Matter how your race goes. It's... You'll probably
have a good day on the bike. You
know I've always said, like fun as fast
and fast as fun. Yeah. And it's it's
so true. I I think that's something that
I've kinda noticed from
maybe motors sport or downhill well, you know,
those guys don't spend a whole lot of
time. On their race bikes, but when they
do ride them, they ride them well and
they ride them with intent. Yeah. The... I
think there was an advantage there. What you're
doing about... It's kind of a blurred line
for me.
Hey, everyone. I'm Chris Hall and this is
the downtime podcast where we're gonna be taking
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Alright. Today you were joined by Irish and
stark, Greg Call. Greg has recently moved away
from a factory team and created his very
own program. We talk about what went into
that and how he approached put together a
package to enable him to perform. Will delve
into his 20 24 Endure world cup season,
his thoughts on how the sport has evolved
and the adaptations he's made along the way.
I chat with Greg about his experience of
racing the e in gi to get some
insights into this new discipline and how it
works.
Greg has a wealth of experience in the
sport and it shows in this episode with
some great insights into what it takes to
before. So without further ado, here's Greg Call.
Greg Call. Welcome back to the downtime podcast
mate, we would saying it was 20 18,
the last time you came on, which is
a very long time ago in the grand
scheme of things. A lot changed but so
a lot hasn't right.
Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah Great to be back.
It's it's been well. A lot has happened,
but... Yeah, as you say, it's the same.
Still racing bikes. Still
still doing the same day today. So... Yeah.
Same different. Still live the dream. And, I
wanna talk about, like, the, I guess the
longevity of you're career because you've been involved
in Mac Barr for a long time now
and actually involved in End gi from the
very first
Ew I think back in 20 13. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's been... Yeah. Put a
good shift. And I, it's a funny 1
because, like,
a lot of people say that and like
I think I'm on, there's only a handful
of us. Like, that are still around. Yeah.
And it's not the longest time, I think,
like it's... Is the twelfth year of Aws
Ed world cup.
And I could compare it out to downhill
On there's multiple riders that are around longer
than that, but I think
the interest and thing is how much the
sport has changed and evolve.
Through that aladdin and I think that's where
we've lost the roller riders maybe because a
lot of the...
The early riders were probably, you know, blind
racing
style and, like, we're so far from that
now. So I think
for me, having come more from the downhill
side, originally. It was maybe easier to adapt
with the sport as it went? Yeah. Have
you missed any events along the way? I've
only missed 4. Okay. So in the first
year, I didn't go to the 2 North
American races? Okay. Just budget related because you
were like. It's just a full private. Another
money Yeah Yeah.
And then I missed someone 20 15
through injury. Yeah. Made deer 20 19 through
injury. Pretty good record doing it. Yeah. Yeah.
I'm pretty... We actually went through some of
the stats last year. Tj j Smith. He's
he loves the stats. We went digging. And
you have no Dns f's. Yeah. I think
there's... It's almost 80 races I've done, and
I think something, like, 60 of them are
top 30. Wow.
So I've been...
Yeah. Pretty consistent. Yeah. That's solid. Yeah. Real
solid. Yeah. I wanted to talk a bit
about the the development of of because like
you say, you've had the rings side seat
for that and things. Have changed
a lot like and not even on a
sort of consistent trajectory that really it's been
like,
up and down and different styles and sort
of finding in itself. Talk us a little
bit through maybe some of the specifics of
what you feels changed since back in 20
13 to kinda of today. Yeah. Yeah. Like
I think the the scope of the demands
on what the sport is is really narrowed
in because the, like, the first few years
we had no idea we're in for. You
know, when you would go to race in
the French alps and it'll be too massive
of days are racing and,
you know, like, racing an hour in 20
minutes over 2 days. Yeah. So you're... In
terms of the pace you are riding, it
was a lot less and it was more
about being smooth being consistent. There was no
track walk. So
that brings the level down as well. There
was no gopro really, Like, cameras weren't that
good then. Can cameras.
Whereas now, you know, we're track walking. And
we're watching Gopro. We've got 5 or 6
stages in 1 day of racing. So
we're riding a lot closer to the limit
now and the margins are a lot smaller
but between riders for the racing. So,
yeah. It's it's definitely changed. It's gotten a
lot more
professional and refined? Yeah. How would you describe,
like, the key skills that you need now
then to be successful? Like, what are the
main
attributes as a rider that that
deliver successor at a current version of the
interior world series or Ed. Actually, this is
the challenge really. It changes so many even
though it's still changing. Right? Yeah. It really
is. And like like, you know, even week
to week this year, like our schedule is
changing a this. Yeah. Like you know, come
last week, we raised... We practice and race
back to back days. Next week we'll have
a rest day in between. U. So in
terms of your preparation, that changes it quite
a. You know. Yeah. Yeah. Come, we had
a lot more endurance involved whereas now we'll
get a rest day less insurance, so you'll
probably,
you know, have another couple of percent to
give on Race day.
I think in terms with scale as an
enjoy writer, learning tracks is probably 1 of
them. Okay.
Yeah. Only 1 practice runs. So,
yeah. The more you can learn from that
1 practice run is is it can really
help you in a day. Is that something
you actively go and train and, like practice?
Yeah. I think so. Yeah.
Know, without it being super intentional because it's
kind of the writing you do. Yeah. Know,
you go for a 3 hour ride, you'll
probably ride
3 or 4 tracks and you might repeat
a couple of. Yeah. You And it is
something we do plan in that I would,
you know, do a day train and try
find new places to. Gonna say that's the
challenge. You can't do it on a track
you note. Right? So every time you would
do that sort of work you've gotta go
some way... Yeah. Exactly. And... Yeah. Yeah Yeah.
So it is something we'll do where, you
know, I might do a ride and ride
3 tracks and then go back around and
ride them again and try go fast. Yeah.
So... Yeah. Yeah. It's definitely... That that'd be
a scale. And then... As well,
in terms of riding,
you know, being able to ride different tracks,
different speeds, different
trail demands. Yeah.
Yeah. There's there's quite a lot of and
bike setup and,
yeah. There's hell every element kinda it comes
in. Have the of the stages,
like, as an average got shorter. Do you
think? Like, we used to have some super
long stage I we haven't had anything mega
long for a while, but I might just
be out of touch I think a little
bit... Yeah. Like, the last few years we
were talking about this last weekend that I
think the longest stage in the calendar now
is too Fruity in. Yeah. And that's about
11 minutes now. Okay.
But part of that is how much faster
bikes have gotten riders have gotten and trail
building has gotten better. Okay. Because, like, Venue
that when we come back and repeat.
The trail builders would have done touch ups
on the track. Mh. And, you know, little
pinch points that would have slowed things down
and made it a bit more physical and
slower to add time.
They might make that in nice corner? Yeah.
Yeah. So then what maybe started out is,
like a 14 minute stage over the years
develops into, an 11:10 minute stage? Yeah.
So it's kind of...
