here stick a label on this
10:34
hopefully that refined change that a lot
10:36
but you know you need to you need to you
10:39
need to build the bike you need to test
10:41
that you need to work on it you need to
10:42
develop it and and that's what we that's
10:44
what we've been lucky enough to do nice
10:47
so in 2012 you switched to GT and poor
10:50
doomed every round again finishing third
10:52
in the overall this time with our
10:55
Antechinus is second title you spend
10:59
several different generations of World
11:01
Cup rider from the years of the Eamon R
11:04
and he'll obviously been are still or
11:06
with you guys now and then Gwyn and then
11:08
more recently Bruni and Pierre on who
11:11
would you say has been your most
11:13
personal fierce competitor over the
11:16
years I think I know the answer was
11:18
see what you say that's a tricky one
11:22
because it does change you know you have
11:23
these you have these little battles you
11:25
know you have these kind of years where
11:28
your form is is is a peaking you know at
11:31
the same time someone else's is and you
11:34
know you have these kind of you find
11:38
yourself within these little battles and
11:40
these little rivalries you know not for
11:42
any kind of reason or not for any kind
11:44
of personal thing but just because yeah
11:47
you suddenly see this guy close to you
11:49
at this race this is in front of you at
11:51
the next race is behind you at the next
11:52
race and suddenly you're thinking ah I
11:55
want to try and beat him this weekend
11:57
you know I want to try and be in this
11:58
weekend and it just develops you know it
12:00
just builds and it just comes about
12:02
naturally no no I mean personal rivalry
12:06
ya know in home when you're at the top
12:09
and someone else was there rivaling with
12:13
you yeah you know it's always been a mix
12:16
and I've had some good battles with Greg
12:17
we you know see you battle for the
12:19
championship thing is 2010 you know
12:21
we've had some good battles up at Worlds
12:22
as well I think I had one or two races
12:25
where I've been second at Worlds by you
12:28
know tenths of a second to Greg um yeah
12:31
you know Stevie Smith battle was was as
12:34
good as they was as good as they get
12:36
really a name I remember that that you
12:38
know I was kind of battling with him for
12:40
the championship you know went literally
12:42
down to the wire look for it down for
12:44
the last round you know we're down to
12:46
the final and you know that's what you
12:48
want from a race and there's a as a
12:50
competitor that's what you want because
12:52
it brings out the best in you you know I
12:54
think that spurred us both on it made us
12:56
both push further than we thought we
12:59
could and I was quite an exciting year
13:01
for sure my first World Cup year I
13:03
didn't do all the races come still at
13:05
uni but my first year was 2010 and yeah
13:08
that battle between you and Greg
13:10
throughout the year was just it was just
13:12
so meant to just be further down in the
13:15
sport with there watching it all unfold
13:16
and I can only imagine what it'd be like
13:18
sir as you said we drop it in going
13:22
right this is that year that year with
13:25
Greg was the same you know I think it
13:26
came down to the last round I think
13:27
Wyndham was the final round that year
13:29
and we both came to that you know a
13:31
couple of
13:32
sipar and and it was a battle all the
13:35
way to the final you know I remember in
13:37
that finals run just thinking you know I
13:39
there was no kind of game plan there was
13:42
no right where do I need to finish to
13:44
forget in front of Greg a few finishes
13:46
here there it was literally you know
13:47
fast as you can but we go at it all or
13:50
nothing and whoever wins takes the
13:53
championship and you know we both knew
13:54
that and that was quite a you know it
13:57
was kind of refreshing going into that
13:59
round with that been the case no it was
14:00
simple it was clean it was it was all oh
14:03
nothing really
14:03
erasing that thing you said about racing
14:06
there gee that got encapsulate see all
14:08
that being at the top and seen its you
14:10
know different faces ahead of you or
14:12
behind you even down it kind of out of
14:14
my level that's that's what it's all
14:16
about that's the fun isn't it that's
14:18
they're trying to beat somebody who beat
14:19
you last week that's there that's
14:23
interesting yeah because people ask me
14:26
you know over the years what have you
14:28
because rivalries and you know they they
14:30
pick up you know the minute battle that
14:33
the Steve Smith battle you know for the
14:35
World Cup championship but for me
14:38
they've they've been there since my
14:40
first race you know I can remember
14:41
having these same battles with with the
14:44
kids you know when I was 12 years old
14:45
Racing BMX and to me then you know it
14:48
was no less or more personal and
14:50
important than you know it is for a
14:53
World Championship you know you're still
14:55
racing as hard as you can against
14:56
someone that you want to beat and you
14:58
know I remember being at school thinking
15:00
right I've got a race next weekend you
15:02
know a few miles from home how can I
15:04
beat this kid you know it's it's the
15:07
same process and it's the same kind of
15:08
mindset you know yeah 2013 you took a
15:11
second win at for William and you also
15:13
won the following weekend in Bali Seoul
15:16
looking back at the stats Fort William
15:18
was the first world cup of the season
15:20
that year but it was your eighth race
15:22
that's like as many as some riders race
15:25
in a whole season nowadays do you think
15:27
racing so much beforehand kind of helped
15:29
you get off to such a strong star I
15:31
think so for sure
15:33
you know it's tricky to come out of an
15:35
offseason and then bang straight to a
15:37
World Cup because racing is you know
15:40
it's not just the physical it's it's the
15:41
mental aside you know a huge amount and
15:45
you have to be
15:46
you have to be comfortable in that
15:48
intense environment you know you have to
15:50
be able to sit down on a Sunday
15:52
afternoon
15:53
finals day with everything you know
15:56
relying on this next three minutes of
15:58
riding and be relaxed with it and be and
16:00
become with it and be willing to kind of
16:02
ride as fast as you can then as when
16:05
you're at home in the local woods and
16:07
the only way to do that is by racing
16:10
more and more and more and being
16:11
comfortable and being kind of your
16:15
natural self at a at a race that's going
16:18
to make this season so interesting
16:19
because I think obviously the Americans
16:22
are the race last week but so few of us
16:25
are going to get on the clock before
16:27
September and it yeah very interesting
16:30
who can just flick their brain back to
16:33
12 months before and go right this is
16:35
what we do it's gonna be like joining
16:37
into a race season you know halfway
16:38
through because all the little kind of
16:40
Walmart pre kind of season they kind of
16:43
slow burner builds that you normally
16:45
have won't be there and you're gonna go
16:47
from zero to you know World Cup final
16:50
speed and and you're gonna have to be
16:52
there or you're not gonna be anywhere
16:54
near it you talked a few minutes ago
16:56
about the battle with Stevie Smith in
16:58
2013 you podium - every round except
17:03
half yell but you still ended up losing
17:05
out in the overall I think you came
17:09
fourth in the final round that he
17:10
wondered knew is in Lee again yeah how
17:13
much of a blast psychologically was that
17:17
it wasn't as blow you know it was it was
17:21
a it was a battle that we had been
17:24
regional year and you know you don't you
17:28
don't you don't discount that year
17:30
because I didn't win the championship no
17:32
I didn't finish that year after so many
17:35
good results after so many podiums and
17:37
after pushing so hard thinking you know
17:40
I failed you know that's that's not the
17:42
case I know we're all there to win and
17:44
they were all better you know win a
17:45
championship but you know it was it was
17:48
still for me to kind of walk away after
17:52
that year I was still I was still
17:53
pleased with what happened I was still
17:55
stoked on how it had gone down
17:57
you know it was a it was a good feeling
17:59
to have been there and gone to town with
18:03
it you know I would have loved to have
18:04
won it would have been it would have
18:05
been massive for me but you know I think
18:08
I think those kind of moments where you
18:11
so close to something and then you miss
18:13
out on it only kind of push you on and
18:15
spur you on room yeah we you more
18:17
motivated going into the offseason and
18:19
training after that yeah definitely you
18:22
know next year I was I was I was wanting
18:25
it again you know I was a battle like
18:28
that kind of makes you realize how much
18:29
you enjoy it and it you know that's what
18:31
you live for you know those kind of
18:33
moments of such intensity you know
18:36
that's kind of that's what life's about
18:37
I think too right so as you just said
18:39
you came out swinging in 2014 you won
18:42
the second round in Cairns then went on
18:43
to win your second world champs in
18:45
Norway winning world champs for the
18:48
second time was that even sweeter than
18:50
the first or can you remember the
18:52
difference in feeling between winning at
18:53
Val Sol and winning in Norway yeah I
18:56
think you know it's again going back to
19:00
when you win something for the first
19:02
time you know you don't necessarily know
19:04
what to expect you know a lot of my wins
19:07
you know especially our first one in
19:10
2004 you know I won it surprised me as
19:13
much as anyone else I think suddenly you
19:15
know you you realize why it's about won
19:18
it once it's happened if you like and
19:21
it's the same with anything a
19:22
championship you know a world champs
19:25
until you've experienced it is tricky to
19:27
kind of tell just how incredible a
19:30
feeling that is and you know after I one
19:32
of the first time I was like wow I kind
19:35
of like that you know that's that's a
19:37
pretty good feeling there for that again
19:39
I think this is quite a difficult
19:42
question to ask you but I'm gonna ask
19:43
you it and we'll see where we go both of
19:46
you world champs wins people still talk
19:49
about other riders crash you know what
19:51
you had Sam Hill on the last corner in
19:52
2008 and Josh on the bridge in 2005 I
19:56
know there's nothing at all you can do
19:58
about it but does it bother you at all
19:59
that that's the gap it doesn't know and
20:03
you know I understand why they're kind
20:05
of both talked about a lot and you know
20:08
they're both quite well documented crap
20:10
and you know I think it it adds to the
20:13
element of those kind of what if when
20:17
you can see it so obviously close to a
20:19
finish line you know because it builds
20:21
that story but yeah I honestly I don't
20:24
remember being a race that where I've
20:26
won where you know there hasn't been
20:28
people on a heater and crashing and I
20:30
know it happens every weekend to be
20:33
honest you know it's it's literally you
20:34
know it's what the racing is all about
20:36
you know your handful of guys going hard
20:39
at it down a mountain some make it some
20:42
don't you know I think I think I learned
20:45
quite early on you know you have to take
20:47
the good luck when it comes your way
20:48
because know for every for every when
20:51
I've had where someone else has crashed
20:52
you know I've probably had ten results
20:54
where it's been me crashing you know
20:55
yeah you know I could list you all the
20:57
world champs I've missed out on by
20:59
tenths of a second half a second because
21:01
of you know a slip a hurdle slip you
21:04
know at the dive on foot you know that's
21:06
what racing is about and you know it's
21:11
because that those crashes were so big
21:13
and so close to the finish did they get
21:16
that stigma attached to them what the
21:18
fact of the matter is that's part of
21:20
racing and you've got to get it from
21:22
point A to point B there's no point
21:24
crushing fifty yards from the finish
21:26
exactly yeah
21:28
but you know it's been it's been the
21:30
other way around so many times for me
21:32
and I've been the one lying on the floor
21:34
looking at my split times thinking if I
21:37
just don't think I'd go a bit further if
21:39
only I calmed that down a little bit you
21:41
know I could because when I was talking
21:43
to you about the times I've lay on the
21:45
floor thinking my split times would have
21:47
won that but you know move on to 2016
21:52
because he won seeding at Fort William
21:54
for the World Cup by nearly three
21:56
seconds and it looked like the hat-trick
21:58
of wins might be on but yeah that
22:01
horrible crush on the top section what
22:03
happened there and was that one of those
22:04
moments it was yeah he's exactly one of
22:08
those moments you know I was on a great
22:09
weekend a bike was so well I was feeling
22:11
strong you know I had a I had a good
22:13
qualifier nothing special to me and you
22:16