Yeah. Which came first whether the tracks actually
got shorter or we're just covering ground faster.
And I think it is a challenge note
for the people running the races is to
give us a course that's gonna get 20
plus minutes of racing. Mh.
Because I think... I know a few years
ago. I'd heard that on average, we're we'd
to descend a hundred meters vertical in a
minute. Okay.
So for 20 minute race, you need 2000
meters of descent. Yeah. So you're not gonna
do that with an uplift. Yeah.
So even just to get a course
big enough.
For the recent to be long. Yeah Yeah.
It's quite a challenge. Because 20 minutes is
the, like, cut off in the rule. Are
they're trying to make sure the races are
over. Yeah. Exactly. It's like mandatory, but I
it's the guideline. And I think Everyone would
want would want that. Yeah. You know, because
we do want a a decent length of
race. Yeah. Fair. So you've been at this.
Yeah 13 years and racing bikes for longer.
And you I think it's fair to say,
like, your results have gone from the highest.
You know, you've had some wins over the
years and then you've had some some tougher
races and some tougher times. Mh. With with
that, like, breadth of experience that you have,
you started
to work out, like,
why it works when it works and maybe
why it's not working when it's not working
so well, is there like, e finding trends
and
correlations and starting to understand your own performance
more. Yeah. A little bit a it. It's
it's an ongoing, and that's
that's the attraction sport isn't that you're always
chasing this... The perfect recipe. Yeah. For me,
like I think the biggest thing is just
feeling comfortable. K. Feeling confident and feeling good
on the bike.
You know, if I
race day, jump on the bike and hop
around the car park, the wheel nicely and,
you know, you just feel, you know, those
days, you just get on the bike and
you feel good. Yeah.
That helps. It translates onto to the stages,
to be able to ride well, but,
yeah. Definitely it's it's hard to find the
the recipe because if there was just a
checklist you could go through then... Yeah. We'd
I'll be winning every weekend when we. Yeah,
this is. And if you got... Have you
found ways to help yourself feel more comfortable
on the bike. Because obviously,
time and testing and all this kind of
stuff helps. But, have you have you found
techniques to sort of almost convince yourself and
your mind that you're feeling good. Like, maybe
it is popping Wheel or hopping around, like
I think I saw you in Tweed Valley
just doing a little bit of trials hopping
across the river on some rocks and just,
I guess getting becoming in 1 with the
bike at that point. Yeah. Yeah. That's it.
And I you say it is kinda convincing
yourself, And, you know, I think, a big
part of it is quiet
quiet the brain. This and not having too
much of a busy mind coming into racing,
so there's that, you know, the mental performance
side of us, and then there's hop around
on the bike It just makes me feel
light sharp and kinda,
you know, as I would want to ride,
but
something I do as well, like I try
not to ride the race bike too much.
Okay.
Because we... The hours we do,
you know, on a weekly basis there are
days where
you feel tired or you know, you're gonna
do and you're gonna feel bad after that.
And
you know, they they'd be days where I
be like, okay. I'll ride the small travel
biker or a road biker or whatever. So...
Yes. I just go out and do the
physical
focus of the session. And. Okay.
The more technical days of Like right, I'll
get on the race bike, and Then, you
know, when you throw the leg over that
bike. It's like, I'm gonna ride it while.
I'm gonna ride it fast, and then new
kind of built good habits on that bike.
Yeah. You associate that bike with riding well
because you're not hopping on it like, hanging
after an interval session in the morning or
something like. Yeah. Exactly. And and there's some
where we'll want to ride a tired
because that's yeah. Racing. Yeah. Yeah. But, yeah.
You know, and, as, like, when you have
it set up for racing, things it'll feel
really good when you're on and you're riding
well. Yeah. And then you might get on
it not feeling good, and you'll start to
go how the bike feels his bike feels
out, and you'll make changes, and then that's...
It's kinda counterproductive.
And, yeah. I I think that's something that
I've kinda noticed from
maybe motors sport or downhill as well, you
know, those guys don't... Spend a whole lot
of time. On their race bikes, but when
they do ride them, they ride them well,
and they ride them with intent. Intent is
the key I think isn't it? Yeah. Yeah.
And it's that kind of purposeful practicing thing,
you know, So,
Yeah. Try quality over quantity. Yeah. But. Have
you ever... You mentioned the mental side? Have
you ever had any, like, support coaching on
that side of things. You work with people
throughout that Yeah. Yeah. On and off over
the years. And then this year, I've been
working with someone from the Apc, the rebel
Abc. Okay. Which has been a great help.
And it's...
Even when things are going well, it's a
good thing to stay on top of. Yeah.
And just keep yourself on track,
so if things arise on race day or
training, whatever you have, like, kind of a,
you know, like, AAA system you can go
through to get yourself on track and get
yourself calm down or get yourself in the
right right mindset because
the mental side of things. It's it's quite
often overlooked, but it's something you need to
train as well. Yeah. It's not something
know, it's not like you just... You feel
bad and you can do this quick fix.
It's something you to kinda
work on and build upon and
and untrained yeah. Yeah. Do you feel you
can train it
away from the races or do you need
the pressure of a race to to be
able to, like, train that the the muscle
of the brain? If that makes sense.
I think so. I think Can yeah because
there's always...
With training, there's always an element of pressure
as well. Yeah. Well, because you know someone
else is gonna see your numbers that you're
working with coach and... Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. There's
always a reason. Yeah. To be on, at
least, you know, once twice a week even
in middle of winter, there's a reason
where you're gonna be measured or where you
wanna perform well even if it's just against
yourself. So so they're are all chances to
kinda to train in those those things. Yeah.
And what does that like?
Structure of tool kit look like for you
then if you're at a race and things
aren't quite right, like, in the in the
mindset, at what techniques do you use to
try and bring things back?
A lot of it is breathing based for
me. Okay.
You know, just slow breaths focusing on your
breathing. Yeah. And that just kinda brings you
into the present moment. Rather than thinking of
what has happened before or what's coming next,
year know, it brings you into the the
here and now, which is very important. You
know, I've had races aware of
You know, I spent the whole off season
dreaming of results and podium or whatever, and
then I'd get to the race and I'll
still be thinking about those results. And you're
completely overlooking what you're doing right now. Yeah.
So
for me, like, I try focus on the
process, which is quite cliche, but
It does work because if you focus on
stage by stage, turn by turn
as good as good as you can, the
results what kinda... Combat themselves. So, yeah. It's
trying to bring yourself back to that. Amazing
that breath work is such a simple thing
and feels like, a lot of people just...
I I think discount it because it's not
got... It's not complex enough. It's not Surely
you that's not gonna work, but Yeah. Is
super centering and relaxing to just
focus for a bit and slow it down.
And I think a lot of us breathe
naturally in the modern world like breathe too
fast and shallow,
Yeah. To take in the time to do
that properly. And do you find that helps
like physically as well? You... Do you think
you've improved your breathing
in race? Yeah. Actually, because I've actually noticed
it on my Gopro, so I don't use
to gopro racing, but even in training. Yeah.