know I had a big lead and you know there
22:18
was no doubt in my mind I could have
22:19
repeated that in the finals and taken
22:21
another win but you know the smaller
22:24
stuff changes or mistakes meant I was
22:27
instead slammed into the floor and was
22:29
lay there you know picking myself up and
22:32
nursing myself down the hill and you
22:33
know I was I wasn't bitter about that I
22:36
wasn't upset about I it was just you
22:39
know down a racing's a tough game to be
22:41
in unless you you're not prepared to
22:43
take the rough and to take the hit you
22:45
know you racing with the big boys there
22:47
say you know yeah you've got to be ready
22:49
for them and just wash I was in a rock
22:51
or I dropped into that ton of that gully
22:55
that you see me drop into and as you
22:56
exit that onto that fast kind of pinball
22:59
session I kind of rocked back slightly
23:03
I remember my weight just kind of coming
23:05
off the front end and you know classic
23:07
for William those loose kind of gravelly
23:10
marbles as soon as you kind of unweight
23:13
us apart the front wheel fan out down
23:15
and you know it's a big graph you know I
23:18
went down harder I jumped up and the
23:21
Adrenaline's firing for a woke up
23:24
farmer's run so I just rode to the
23:25
bottom but after you know 20 minutes at
23:27
the bottom I was thinking you know
23:30
shoulder was saw there was light all
23:33
sorts going on and yeah it was there it
23:34
was a rough crash I think it was around
23:38
that time we started seeing you in a
23:39
rally car talk to us about the rally and
23:43
did you ever have serious ambitions to
23:45
start a career in Switzer were always it
23:47
always just a hobby no just for fun you
23:49
know and it was good fun I loved it and
23:51
you know I still do but for me it was
23:56
always just something on the side you
23:57
know if I as I've spent my whole life
23:59
racing and you love going fast and
24:01
seeing what you can do with whatever
24:04
vehicle you're in or on you know that's
24:06
what it was about for me but at the same
24:08
time it's always about bikes two wheels
24:10
is what I love and you know I would
24:12
never switch are you still doing the
24:14
rally in competitive lives or no I've
24:17
not been in a car for a little ventually
24:18
knive mine and I chanced to be honest
24:21
you know it's the last few years have
24:23
been busy so yeah I wish 2016 was your
24:29
first season on track and it was also a
24:31
ritual perfect season seven out of seven
24:33
World Cup wins and World Championships
24:35
how did you find that holux
24:38
variance watching Rach when every
24:41
workout floody a holiday with her kind
24:46
of attracting a lot of the media
24:48
attention you know the focus was all on
24:50
her and that brings a huge amount of
24:52
pressure and that's pressed spread
24:55
across the whole team where you kind of
24:57
we trying to help her at all did you
24:59
sacrifice yourself trying to help her
25:01
with lines or anything like that I
25:03
didn't sacrifice ed I think you know I
25:05
didn't need to Reggie's incredibly
25:07
strong athlete and you know a strong
25:09
character and ya know I don't think I
25:11
can to help her but you know she's gonna
25:13
win races with me there or not I'm you
25:16
know she's she's a she's a strong race
25:20
so you know when it comes to that Sunday
25:22
afternoon final and yeah I think um I
25:25
think it was just it was cool seeing
25:27
that you know it was cool seeing your
25:28
little sister absolutely charging and
25:30
just smashing the girls to pieces and
25:32
you know I learned quite early on the
25:34
rage performing you at races with
25:37
something I was just getting used to
25:38
because yeah there's not many people
25:41
that could keep up with her and she's I
25:42
think you may still the case he turns up
25:45
to a race and and she's fit and healthy
25:47
then you know there's gonna be a lot of
25:48
girls looking around worried nothing
25:52
sorry yes I think even now coming into
25:55
this season I think if she's fit which
25:58
she'd be the favorite to win it yeah I
26:01
think so her dare she healthy she's
26:03
better than the others I would faster
26:05
than the others she's got this ability
26:08
to be able to spend you know the month
26:11
before a race not quite feeling it not
26:14
quite they're telling everyone she's
26:16
struggling you know me an athlete trying
26:18
to nurse her through whatever problem or
26:20
injury she's facing and you think oh my
26:22
god she really is struggling you know
26:24
what's gonna happen and Bank Sunday
26:27
afternoon she wins by 11 seconds and you
26:29
think what the hell's that about you
26:30
know where's that come from and I don't
26:32
know why she gets it you know
26:33
it's an incredible skill to have you
26:36
know and I think a lot of people are
26:37
jealous of that would love to be able to
26:39
do the same thing
26:41
at 2017 Fort William BDS you see did
26:45
first everyone was sat at the bottom
26:48
waiting for you to come down and turning
26:49
all green but there the room was over
26:51
before it started really I think did he
26:54
crash on the first little first hit back
26:56
the left corner they did make yes out
26:58
the first turn right hand twenty meters
27:01
and a little hairpin bang I was down and
27:05
what happened there we you're on a
27:07
twenty nine of though did you get caught
27:08
up in it up yeah first weekend on the
27:10
twenty nine now we've gone up a few days
27:12
early done some runs on it I felt fast
27:14
no the plan was easy weekend nurse it
27:18
through you know you're on a new bike
27:20
don't go hard get the qualifying and I
27:23
want you know I was a second and bit up
27:26
underneath so I was thinking you know
27:27
the pace is good I'm obviously
27:29
comfortable I'm gonna charge the race
27:31
run and see what we can do and that
27:34
little bit extra that you're pushing
27:36
your race run just meant as I hit that
27:38
kicker that they'd built up that year I
27:40
just caught my ass on the wheel going in
27:43
and it was enough to kind of compress
27:46
kick me over and I went down hard you
27:49
know for William is you know well-baked
27:52
concrete on that on the track there's no
27:54
easy place to crash on it and I hit the
27:56
floor knock myself out broke some
27:58
vertebrae dislocated my hip and I was
28:01
out for the can you know I was on the
28:03
floor thinking this is this is bad news
28:07
and it's screwed you for quite a while
28:10
that didn't it yeah for sure you know it
28:13
was a rough crash I was always lamb a
28:15
floor for a long time and I was there
28:17
thinking you've done it now you know