Before I could kinda hear myself. Tens and
not breathing. And it was really like, it
sounded like I was struggling to breathe a
little bit when I was riding and now,
I'll hear myself taking more smooth, brat more
controlled breaths. Yeah.
Which... Yeah. You know, you hear
power lifters in the gym. It's all the
about breathing isn't it. So you get your
strength from breathing correctly Yeah. And, again, it's
another muscle. To train. Right? That the use
muscles to breathe and not, I think we
we use... We don't use them well enough,
I think a lot the time. So... Yeah.
Exactly. Yeah. And especially I think gonna
a sport where, you know, we're quite red
line on the car on the heart rate.
So you you need to be getting air
in. Otherwise, you're just gonna be you're gonna
be hanging. Yeah. And and so over the
time, like, has your enjoyment
varied as well?
Yeah. Yeah. It's actually... That something that's been
very interesting for me because...
I think Covid was a a big learning
curve, for me especially,
because
the racing disappeared and all of a sudden,
at least narration sensor was no reason to
get up and train and it was kind
of
perspective change, and it was a bit like,
oh, what's what's all this for. You know?
Yeah. Because this massive problem was facing us.
And I kinda learned
to enjoy the training.
And it was a thing from Kill Jordan
and a a book from him. He was
saying that, like, if a advice for a
young person would be teach them to love
training. Okay.
And it'll be so easy for them, and
it's so true because now
I I enjoyed the train and like, I'll
see a session that before. I would've have
been like, oh, that's gonna be painful, You
know,
now I look at the numbers and then,
like, that's that's gonna be really good and
I reckon and I can maybe get a
little more or whatever and it's kind of
exciting to me. Yeah.
How have you convinced yourself there? Like, a
horrible session is gonna be fun, because I
Like a lot of people would like. I
know be there. Right? Yeah. I don't really
know. And it's... I think it's the bulls
afterwards. Yeah. Yeah. I think no 1 the
average you're gonna be proud of yourself and
you're gonna be pretty stoked on. So
Yeah. It's weird. Like now, I'm kinda, you
know, Chris come my coach like he kinda
to hold me back sometime because
I wanna do more, and I wanna just
keep suffering and Yeah. You know, I I
think sometimes I need to pull myself back
onto the tactical side of things as well
and realize that
it's not only big watts that are gonna
win races. So sure have the calm down
on that side as well. Have you got
better at suffering?
I think yeah. Again, it's skill. Yeah. I
think so. I think so. I think even
just that learning into, like, I'm not so
afraid of it anymore. Mh.
And then, you know, the efforts have gotten
more control as we use more power and
stuff it's less.
Just going all out and it's more controlled,
hitting zones and targets? Yeah. Have you found
that helps from a kind of,
like, recovery and fatigue perspective...
Being very targeted using power rather than just
being, like, well, this is a 9 out
of 10 and actually, you're probably doing 11
out of 10 without realizing it and the
the session is not very consistent and... Yeah.
Absolutely. And I'm more... Even more so on
the lower end of things. So, you know,
when you're just out for an aerobic 2
3 hour ride. Yeah.
And you might, you know, before, I might
I just been like, yeah, no. This is
easy. So I swear it's easy. But you're
actually... Sit at like, 300 watts or something.
And now I look at it. Be like,
no. No. The target is 02:30 watts. But
surprise how dial isn't it Those kind of
right. Like, yeah. It's a very low effort.
Yeah. You feel like you're not doing anything
and you're cheating yourself. But... Yeah. Yeah. Yeah
And they're need more proud of myself when
I finish our ride, like, the average powers.
As low as it should be Yeah. Yeah.
Nice. I didn't get carried away because. You
didn't get chasing Roe or anything and exactly.
Yeah. I'm so bad for that. Like if
right the bike and someone doesn't say, hello.
It's just like, right? We're racing now. Can
you know I'm good out of yeah.
I know. I know what you mean. Yeah.
And so the the enjoyment side of things,
do you think there's been a correlation between
enjoyment and results for you?
Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. Definitely. Yeah. You know, I've
always said, like fun is fast and fast
as fun. Yeah. And it's it's so true.
Like the days when you're you're just enjoying
riding your bike and you're
you're looking at the trail in front, and
you're kind of stoked to smash that turn
and Yeah. Pop off that jump and, yeah.
There today is things
flow linked together nicely and does work out
to be faster. Yeah. And if you found
a recipe
at races to help yourself
have more fun to to kinda of be
happier.
Yeah. I think I think it's a combination
of things.
You know, just being having good people around
you, having a good bike.
Being excited with the course, not worrying too
much about the external noise if people are
complaining about
x y and z. Just kinda putting that
aside and not folks not too much and
just being positive really. Yeah. I guess there
has been.
Like, it certainly feels like there's been some
negativity
around the the entire kind of mountain racing
thing. Is, obviously with all the warner brothers
stuff, and there's been a lot of
I don't know hate or online or whatever,
like, there's definitely been
negativity floating about and probably more so in
Nigeria. I guess it's hard to not. In
a way, not get wrapped up in that.
Yeah. Absolutely. And like, I definitely have gotten
wrapped up in it more than Should. At
at some races.
Paul, I think this year I've kinda
with do my own program and kinda looking
at things through a slightly different perspective I
can realize that, A lot of the negativity
isn't justified. Mh. And a lot of it
sometimes reflects on people's personal,
you know, if they're not having a good
weekend or something it's kinda easier to point
fingers and other things isn't it. So true.
Yeah. You know, III think, overall, things are
good to
I think the matter will be complaining, but
you just have to always. Right? Yeah. Not
let drag it down. I guess. Yeah... And
has the format shifting and changing over the
years? Is that, like... Has there been a
correlation again there with, like, happiness and enjoyment?
Do you prefer a certain style or do
you just love racing bikes?
Yeah. Actual racing bikes be honest.
Yeah. Like I Like an example that would
be last week. I did the e bike
race as well.
Completely different format, but just as much fun.
Yeah. It's just bike racing. Yeah. Yeah. I
wanted to ask about that because I'm not
actually sat down with anyone. I don't think
yet. That's done an Ee.
To it talk us through the format as
it stands currently firstly. Yeah. So it's quite
similar to endure really. Mh.
Same similar Liaison stages. Last again, we had
2 extra downhill stages. 1 of them had,
like, some climbing that you could say was
specific to e bike in. Yeah. And then
there's 2 power stages, which are more
uphill, but technical stages to kinda use the
e bike for what, it can do over
a normal bike. Yeah.
But, yeah. The... I think the overall experience
is quite similar. Mh. Just the liaison. Like,
there was Wool liaison we did. In the
Ed was just a hike. Okay. And what...
It's a hike which kinda sucks, but then
we regroup, like, 10 people, and we were
just hiking for hour and a half chatting.
Yes. Not exactly bad is it. So it's
not bad at all. Whereas on e bikes
we wrote us,
which is nice to be pedal up bus
because the e bikes you finish the stage
and everyone just keeps riding. I when an
e bike Everyone climbs at the same speed.
Yeah. Yeah. So, like, I climbed up at
a loan with, you know, 2 guys ahead
of me, and They just stayed the same
distance ahead of. Yeah. There's no chat. This
is there's no chat. Yeah.
So as nice as it is to cover
more ground,
You kinda lose a social aspect a little
bit, Yeah which it's a bit of a
shame because that's 1 of the attractions of
endurance. Feels like that's quite a big part
of Enjoy a lot of you lot when
I speak you mentioned that, like,
the comrade and, you know, you'll become pretty
good mates because you just start suffering together
and Yeah. James on. And that, like, for
me, it was 1 of the big attractions
at first of neuro was the no matter
how your race goes. It's... You'll probably have
a good day on the bike. Yeah. So,
you know, you'll always come away from events
with something that you're like, yeah, that was
that was cool. That was pretty good. Yeah.
It's ee e.
It a single battery day? Is they multiple
batteries. How is that working?
It's 2 batteries at the moment? Okay. I
think it was free in the early days?
Mh. Whereas now, it's 2 loops, 2 batteries.
Yeah. And you'll use them fully. Yeah. Yeah.
And are you having to conserve battery at
all? Or can you pretty much go like,
all in on it? Yeah. You can. Like
the
first loop on Sunday. I wrote most of
the climbs in tour mode. Okay. It's quite
low. Yeah. Assistance.
So, yeah. And I finished with just, like,
10 percent about earth. Okay. Fair. So you
do have to that you can't just like
piece made the whole thing and... No. And
there have been races where people have drop
into last stage with no battery. Okay. So
you do have to manage it. Yeah. And
how would you compare like, the physicality
in the combo event for example, from the
ed to the Ee.
Yeah. So it's shorter day out and more
intensely. Okay. So we did include the paris
stages but at 10 stages.
So that's 10 times you're getting your heart
rate Max. Yeah. And then rather than having
2 hours between a stage, you might have
45 minutes or an hour. Yeah. So you
feel like you're constantly just bouncing between red
line and try and recover and then red
line again.
So, yeah. It's definitely a more in intense.
Yeah. Interesting. And that... There's... Been some talk
around,
I guess the sort of sporting side of
that in the,
I think for you, you were like I'll
just do a bit more bike riding and
this would be fun, but then there's other
people that there
specifically for the e ed.
And then I think you can sort of
compete in the Ed
And there's a lot quite a bit of
overlap in the tracks. So there's like a
benefit maybe. Alright? You drain yourself physically a
little bit. Mh. But there's a... You can
kinda go and race to eat, d r
and learn
and getting a bit of a vouch for
the Ee yeah? Like, how did you feel
about that side of stuff because it's... Yeah.
It's a tricky 1. Enjoy always have that
balance between
purity and, like, the blind... Not blindness because
you've got 1 run, but, like, you're trying
to control. Yeah. And you're riding and all
that stuff. Yeah. Absolutely, it's such a big
element. Trying to keep that fair.
And, like a lot of the e bike
guys raised the normal race last week because
it was an extra lap on the tracks.
Yeah.
To me, it's... I think that
it depends on the rider, Like, for me,
when I lined up on Friday for Ed.
I could do a full run in my
head of each stage. Yeah. And user stage
is pretty well from practice Gopro track.
So I don't think
by Sunday, I'd really improved that much. Okay.
But I know that on Sunday, I woke
up and I was retired from Friday. Yeah.
Okay. So it's kinda hard to about the
way up, which is helping and hindering. But
then you're going all in on the Friday
because that's your focus whereas an ee ed
rider, it might be like,
somewhat chilling, but getting the practicing and then
a bit fresher on the Sunday I guess.
So it's like... Yeah.
Yeah.
That's it. And even there's another level there
was a ride going around with a media
place on Friday. Interesting. Who was doing media
stuff bus was also racing E bike on
sunday. Exactly So that's...
Yeah... I think there was an advantage there.
What you're doing now. That that's kind of
a blurred line for me.
Yeah. It's a trick you 1. I don't
know how they can please it. Yeah. Because
you can't, you know, some people want to
race both and they wanna go hard at
both and some are gonna use the to
advantage. Yeah. It's interesting isn't it like every
sport, whatever, people will find a loophole. Right?
It's mh. Even though it might not be
the kind of sporting thing. It's
sort of done everywhere. Right? Like marginal gains
and little gaps in the rule book and
Yeah. We see it in f worm. We
see it in in road cycling. I'm sure
and what these areas say. Yeah. Absolutely. Well,
at the end of the day, to be
fair,
the top of the results sheet usually looks
quite similar. Like Antoine ra who won last
weekend, he didn't race on Friday. Yeah. Thanks.
So, you know, you could say it that
because he guys have... He had fresh legs
or he was just better than everyone else.
Yeah. So
Yeah. There there's there's always these ways, but
at the end of day, it's usually the
best wins. Yeah. Jesse Man made this the
same comment earlier this week that, you know,
some... People might turn up and pre rider
at a venue.
But at the end of the day, it's
still the same people at the top of
the time sheets. It's like... Yeah. Because people
that might have been 6 might come... T,
but the top stuff the top people are
still the top people. Yeah. Exactly. And I
think among the top people there's not really
any of that going on. Yeah. Certainly not
much of it anyway. So it's a pretty
level playing field. Yeah That's cool. Coming back
to the physical side a little bit. Like,
has your approach to training?
Changed over the years either
because of the sort of changing nature of
what is, more like through experience or age.
Right? Like,
you can train differently at the age of
20 than at the age of 30. I
think like, I I certainly felt that change.
Might well. I'm quite a bit older than
you. Yeah.
Yeah. I've been tired of a lot this
year. I know it's an age or just
because I'm going hard here now. Yeah.
Yeah. I think definitely it has. And I
think, like, with the years, like, I've built
up a certain resilience to big days out
and endurance and that kind of things So
could end... Like a base engine that almost
just days there. Right? Yeah. Exactly. Because that's
always kinda taken over. Yeah.
I think,
like, in the early days, it was just
trying to survive big days. Yeah. And be
strong while you're ill whereas now it's kinda
more trying to be explosive and maybe closer
to downhill style training because
You say the stage are getting a bit
shorter, and we're riding
at a hundred percent all the time, so
you you need that max power and that
max
speed? Yeah.
Which is harder to keep. Right? That's like...
That's the first thing to go if you
have a bit of a break. Yeah. Exactly.
And that's it. Like there's
It was in... Actually, on sunday road around
With a ago guy he was an ex
road pro. Talking about this kind of stuff,
and we were saying hey, you know, your
Max power is cool. You can brag about
that. Yeah. But it's you know, if you're
gonna do a lot of 5 on, 5
off sprints, it's a fifth or sixth 1
that really matters. Yeah. That repeat power. Yeah.