28:19
this isn't this is a bad one and I
28:21
couldn't tell if my my femur was broken
28:24
on my hip was dislocated because it was
28:26
such a bad angle and it was such a like
28:28
horrible feeling and I'm used to
28:30
crashing you know I'm used to I'm used
28:33
to hitting the floor and you know I've
28:34
had my fair share of big hits and that
28:38
one felt like a bad one you know it felt
28:39
like it was a messy woman I'm a man
28:41
kneeling up and thinking if I fall down
28:44
on my leg I might be able to pull my hip
28:46
back in because you know the shoulder
28:47
that sometimes works and I knelt up and
28:50
pulled down on my leg and I nearly
28:52
passed out you know
28:55
but looking about three results at Fort
28:58
William you've been incredibly
28:59
consistent not just at the World Cups
29:01
but Nationals as well you put that down
29:04
to anything in particular is it repeat
29:06
visits of their testing I think to be
29:09
honest it's the it's it's what formally
29:12
means to me you know yes we get a lot of
29:14
farm ride in there and testing but that
29:17
isn't the reason for it you know it's
29:19
because for William is a special place
29:20
for me you know it's you turn up to Fort
29:23
William and you get those kind of hairs
29:24
in the back you mixed and then up it's
29:26
it's it's a special place you know I
29:28
spent a lot of time up there racing and
29:31
it's it holds a lot of memories and you
29:33
know it does mean a lot to me so I you
29:35
know I make sure I'm on Form and I focus
29:37
on for William and you know last year I
29:38
won that I won the British round there
29:40
and you know I made a mistake at the
29:42
World Cup which kicked me back a bit but
29:44
you know it's still a place that holds a
29:46
lot I kind of dear to me and I like to
29:50
you know I put a lot into that mmm
29:52
you've proved that love rests at the end
29:55
of 2018
29:56
that you can still win will cooked by
29:58
finishing second but would you say that
30:01
2010 through to 2014 was when you were
30:05
at the peak of your career so far say so
30:09
yeah you know let the results the
30:11
results will definitely back that up and
30:13
you know I think I think well athletes
30:15
have that kind of ebb and flow during a
30:20
long career you know it's if you race
30:22
them for a few years you know you have a
30:24
peak and then that's it if you know when
30:26
you look at the riders of had long
30:27
careers you know myself Greg you know
30:30
McKenna
30:31
BT these boys that have been in it for
30:33
for long long times and you know kind of
30:36
span different generations of riders I
30:38
think you know you see these kind of
30:41
peaks and troughs you know it's it's
30:43
hard to hold the peak bones highway
30:45
through and a sport I'd downhill
30:47
especially because the physical side is
30:50
so much tough you know it's so
30:52
aggressive and injuries are inevitable
30:54
you know injuries you know you might
30:57
pray for collarbone six weeks later are
30:59
you okay
30:59
another injury could stay with you two
31:02
years you know it's it's it's so unique
31:04
to the injury that the physical recovery
31:07
you know the mental sides of that injury
31:09
it naturally creates these ton of
31:11
patterns during your career where you
31:13
feel like you're on Form everything's
31:16
kind of ticking the box but there's
31:18
something not quite there you know
31:20
there's not something you know it's a
31:22
tiny thing but something's missing and
31:24
you know it's the difference between
31:26
bill on the podium every weekend to
31:27
being you know top ten every weekend
31:29
yeah absolutely and then the question I
31:32
really want to ask at the end of that is
31:34
do you feel was another peak there I
31:38
think so and I wasn't you know if I
31:41
didn't think that I wouldn't be racing
31:42
because ya know I'm not a competitive
31:44
person you know I love racing and I'm
31:46
racing since I was 11 years old and you
31:48
know if I didn't think I still have more
31:50
to give and still wanted to throw more
31:53
at it you know I would I would do
31:55
something else and you know I'm still
31:57
enjoying it I still feel fit you know
31:59
we're still developing bikes every
32:01
weekend and you know it's it's all those
32:04
little details that make you a good
32:05
racer and make you kind of hungry for it
32:08
but that kind of decide your result on
32:10
on that weekend race yeah and I think
32:13
having that attitude you've just
32:14
described of appreciate in the fact that
32:17
there is going to be a natural ebb and
32:19
flow of a long career where you're going
32:20
to have lower points you can have higher
32:22
points and not being impatient with it
32:24
it's gonna then mean you're there to
32:27
lift it when everything's right whereas
32:30
these you see a lot of kids dropping out
32:31
and retiring when they're 23 24 and you
32:34
just think they're just kind of tried to
32:36
force them into impatient so I think so
32:39
it's tricky one you know it's it's tough
32:41
when it's not going right it's tough
32:42
when you're throwing everything at it
32:44
and you're not winning but you know at
32:45
the same time it's it's a pretty sick
32:48
sport you know I love it still I love
32:50
getting out there and pushing myself
32:52
against the fastest boys in the world
32:54
racing down a mountain so you know as
32:55
long as I'm still enjoying that on
32:57
oculus so you we think you were kind of
33:02
one-off if not the first to discover the
33:04
benefits of getting really strong and
33:06
training like a professional athlete
33:08
when a lot of downhill was back then
33:10
were not particularly training that hard
33:13
and on the beers how much of a
33:15
difference here do you feel it was that
33:17
kind of 10 years ago
33:20
when I think that training came about
33:22
for me because you know me and Dan we're
33:26
racing and we loved it and we would
33:27
spend every minute thinking how can I do
33:29
better at the next race how can I go
33:31
faster you know it's it was natural for
33:33
us to say right you know what what's
33:36
gonna help me we didn't start training
33:37
because we loved it and I'd like to get
33:39
in a gym you know we want it to go
33:41
faster or races and race our bikes as
33:43
quick as we could and being strong men
33:46
you can go better and that was cut
33:49
something we learned quite early on if
33:50
you like in them the other so that is
33:53
the injury you know I my career has been
33:56
marked with some big crashes you know
33:59
I've always been someone that was
34:01
slamming into the floor and I didn't
34:04
want those injuries to kind of stop the