Because that's what In 0 is, you know,
you hit a corner, you Sprint. You hit
the neck Corn is Sprint. And if your
first corner is massive, that's cool, but you
need to be doing it for the whole
stage. So... Yeah. Yeah. It's kind of that
strength fatigue. Yeah. Do use create a team
for that? Like that seems to help. Mh.
Repeat power stuff a little bit. Yeah. I
do it. Yeah. Yeah. You notice the difference
with it? Or you kinda on it consistently
in... Yeah. I think I'm probably on it
consistently enough. That.
Yeah. I just... It's hard to tell. It's
a baseline. Yeah. Fair know. Is that do
It's definitely a good sup for sure. And
I spoke to your coach earlier in the
week Chris Gilmore murray and he said you're
an absolute animal this year.
What would you put that down to? What's...
What's different in in that respect.
Yeah Yeah. I guess consistency is a big
1. Like, I've had a good few consistent
years of training? Yeah.
So now that, you know, when you get
a good block, your
your base is already so good that if
you get a good 4 or 5 weeks
training, you're really springboard from there. Yeah.
Of based in France and the alps this
year? Yeah. You made the move to An.
Right? Yeah. Yeah. So that's that's helped a
lot, like, especially on the physical side
you know, having big hills where you can
do all your intervals and, Yeah. You can
really get the quality out of a session?
Because where were you based before? In Dublin?
Okay. Which is amazing and, like, I've always
said it is actually some of the best
ride in the world. Yeah. Even if maybe
people don't there don't realize it. It is
incredible. But in terms of training, like, it's
just hard to find hills long enough and
hills consistent enough. Yeah.
And even people to train with where it's
kind of around here there's there's a lot
of good riders you can train with. And
you're spending more time altitude, I guess, which
is probably not not a bad thing. Yeah.
At least this time of year. Yeah Yeah.
Like, in the in the winter, you wouldn't
wouldn't get that high But Yeah. Yeah. This
time of your are getting
regularly up above, you know, a thousand meters
1500 meters, which is where most of the...
Ed events are gonna take place. I guess,
at some level of outage, which you're not
getting in Dublin. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Like
last week, I think a lot of stages
were 17, 1800 meters. Yes. You're more conditioned
to that. Like. Yeah. Yeah. True. Yeah. And
the heat as well in summer. It gets
really hot. So
that's not as an irish showing, It's good
to get you so
Fair play.
Is it hard to stay motivated?
Like,
year after year after year to keep doing
this because,
you know, what people see is the racing
and the fun...
Sort of glamorous side of it and all
these awesome shots from the races and, you
know, champagne and all that jazz. But, like,
the work's done in the off season right?
And in between and that's the much less
glamorous part of it. How do you stay
motivated it to keep keep at it? And
I I think that's where the... That change
for me of learning to enjoy the training.
Yeah. Not seeing it as like, I want
this results, so I have to do this.
It's more like, I want to do this
and as a result, I'll get a good
result. Yeah. So that's made it so much
easier for me.
Like, I actually really enjoy the off season
now and the... Okay. The routine of just
training every day. Yeah.
Yeah. It's it's it's been brilliant. Is there
any mono to it? Or do you try
and, like,
make enough change to your program that every
off season feels like a little bit different?
Yeah. I think there's always changes
just coming as a result of, like, okay.
In 3 weeks, we're gonna go to...
Somewhere Sonny to get some good ride in
our good testing or whatever. So then you'll
have these 3 weeks where you try be
consistent, and that will be different to
to 3 weeks before because of the kinda
evolution of the off season.
So there's always something kinda new and interesting.
Yeah. And you're... Or even if it's the
same for a few weeks, you're still trying
to beat the week before.
So yeah there's always something that you're kinda...
Yeah. It keeps an interest. Has the move
out here helps as well. Right? I... I
mean, I for a while, every ride gonna
be a new ride sort of thing, like,
even on the road, it's roads you've not
ridden before. And, Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. That's it.
A lot of rice end up being longer
than planned. You get lost. You look at
the map and you're like, just go up
there and then there and you realize that
climb takes 2 hour. And
half the hills are a lot bigger, especially
when you zoom out on the map, they
get smaller, but... Yeah. Nice.
Let's talk a bit about the the change
in program. Mh, so you were on fifth
Vinci for a while,
up until the end of 20 23.
At what point did you know that that
wasn't gonna be the case for 20 24
Like, when did you find out you were
gonna be looking elsewhere?
Pretty early on, Like, I think...
We could see the signs that Vinci were
kinda changing in their direction. Mh. In terms
of the bikes that are producing and selling.
And the markets they're are focused on them.
And then I think around June last year,
we were told the team wouldn't continue.
So
pretty early on, but it was kind of
at the same time
people were realized that the bike industry wasn't
doing so well. Yeah. And then general was
probably gonna take the brunt of that. Yeah.
So burst a bit than know. Yeah. Yeah.
Exactly. So at first, it was kinda
reaching out to Teams and brands that I
wanted to ride for and mh. It was
kinda
starting to realize like, this isn't
the usual year of negotiating. Yeah. So then
it kinda put things in perspective for me
a lot, and,
you know, I haven't had a a tough
few years and a couple years where I
was kinda finishing races feeling,
I hadn't given my best and not leaving
super proud of my performance. Okay. So I
was kinda like, right, what's my priority. Yeah.
For next year.
And it was
to finish this season proud of my results.
And yeah. In a position where, like, I'm
racing at my best or at least. I've
I have the tools to race reset my
best. Yeah.
So I you can, I kinda narrow it
down to a few teams at, like, yes?
I would like the ride for these teams.
Okay. They would get the best out of
me. And is that based on, like,
looking at bikes and kit that those teams
have? Is it based on looking at the
team kinda
infrastructure or the team via, like, what was
attracting you to certain areas. Yeah. It's kind
of a bit of both. Okay. So the
bike is obviously a massive part of us.
It needs to be a bike that that
works well, And then the people around infrastructure
around. Yeah.
Who your teammates would be, you know, because,
obviously, you want someone that you're gonna you're
gonna vibe it and work well with, which
to be various kind of most people in
endure. I don't think there's anyone you... What
that would have a red flag? Yeah. It
seems a good curry. Yeah. So,
yeah. Reach out a few teams and then
that wasn't working out because they were sorted
really. Yeah.
So then I kinda realized I right,
what's what do I need? To do well.
Was there ever a thought of, like, maybe
this is it? Did you ever have that?
Or were you just like, I'm gonna make
this work wherever? Yeah. And that that was
interesting because I got, like, pretty deep 3
off season before I realized that that didn't
happen. Okay. And I was kinda because then
it was always just building towards whatever's is
next. Yeah.
And it would it would have been an
easy time to say, yeah. Put, you know,
I'm done of I've had a good run,
but, no. It never crossed my mind to
be honest. That's cool. Yeah. Yeah. Which was
really cool. Yeah.
Yeah. I I love it like a, I'll
keep going for a while.