34:06
show if you like yeah so I learned quite
34:10
soon that the stronger I was the fitter
34:11
I was the faster I covered in the lesson
34:13
jury I got and know if if me and a few
34:17
extra sessions in the gym during the
34:20
week meant I could fly myself into the
34:22
floor the weekend and still be there
34:23
racing Sunday afternoon and you know
34:25
that was fine with me yeah absolutely
34:28
so by I'm 31 just before I asked this
34:31
question and I still feel like every
34:33
year I'm getting fitter and stronger
34:34
with my training I'm getting more
34:36
improvements each cycle 35 now G have
34:40
you found there's been any challenge in
34:42
terms of your fitness at the moment are
34:44
you still in a place where your body's
34:46
responding well to all the training I
34:47
think it's good you know I'm feeling
34:49
strong and you know it's interesting to
34:52
see that I'm still finding new ways to
34:55
Train and I think keeping things kind of
34:58
different and fresh is key to that you
35:01
know you can easily get sucked into just
35:03
this repetitive pattern that you know I
35:05
did the last year near before so it's
35:07
gonna work this year you know you really
35:09
have to be able to listen to your body
35:10
and I think the longer you race for the
35:11
better you get at that you know you the
35:13
better you get thinking right I need to
35:16
alter this I need to change that you
35:17
know this doesn't feel right that's not
35:19
quite how it should be and obviously the
35:22
longer you race for the more injuries
35:23
you have and that's a that's a big part
35:24
of it too you know you have to adjust
35:25
your training for those injuries and you
35:28
know that we have in this pre having
35:30
that and it's it's something I've kind
35:33
of
35:34
learn to develop and kind of keep an eye
35:36
on and work on and often to review if
35:39
you like rather than just sinking into
35:41
the same training blah yeah that's it
35:44
well let's let's take a quick break
35:46
there we'll be back with the revolution
35:47
back bar big questions after these
35:49
messages
35:56
on to the revolution back part big
35:58
questions then question number one
36:00
what's your favorite track on the World
36:02
Cup circuit favorite track bother so
36:07
let's say yeah she's a beauty yeah what
36:10
what is it about well based on what just
36:12
the state I love them I love the natural
36:14
side to it you know I love the natural
36:16
rooty rugged feel to it you know you do
36:20
that first practice run and then by the
36:22
end of the day it's almost a different
36:23
track you know there's holes coming
36:25
through those roots coming through rocks
36:27
that you didn't see us suddenly right
36:28
there and you know a place that keeps
36:30
you on your toes for sure mmm which
36:33
question to which section of track on a
36:36
World Cup circuit do you find the most
36:38
difficult to race probably Andorra the
36:43
final session of and or you know you'll
36:45
burn your arms are gone your breathing's
36:48
racing your legs are blown up you know
36:50
it's it's an aggressive track and it
36:52
only gets steeper the further down it so
36:55
you know the more and more tired you get
36:57
the steeper this track gets and it's
36:59
it's a it's a tough one to still be
37:01
attacking at the end so you are and
37:04
questions number three we've talked
37:06
about a few of the crashes but there's
37:07
been a lot more that we haven't there's
37:10
the one remember when you yeah neck is
37:14
on the steering rampage there's the long
37:19
jump in the snow which has been the
37:21
worst there's a lot to choose from
37:25
for me the four million one that's
37:27
probably the worst one you know
37:29
completely undocumented there was no
37:31
video that and it's a rare occasion
37:33
where I'm actually quite glad about that
37:35
you know I'm glad is next for loves
37:37
varrick's you don't okay onto 2020 then
37:48
well what you thoughts on the revised
37:50
calendar got fingers crossed
37:54
that's all I'm gonna say you know it's
37:55
it's a tough one nobody knows it changed
37:57
this week to week you know we've already
37:59
seen versus counseled I think if it can
38:01
happen as it looks at the moment we'll
38:03
get a good season going but it's a late
38:06
it's late in the year to be racing you
38:07
know it's
38:08
it's gonna mix things up and they'll be
38:10
interested in it it will be a different
38:11
kind of fear and that might be cool in a
38:13
way you know yeah well the souls
38:15
obviously already kind of been cancelled
38:17
if the others go ahead it'll be seven
38:20
races in eight weeks there's a calendar
38:22
like that excite you yeah I'll be
38:25
awesome you know we're gonna throw hard
38:27
line in the mix as well and know
38:28
something you've got a busy couple of
38:30
months but I'm not worried about that
38:34
you know I love it I enjoy the racing I
38:36
enjoy this traveling and I'm looking
38:38
forward to getting stuck into that for
38:39
sure do you think you'll have any kind
38:41
of different approach with it being such
38:43
a short season I think so
38:45
you know suddenly you've got this risk
38:47
of picking up any small injuries that's
38:49
gonna real set you back you know it's
38:52
gonna be tiring it's gonna be tricky to
38:54
gauge having this ten month long
38:56
offseason going to erase races and it's
38:59
gonna be um there's gonna be a lot of
39:01
unknowns there you might see boys that
39:03
peaked a bit early you might see guys
39:05
not quite ready for it it's gonna be
39:07
it's gonna be difficult to gauge because
39:09
you know everyone's so geared towards
39:11
the set kind of preseason offseason
39:15
races and kind of motor
39:16
okay we've seen you do well in all kinds
39:21
of wet conditions Sean perilla breath
39:23
where you kind of be crossing your
39:25
fingers for a wet season that for a late
39:27
season that's gonna be wet as well I
39:29
think so yeah I wouldn't mind that I
39:31
think you know allez allez kind of like
39:35
a winter season of World Cups and I'm
39:36
not for that nice so we saw Steve peat
39:39
win the overall in 2006 aged 32 Greg
39:43
pushed gwynnie
39:44
very close in 2017 when he was 35 what
39:48
are your personal aspirations going into
39:50
2020 I want to chase after it you know I
39:54
wanna I wanna get stuck into it and you
39:56
know that last season I it was a
39:59
building year for us you know we were
40:01
developing the bike and you know I
40:03
didn't really feel like I was kind of
40:04
finding the pace to the end of the year
40:06
and I want to kind of I want to start
40:08
for the year where I left off you know
40:11
and keep that pushing keep building and
40:14
you know I know I've got some some good
40:16
results in me and I want top tens I want
40:18
podiums and
40:19
you know I'm hungry for that that's
40:21
that's why I'm chasing after well what
40:23
motivates you now is it vision of
40:25
putting the new bike on the top step I
40:28
think so you know it's it's a sick
40:31
feeling racing a bike that we've built
40:33
and developed ourselves you know with
40:34
our name on it and you know yeah I know
40:37
I'm lucky to be in that situation and
40:39
I'm lucky to have that opportunity so
40:41
you know I want to make the most of that
40:42
and what about the other guys on the
40:44
team what do you think cally Charlie and
40:46
Millie can achieve the season yeah
40:49
they're both strong you know Charlie's
40:50
absolutely flying you know at the start
40:52
of the season he was he was on a heater
40:55
and I could tell from testing in his
40:56
times and his kind of strength was there
40:59
the bike set was good you know he seems
41:01
been a good place mentally I think you
41:03
know I think Charlie's got a lot to kind
41:06
of improve on from the previous years
41:09
and I think over the next couple years
41:10
we'll see a fan of the real him coming
41:13
through and him settling into a kind of
41:15
you know consistently fast World Cup
41:17
right now yeah Milly yeah she's she's
41:21
first year at least so it'll be exciting
41:23
to see a go after it you know it's the
41:26
girls is always such a wild race and so
41:28
unpredictable I think she's you know
41:30
she's so strong and that technical side
41:32
is pretty pretty good I'd say she's
41:34
she's a podium content Matt and Rachel
41:37
this has all kind of played into her
41:40
hands a little bit as we said earlier
41:42
with the Achilles injury it's she how's
41:44
she doing yeah it's worked out well for
41:46
H you know she wouldn't have been ready
41:47
at early this year she wouldn't have
41:49
been ready for this first couple of
41:50
World Cups because you know the Achilles
41:52
is a massive injury to come back from
41:55
but I've been riding with a lot you know
41:57
I've been at the bike part with her and
41:58
I've seen you you know that old classic
42:01
Rach is there and you know I see her
42:03
when she's having fun and on a bike and
42:05
she's enjoying it and she's riding
42:07
bloody fast and you know when Rachel's
42:10
in that frame of mind she's a dangerous
42:12
girl to be up against but let's talk a
42:14
bit about Atherton bikes then first
42:16
question given you kind of took over an
42:19
existing company in robot bikes which
42:21
was was pretty well regarded how come it
42:24
took so long to get to production
42:27
because we didn't take over an existing
42:30
company you know that the technology was
42:33
there the
42:33
had been working on it to develop the
42:35
robot bikes but there was a lot of there
42:40
was a lot of missing from that you know
42:41
and and Aston bikes died from you
42:45
you know robot robot ceased to exist the
42:47
guys kind of started working with us and
42:50
they brought that the engineering kind
42:52
of skills that they've been honing over
42:55
the previous years with them but you
42:58
know the bike is is built from the
43:01
ground up you know we had to change so
43:03
much you know we were still working with
43:04
Dave legal on that vw6 link but you know
43:07
the you know ninety percent of
43:09
everything else had to be changed and
43:11
improved and adjusted and altered and a
43:13
lot more than then would be kind of
43:17
visible from the outside if you like and
43:20
and it's and it's the difference between
43:22
having a bike that's nice to ride nice
43:25
to look at you know would have been good
43:27
at the weekend to go down you would so
43:29
on to having a bike that's gonna be a
43:30
World Cup weekend after weekend taking
43:33
their abuse it gets and being
43:36
consistently good you know not breaking
43:38
not slapping not not not not perform you
43:41
know it took a lot to get that you know
43:44
we had to make a lot of improvements but
43:46
we did and you know the the
43:50
manufacturing technique God of 3d
43:52
printing means your turnaround is so
43:55
much quicker you know we would we
43:57
wouldn't have been able to do that in a
43:58
year with that kind of classic
44:00
carbon-fiber layout in in Asia you know
44:03
it would have taken a couple of years to
44:05
be what we did in you know three or four
44:07
months it was obviously really important
44:10
to you to get the bike right before you
44:12
launched it was there ever any point any
44:14
pressure to kind of say look we've got a
44:16
robot back was was okay let's just put
44:19
that out and we'll make a v2 or anything
44:21
like that
44:22
no that was never the case and you know
44:25
the idea of afften bikes has been one
44:29
we've been talking about between
44:30
ourselves for a long time you know it
44:32
was so he wanted to do and would love to
44:34
have do but we didn't have that kind of
44:36
we weren't in the position to do it we
44:37
didn't have the facilities or the right
44:39
people to do it and it wasn't until we
44:41
kind of saw those things drop into place
44:42
meeting the right people developing
44:45
different techniques that we we really
44:46
we could do this and it came you know it
44:49
became a reality but there was at no
44:51
point where we were willing to do it on
44:54
a substandard bike him and a
44:56
half-hearted way you know we we wanted
44:58
to have a bike we could be competitive
45:00
on at World Cups and and you know the
45:03
robot thing the ideas were there and the
45:07
technology was there but that's all that
45:08
was there you know they had an okay
45:10
trail bike and that's a long way from
45:14
having a good World Cup downhill bike
45:16
you know they're worlds apart and and
45:19
and that was something we realized you
45:21
know that was something we knew from the
45:22
start and that was always the biggest
45:24
challenge for us the time of of having a
45:27
World Cup season taking closer and
45:29
closer you know it meant what we could
45:32
have had two years to do meant we had
45:34
three months to do yep and what bikes
45:36
have you got in the range at the moment
45:39
and we've obviously got the danoi bike
45:41
which is you know the first bike we
45:43
developed that was kind of key to get
45:45
that going for the race team which is
45:47
which has been incredible you know last
45:50
year was the first year I got through an
45:52
entire the whole team got through an
45:53
entire races and without breaking any
45:55
bikes you know she's pretty unheard of