But yes. So I kind of figured out
what do I need and, you know, step
1 of that as a good bike. Need
a mechanic around me and good people around
me. Yeah. And
they're the kind of the main
pieces of the puzzle because the interesting something
thing would endure, like, we're downhill now we
see,
you look at track walk photos and there's
20 people on our team, like it's crazy
and insane. Whereas end jira, it's quite different
because, like, on a practice day, we're out
on the bike all day. We're not in
the pits Yeah. So even if you have
a massive team, you're not really with them.
Yeah. And while it does help, it's not
everything.
So, you know, riders are a lot more
kinda,
independent I would say. Yeah. Self sufficient up
to a point. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And
even a lot of the planning that goes
into a race week
in a lot of teams, it would be
the writer that does it anyway because Okay.
Where the ones that understands the course and
the practice schedules and what needs to be
done. Yeah.
So
you know, I think I'd kind of already
been maybe steer in the ship a abyss.
Yeah. And with with teams have been on
before so to now say, like, okay. I'll
just take everything else My Yeah. Shoulders a
bit, It wasn't. It what it was a
lot more but not. Yeah. As
that could have been. And you've, you know,
you've done the private tier thing. You've done
the van life version. So you've you've experienced
it at all levels, I guess you know
what it takes. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And you've
just been around race so, like, I know
what I need, and I know what what
happens in a race week and needs to
happen in a race week. So it's pretty
quick you can make a checklist that Yeah.
That you need to go through. Yeah. So
Yeah. So once I establish kinda what I
needed Kinda
looked around, see what bikes are on the
market What bikes are wanna ride and kinda
came to 3 or 4 bikes. Mh.
And I reached out to the guys that
I was and because that there on that
list obviously, and straightaway away, Tom, the president
who have I've kinda
spoken to a few times over the, whatever
contracts come out. Yeah. Come up, but it's
never lined up.
And he was straight away just super honest
I'm just like, yeah. This is what we
can do. Yep. You know, he he... From
the outset it was like, we're not gonna
build a team around you or anything like
that. But
Yep. You can ride our bikes. Mh. So
that was like, yeah. Okay. Let's let's do
that. Nice. That's a bike on ride. A
week later, It I had I had the
frame there and got up. When was that?
Like, how? How early.
That it it was quite late. Okay. Things
that ran on quite a lot. So that,
like I got the bike. I think the
first ride was actually like the first of
January. Oh, wow. Okay. Technically. Yeah. Yeah. But
and gel straight away.
Yeah. Yeah. Like the first run. Even, I've
got a couple of clips from, like, my
first run on the bike. Yeah. And it's,
like, just... It was at home.
I just felt at home. Like, it's just
such a... It's an easy bike to ride.
It's an easy platform to ride. Yeah. You
know, when you're breaking breaking and the bike
doesn't behave too different.
So it's just the kind of bike you
can just jump on and and right? And
I think it's that platform like the D
link Click even
the e bike is the same as D
link. Yeah. Race it last weekend, but I'd
only ridden it 4 or 5 times before
last in Way. And I'm not someone really
rides an e bike that often. Yeah. At
least a years past now in in France,
it's a bit more attractive. Yeah.
But,
you know, all I did on up blake
was set the aside, and I went racist.
And and managed to get fifth. So, like,
I think that's a testament to just how
writ that platform is? And... And does it
feel similar other than the weight to your
race bike. Like, with the same, you know,
with the D link everything, I guess, the
kin cinematic is to some extent similar. Yeah.
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Was was it a relief
then when you finally swung a leg over
that, and we're, like, good. This thing is
fast. We were all Yeah. Yeah. It really
wants
because I obviously had such a gamble. I'd
taken on myself to do this. Yeah.
And you wanna wanted to pay off, and
it was kind of
jumping on there, like,
Yeah. You you would know pretty quickly like,
right? Maybe.
I'm off or... Yeah. You get on a
good bike and it's like. Okay. Now we're
I I can still ride a with Cooking.
Yeah. What about the rest of the setup
then? Because you got a number of other
brands like, helping out? Yeah. Yeah. So Rocks
suspension. So that was 1
test in the off season,
and straightaway away I loved it as well.
Easy to set up. Yeah.
Be on your fox before with
Davinci? Yeah. I've been on Fox. I was
on Fox most of my career here. Okay.
So another big change. Right? Because Yeah. It
was a big change today. We'll do the
same thing, but in different ways and
Like the adjustment doesn't work quite the same
and, yeah. It takes bit of learning. Yeah.
Yeah. Absolutely. But, yeah, again, the rock trucks,
it's it's it's lot easier to set up.
Yeah. I think the attraction for me was
just that small bump sensitivity that it has?
Yeah.
Which for me is quite important. So what's
she greatly, I guess to an extent. Isn't
it. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. That's it. So
that was that was good.
Hay brakes kept them S saddle
wolf 2 components on kinda of a lot
of the finish and kit, which was really
cool and Yeah. Contacted them. They were super
keen to be part of. And nice. The
whole thing, which is really nice. And that
something that's been cool is that dealing with
the sponsors myself now.
You kinda get... You see how keen they
are to help and to be a part
of it and you kinda build that relationship
with them. Yeah. Whereas when you're on a
team, the writers don't often get that. Yeah.
You don't have that direct connection. I guess
it shows you doing something right. If you
if you ring up a brand and be
like hey, like, use your stuff and they're
keen.
It's a good sign that like... Yeah. Yeah.
You're promoting yourself well and that that you're
a character they wanna associate with. Yeah. Exactly.
It's a good reassurance. Yeah.
Yeah. And then silk wheels, which is which
is cool It's an irish brand. Oh, nice.
Yeah. Which is class. It's really good.
In Carbon Alley.
Alloy. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've never gone
over to Carbon wheels okay. Have you been...
Tried them. Not really Not on.
Yeah. Only of own small travel bikes
I've was just seen a few races be
ended by carbon wheels. So gives me the
He b.
And I like I like a a compliant
wheel, and that's kinda what Alloy gives you.
So... Yeah.
Yeah. I don't I don't see a reason
to change to be honest. Me anyway.
Yeah. Conte tires, which is 1 like I
just started out buying them. Mh.
Just to try because everyone's raving about. Yeah.
So Bought a few in the off season
to try and they were brilliant really good.
Especially at home and kinda the softer conditions.
They were really digging in nice. Yeah.
So I was prepared to just buy them
for the year, and then they kinda... We're
happy to help both. So that that's worked
out well, amazing. Tires is a big expense.
Yeah. Are these days they can you guys
get through of as well. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.
So, yeah. Wow. So put there's a lot
of work to put that together and that
comes with
stress.
Yeah. And stress.
Whether at training stress or live stress and
can only take so much. So hap did
it, like, take away from your training in
any anyway way Do you think this winter?
At the start. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. I
was quite fortunate that it was a late
start to the season.
So I kinda gave myself until Christmas New
year to really
put a lot of time into this. Mh.