45:57
even even these days we've got a 150
46:01
29er
46:02
which is the trail white people are
46:03
seeing out and about now which is um
46:05
which is the first kind of trail but
46:08
we've started selling and then the bikes
46:11
were developing now is the 130 and 29
46:13
and along with travel 170 27 and a half
46:18
kind of downhill part kind of trail way
46:21
which I'm pretty excited about so what
46:24
sort of changes have you made to the
46:26
after tuned eh frame since you had your
46:29
first Pro sign it was it was it was an
46:35
aggressive kind of change to make a bike
46:40
that was nice to ride at the bike parked
46:42
a good competitive buy got a World Cup
46:45
you know we had such different things up
46:47
you know there was there was kind of
46:50
braces on the rear end that we had to
46:53
add there was kind of things that needed
46:55
beefing up and making chunkier and and
46:58
each time you make a change
47:00
that you know you have to it have to be
47:03
designed it has to be built you know it
47:06
has to be tested it has to be you know
47:10
there's a lot to go into a small change
47:11
you know and and and you can't rush it
47:14
and that's the difficult thing you know
47:15
you can't just say right make five
47:17
changes and that should be it now you
47:19
have to do it individual you have to do
47:21
it one at a time test it make sure
47:24
you've kind of figured out the very
47:26
limit to that process that and go back
47:29
to the gunner for the engineers and say
47:30
is this good can this work could we do
47:33
that and no it's a it's an enormous
47:35
process so it was generally making it
47:38
stronger making it stiffer adjusting the
47:41
geometry to how we felt was was as good
47:44
as it could be you know what number
47:46
prototype you're on now from when you
47:47
started no I couldn't tell you but you
47:52
know I think I think we I think we
47:53
passed the double-digit mark so it's
47:56
probably you know 10 or 11 which is yeah
48:00
which is awesome you know because it's
48:02
such a it's such a fast turnaround you
48:05
know previously it would be six months
48:07
to get a new bike with a full on front
48:09
end right that's like a head angler now
48:10
it's you know I think I think Rach did a
48:13
World Cup last year decided she needed
48:15
some changes and they managed to build
48:17
her a new bike designed completely kind
48:20
of adjusted ready for the following
48:22
weekend yeah yeah I think Charlie said
48:25
something similar to us that's that's
48:27
awesome talk about facility you yourself
48:30
change to a bullet set up halfway
48:32
through last year damien and it
48:35
certainly looked like you were more
48:37
comfortable straightaway and the results
48:40
reflected that what kind of things did
48:42
you notice when you when you flip this
48:44
small about wheel in there the thing I
48:48
was struggling with on the on the 29er
48:51
was on the steeper rougher faster tracks
48:54
the rear wheel was almost working like
48:57
it kind of like anti-lag on a turbo if
49:00
you like you know if on a steeper fast
49:02
track the the larger rear wheel was kind
49:05
of driving you on some of the steep
49:08
chutes and I struggle to control that
49:10
speed to kind of be ready for the the
49:12
adjusted
49:13
Direction nasty after a sewer or a steep
49:16
section and with a mullet in there I
49:18
felt like I could just control the bike
49:20
it was a bit more nimble you know it's
49:23
quite specific thing to World Cup racing
49:25
you know I don't think that translates
49:27
to you know guys riding a bike park at
49:29
the weekend or you know in the local
49:31
woods and you have to keep that in mind
49:34
you know what what what's good in
49:36
testing isn't always good for the kind
49:38
of aggressive World Cup tracks yeah
49:40
absolutely Continental or the headline
49:44
sponsor for the team this season EU
49:45
currently developing a new tyre with
49:47
them yeah we are yeah and which is cool
49:51
you know Conti came on board we've been
49:52
with the Continental for a little bit
49:54
and you know developing the the range of
49:56
tires and you know we're midway through
49:59
developing the new down low tire and
50:01
it's cool to see them so up for it and
50:04
so kind of keen to develop a new tire
50:07
and we've we've done a huge amount of
50:10
testing with our engineers you know
50:12
testing all different ranges of tires
50:14
what compounds were or tread patterns
50:16
work what you don't realize how much
50:19
goes into making a tire and it's it's a
50:22
massive amount of work but it's it's
50:24
cool the saying you know I think they
50:25
close to having something bloody good
50:28
good stuff look forward to trying one
50:30
let's talk a little bit about the bike
50:32
park it's nearly a year since you opened
50:34
how's it going W bipod yeah it's it's
50:38
pretty cool you know what a place it's
50:40
um it's basically everything it's in my
50:42
brother's head yeah out on a mountain
50:45
you know it's it's it's a bit of a mad
50:47
spot and you know we were lucky enough
50:50
to be able to buy that place it's an
50:51
enormous area I think is about 650 acres
50:54
on this on this mountain and don't you
50:57
know athletes just up there 24/7
50:58
building creating and you know we open
51:02
with some some harder tracks you know
51:05
there were they were quite tough tracks
51:06
and that was the plan because we didn't
51:09
have we didn't have the facilities for
51:12
huge numbers of people so we felt we
51:14
wanted to start on the higher end and
51:16
then work way backwards you know this
51:18
since then he's developed a long jump
51:21
line which was the fan of next track to
51:22
go in and then join us period we've been
51:25
close he's actually put in a bright
51:27
you read run and then a brand new
51:28
down--all track which are both real fun
51:31
mellow kind of big firms big swoopy hips
51:34
you know you can ride up on a trail bike
51:36
you nation you can ride it if you've
51:40
been up to a bike park a couple of times
51:42
in your life you know it's it's
51:44
something that everyone can ride now and
51:45
you know when we get to open again I
51:47
think that's gonna be I think they'll be
51:49
really popular
51:50
yeah is when the Rio come will allowed
51:53
the soon I think you know it's it's
51:58
gonna be a case of opening limited
52:00
numbers figuring out some kind of I
52:04
think we're going to alter the uplift
52:05
plan so we can kind of figure out some
52:07
some best facing in the in the uplift
52:09
obviously people crammed in the battle
52:11
and roads isn't gonna work so yeah I
52:13
think something we'll have to address