And then I was kinda, like, write whatever
it is at that point.
We'll just crack on with us. Yeah.
Because yeah. It was it was full on.
A lot of a lot of stress. And
I got first, I was trying to build
it as a team with 3 riders. Okay.
But, yeah. It was quite apparent that budgets
weren't... Weren't gonna stretch that. I mean, it
was putting a lot of pressure on me
to be accountable for other writers as well?
Would you have been, like, team manager in
that case. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. So it
would have been the same as it is
now just with a couple of riders As
as well. But
Yeah. It was a lot a lot of
pressure. And then once I kinda realized that
that was gonna be money out of my
pocket to pay all other the riders. Yeah.
Which I I wasn't really in position to
do.
I kinda knocked out on the head, and
then that lifted a massive waste. And then,
yeah, that was around Christmas time.
So I can add enough of a package
together at that point to be like, right.
Let's crack on, and I can kind of
flip my focus now into training.
Really got talking to train and for.
Could you see yourself being a team manager
at some point in the future then? Like,
was that something that you just felt you
were gonna do because you hadn't been forced
a bit? Or do you have a like
a bit of a desire maybe 1 day.
Yeah. Definitely. Definitely, like, my goal, with this
would be to build it into a proper
team. Yeah. And, you know, maybe after Racing
could be a team manager because
a lot a love racing, and it's something
I think at this point, I know quite
a bit about. And,
you know, even as a racer, I still
quite like to help.
Other writers are, like, give a bit of
advice here. And their wear cans. So
it'd be really cool to use that knowledge
after racing. Yeah.
To to help others so that'd be cool.
Yeah. Hopefully, hopefully, it can build. Yeah. Nice
that'd be nice.
Let's talk a bit about this season then.
Alright. How did you feel coming into the
first round. You feel like you were ready?
Obviously, a lot of change, a lot of
things to get used to and
that. But... Yeah. Yeah. I did. For sure.
I kinda knew that was
you you can feel when you're going well,
and even even before the season start, you
don't really know, but when you're good, you
kinda know you're good. Is it a feeling
or is it numbers? Like, how you
what's telling you that you're good.
It's like things or get easier. Okay. I
know you're training easy. The numbers are good.
You get on the bike and easy to
turn it on and go fast. Yeah. You're
not fighting it you're not struggling.
And I kinda had that.
So
I coming in. I I felt good.
And, yeah. We had a good course in
finale. It was good cut good physical course,
which I knew would kinda suit my strengths.
Hugely physically whatever everyone had to say. Yeah.
Was. I anyway, it was great. Yeah. To
be honest. Like, I... I'm all for that
because I think
Endurance is a part of the sport that
we should have. Yeah.
So, yeah. It was it was a proper.
Tightly liaison as well right, Super hot. Yeah.
Yeah. Really harsh. Tight liaison. I think the
tight liaison maybe surprise quite a lot of
people and the intensity and the heat. Because
it hadn't been tight for a while. Hey.
Is that why it was a surprise or...
Yeah. Think maybe. Yeah. It could've have been.
Yeah. And I think the physicality leader the
stage is adds to that as well because
you know, every time you bury yourself on
a stage, you get a bit slower on
the next climb. Yeah. And I guess you
can... You can't really simulate that on your
practice lap. Right? You're never gonna go as
hard.
Yeah in stage. So the transition feels out...
Yeah That's okay. Can do that in that
time And... And so that's actually an interesting
1 because so like in finale, we shuttle
pretty much all the stages. So we hadn't
written billy liaison same practices. Okay. Interesting. And
that's been a bit of a theme this
year that, like, it was the same and
come last week. There was a lot of...
We could use the lifts and stuff and
practice and we did, like, a different loop
in practice than we do in the races.
Yeah. Okay. So then... And they give us
4 practice, they give us Liaison times that
they're gonna use. Yeah. And they say to
kind of, you know, check these. Yeah. But
yeah But if we're not right Liaison, we're
not... We can't check. So then we don't
know if they're tight. And, like, if we
were to ride the course,
a few would probably time the liaison, and
then we would say, like oh, I think
this one's a bit tight. And they they
probably would add on 5 minutes or whatever.
So
but if we're not gonna... Yeah. If we're
not checking that, then that's how still. So...
Yeah. Like, for me, I I would actually
like to see it that in training, we
just ride the course the same as we
raise it. Yeah. Because it also, like, it
adds
adds advantage to those who have the support.
Yeah. So, like,
this year there's quite a few private around,
and I'm fortunate fly of a mechanic and
and people that help me so I can
be shuttle around and practice but for some
people, like,
you don't have that luxury. Sort of are
people ride on the course and practice somewhere
stop. The shutters aren't being put on by
the organizers then they're like, a... You have
to sort out your own shut. Yeah. But
it's allowed in the form. Yeah. Yeah. So
I I think it'd be cool if we
just rolled the course in practice as it
is in the race. Do you think they're
doing the the lift and the shut thing
to help keep you fresh so that the
racing is more intense and, like, more of
a spectacle what? Do you know why it's
going that way? Potentially. Yeah. If it's kind
of always been that way. Okay. It's not
a new. Yeah. And I think it's kind
of venue dependent. Some venues...
Yeah. You just have to pedal it because
it's only fire roads and others there's lift
some tar roads around. So
it kinda just depends on the venue. Okay.
So Finale felt good then. Yeah. Yeah. This
was great. It was just 1 of them
days where it kinda
it felt
easy. You know, Felt like I could just
ride a little bit over the edge and
smash all the smash all the pedal and
Yeah. Yeah. It just felt good. And I
didn't know the times for the first few
stages. Mh. And after stage
3, it was real physical stage and I
was piling up just after with Hugo Pedro.
Yeah. He was a beast. Like he's so
strong. So I said to him was just
like, did just smoke on that 1, you
go, and he was just like, no, you
smoked to. I was like, really?
Okay. And, like this is... So I was
seated around twentieth. Yes. Still quite lot of
writers to come. But, at least at that
point, like I was in the hard seats
were like, okay. Maybe yeah. Because when you
watch the live, like time think quite often
hugo be at the top for a while.
Yeah. Because he's like, 1 of the fast
during in the the the second pack kind
of thing. Yeah. And then the the rest
come through and pip, but Yeah. So I
kinda knew, like, oh, for. The feeling is
good, but also the time and is good.
So would you normally not look at the
times that any someone that stays away from
that or... It kind apparent that day was
just so hectic that we didn't have a
chance? Okay. Too busy. Like. Yeah. We're literally
too busy. Yeah. We hadn't we hadn't really
rested at at all up to that point.
Okay.
Sometimes, like, I'll generally try not to look
after the first stage. Yeah. Because quite often
you can have 1 stage that
the times might be really tight and your
position is like t, but you're actually 3
seconds off. Yeah. Top 10 or whatever. So
she might just glance on at c t
and then get a bit deflate. Yeah. So
I'd rather kinda look after 2 or 3
stages. And it kinda balances out then. So
did you start to realize
where you were in the overall kind of
midday then? Or... Yeah. And I didn't look
into too much? I just knew ones around
the top 10? Yeah. Which I was just
like I get. That's good. Keep going where
we wanna be. Right? Yeah. And then, yeah.