52:14
but um I think we're we're creeping
52:17
closer and you know we're talking to all
52:19
the other bike parks and whales and
52:21
we're kind of working out a game plan so
52:23
we can all be on the same page cool is
52:25
hardline still on the agenda for this
52:27
year or is that being posed there it's
52:29
off you know it's it's a it's a tricky
52:32
one because obviously with the adjusted
52:34
World Cup schedule it's it's a busy
52:36
season that to squeeze everything into
52:37
but at the moment we're working towards
52:40
it and their rebel guys are still keen
52:41
friend you know otherwise respect you so
52:44
far are up for it so I'm gonna go ahead
52:46
with a date yet we're still finalizing
52:50
it gonna squeeze it in and I guess if
52:54
anymore will cancel to give you more
52:56
exactly yeah but there is face and there
52:58
is there is a spot for it which is the
52:59
main thing cuz no no no thoughts about
53:02
having it before any of the World Cups I
53:06
mean we thought about it but it's so
53:09
risky to to bring it back early you know
53:11
it's it's not something we want to be be
53:14
pushing into the you know the gray area
53:16
of the kind of heart hope and half not
53:19
period them you know a lot of work goes
53:21
into that a lot of effort goes into that
53:23
event and yeah you know we don't have
53:24
throw it in into August and then finally
53:26
have to cancel it yeah yeah we haven't
53:28
really talked about rampage you've had a
53:30
couple of second-place finishes I think
53:32
there and you were planning on competing
53:34
again in 2019
53:37
yeah is that on pause given the revised
53:39
World Cup there
53:40
this year any ambitions there um I'd
53:44
love to go back I think you know last
53:46
year I was I was I was absolutely stoked
53:49
that I had that chance
53:51
you know nail in my shoulder put Paul's
53:54
for that and something was out of my
53:56
control just just a stupid crash and
53:58
bought my shoulder and then you know I
54:01
was gutted but I think this year I don't
54:04
know obviously depends on schedule and
54:06
you know all that stuff so up in the air
54:07
but personally yeah I'd be fat like a
54:10
shot and final question how long do you
54:16
think you can keep resting in a World
54:18
Cup level for your 35 now he's Greg kind
54:21
of be like carrying a torch and I think
54:24
he's two three years older than you is
54:26
he is he carrying a torch now yeah Greg
54:29
three years on me so yeah I think years
54:31
I'm but I think Greg's a good example
54:34
you know as long as you're physically
54:37
fit and strong and you're hungry for it
54:39
and you enjoying it then why would you
54:42
stop and I can't I can't think why I
54:46
would want to stop you know because I
54:47
mean I'm loving the racing and I'm
54:49
loving the the riding and training and
54:51
developing you bikes and everything that
54:53
goes with that you know I do have a good
54:56
lifestyle at the moment and you know I
54:57
know that I'm lucky in you know I don't
55:00
want to stop that for sure you know I've
55:03
got years left in me for racing and you
55:05
know I'm pretty stoked about that
55:06
it's a long retirement isn't it yeah I
55:10
mean no rush to stop the racing for sure
55:12
but like Jack said earlier and I think
55:14
Petey's the only person of a money man
55:17
over 30 ever to win the Italy over all
55:20
right we might see that change soon
55:24
because obviously Aaron's over 30 now
55:27
there's Greg there's a few boys Jason
55:30
and now I'd say so this week and then
55:33
it's fun to see Fort William Red Bull as
55:36
I said earlier will be pitting the
55:37
winning runs from the past ten years
55:38
against each other in offering bonuses
55:40
based on the course the weather and bike
55:43
tech at the time the best runs will then
55:45
be played out back-to-back to determine
55:47
the overall winner what do you reckon as
55:49
we discussed is your 2010 run going to
55:53
take some beating
55:55
it's a tough one and I know the guys
55:57
have worked out some some pretty test
56:00
algorithm to kind of take into account
56:02
all these changes in them you know quite
56:03
excited to see this you notes it feels I
56:06
went back into a racism in this kind of
56:08
some unknown racing going on again which
56:10
is which is pretty cool I think I need a
56:12
I think I need a good few seconds taken
56:14
off that time for how baggy my clothing
56:16
was back then you know watch did the
56:18
other patient in these five seconds
56:20
there yeah yeah so yeah hopefully
56:23
they've taken that into account
56:25
Rock Rob Warren is presenting it right
56:26
and there's you Rachel Greg Minnaar and
56:29
a host of others he'll be trying to kind
56:32
of determine the overall winner is that
56:33
right yeah it's gonna be I think it's
56:35
gonna be a funny event yeah it's gonna
56:37
be it's gonna be like what batters and
56:39
gore old fashioned racing so yeah make
56:41
sure I once tune in for that well we're
56:44
certainly looking forward to watching it
56:46
best of luck with that and best of luck
56:47
for the season and thanks ever so much
56:49
for making the time to come on the
56:50
podcast no yeah I know Larry's boys
56:52
no worries thanks for having me I'm sure
56:55
everybody follows you already but is
56:57
Instagram still the best place yeah
56:59
Instagram that's where the action
57:01
happens Colt at G underscore effort
57:05
inanity and a swath will muscle on and
57:07
Atherton racing for the team Jack you've
57:10
been a busy boy the last few weeks yeah
57:13
just keep him busy like G says with the
57:15
training and the gym work and the riding
57:16
keeping sending videos out on the
57:18
YouTube so just get reading in YouTube
57:21
there's lots of stuff coming out on
57:22
there every week so and you jumped on
57:24
the downhill bike yesterday for the
57:26
first time I got sick away in there it
57:28
was really good actually it's a
57:29
horrendous push up what did three laps
57:31
and it was yeah first rule I just it
57:38
felt so alien you've inspired me Jack
57:46
I'm gonna push up the one round the back
57:48
of our house this week and I'm gonna get
57:49
the newest I know I know we're making up
57:53
the numbers racing on Instagram and
57:55
we've just launched a Facebook page this
57:57
week as well which is facebook.com slash
57:59
making up the numbers
58:00
thanks very much once again to our
58:02
sponsors for the podcast hope technology
58:04
revolution bikepark 12 and singletrack
58:06
Worldcom
58:07
we'll be back with another episode very
58:09
soon thanks very much for listening
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