We had a stage canceled unfortunately, There was
a, like girl crushed at the top of
stage 4. U.
So that 1 was canceled, and then, yes,
stages 5 and 6 were good, and actually
kinda got better as the day went on.
So, like, I was fourth on the last
stage.
There was only 5 stages, I think.
Yeah. For it on the last stage Hd
man and, yeah. Felt. It was kind of
wasn't after that was cool. Like, and saying,
that was a top to bottom, just a
really good on. Yeah. Crowd was good. Track
was good. So
regardless a result, you just finished. Was like,
oh, that was that was kind of the
race run. You you're dream of you know
why you're just swinging off it and the
crowd going well and everything's working well. That's
such an incredible, like, stage the view. I
guess you're not taking in the view, but
like, the image real from that stage is
in incredible. Yeah. It's amazing. And it's quite
like it's quite a scary 1 to race
because
the top... I think it's like 4 minutes
stage with a top, 2 minutes or just
pedal. Sprint.
And then it kind of the hill just
like you come over a crest and it
drops into the stuff you see. Yeah. From
the photos and videos. But you're hanging.
The crowd is going mantle. So you know
you're gonna turn it on.
And sometimes like, when the depend on how
it's tapes, you can't really see the track.
Okay. Because the crowd is so thick. Whoa.
And, like this year, it wasn't too bad.
The crowd gonna work back a bit from
the track, but
yeah, it can be pretty wild because you're,
you know, you're really close to those people
hanging nice.
That must have felt so good though to
be back in the top 10 seventh place.
I think it wasn't Finale. Mh. Like, it's
been a it's been a little while. Yeah.
Yeah. It happened well. I think it was
20 21
tweed Valley.
I was 8. U. So was my last
top 10. Yeah. I've had a load of
11 and 12.
Which has been really the annoying.
But I think, like, the result was 1
thing, but also just to race
forwards, you know, race, like you're attacking the
track and your know, you're, like, come can't
give me more. Give me more thing.
That was a big thing for me. Just
to finish a ace, feeling that good. The
process goals basically.
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And it just... It had
been a while since I felt like I'd
attacked rigs like that. Yeah. Yeah. I was
really happy. So coming out of that, like,
all these big changes stressful for our season.
The results there. You must have been feeling
pretty confident after that 1. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.
And I just made a all where to
because, like, as I say, I took a
gamble on myself, so it was kind of
a it was like, yeah, that gamble paid
off. And whatever happens afterwards it we've got
at least 1 top 10 for the year.
So I it's a success. Yeah. Poland. How
was that? New venue?
Yeah. Yeah. Poland was sick. That was a
real. It's always good to go to new
venues and I think venues that haven't had
an event like that before. They always get
so excited about it. Yeah. The crowd would
seemed like it was pretty good there. Yeah.
Crowd was brilliant. Support was brilliant and it
was
Yeah. I really loved the in injure as
well, which was cool like they kinda knew...
They knew all the riders, they knew what
was going on.
Like it rained for Most of the Race
day. And the crowd was still just everywhere
in the middle of the forest. You were
seeing people and, yeah. Fair play to them
because it's... Yeah. It's not easy to spend
a whole day in the rain. Yeah. To
watch something. Definitely. How did that raise some
unfold for you?
Yeah. Quite good. Like it was...
I felt really confident in practice because the
tracks are quite similar to home. They're, like,
an a gradient where you're not breaking too
much, you're not pedal too much, but you're
always trying to generate speed. Yeah. So like
that's something I've always
been good at because at home, it's more
about generating speed than
not scrub speed by braking.
So, yeah I felt really good.
First stage had a pretty good 1 and
Had Jesse. Starting behind me, and he came
down quite close efforts. And I was like,
what, I don't want him here already. Like,
not, you know, it wasn't at my ass,
but you kinda know what a 30 second
interval should be And, yeah. You wasn't doing
it long enough that you can feel 30
seconds. Yeah. Yeah. So I I knew he
taking a bit out me. I was like,
right. Okay. That's not exactly I want, but
I think he just had a good 1.
And then it rained. So on the way
up to stage 2 it hammered what rain,
and it really changed thing. So it kind
of
some people have been through the stage in
the dryer, I think. Yeah.
And then
I kind of... It was just so tricky
because it rained the amount that, like, it
wasn't completely saturated.
Okay. Some sections were, but then some sections
were dry.
So it was so hard because you'd be
like, okay, this is dried there's good grip.
You can crack on, and I need, like,
hit a corner and I'll just be like,
and you'd have a moment, and that would
make you, like, tense up tighten up
for, you know, the next 30 seconds and
Need relax again, and the same thing it
happen.
So I kinda struggled just to get a
rhythm going for the rest of the day.
Had some good stages,
but
just not know. I think the level is
so high now and the field is so
deep.
That if you're not completely on, you'll quickly
just drop 10:15 places. Yes. It's tight as
all. Yeah. Really tight. Real tight. Yeah. The
margins are crazy. Like. I think now that
was looking the other day, and I think
the top 10 is spread by by, like
2 percent,
which I think is pretty similar to downhill.
Yeah.
Sometimes, I think the insurers are actually tighter
than downhill. Which is why considering the amount
of time Yep. On the clock. And the
things that happened, Like, the mistakes everyone makes,
Everything All just balances out. Like last weekend
before the last stage, Ritchie Alex Trudeau. Had...
I think it was 5 hundreds of a
second between them.
So like they've done 5 stages race over
6 and a half hours. Yeah. And amazing
but I done not I'm like. You know,
there yeah which you'll say
0 like. Yeah.
Well it's amazing. It's amazing to follow. It's
really interesting. Yeah. Super Cool. And Leah gang
was another challenge you went right, like, quite
wet, slippery the race day. Yeah. Yeah. Again,
it was just that kind of in between
where it was like, kinda hard packed trails,
but They I just had this shine on
top of. Yeah. So it was just so
hard to to relax because it just felt
like your were... The trail was kinda try
to catch out. So she felt like is
an element of luck with the races when
the conditions are like that.
Sounds harsh because there's a lot of skill
in all of you lot. But like, you
sort of need things to go your way.
Right? You're taking risk and sometimes they're pay.
Sometimes they won't. Yeah. To be honest, I'm
not I'm not a big fan of the
word look. Okay. That's fine. Yeah. Like, I
I don't think everything happens. For a reason.
Yeah. You know, I think if someone gets
a puncture and says are lucky. It's like,
well. You might got a puncture because you
had a rock too hard. Yeah. You know?
It's sonya you. Yeah. Yeah. And I think
it's kinda... Like you Yes. You can be
on unlucky if it started raining and when
you're in start case. Yeah. Like a timing
thing. Yeah. Yeah. But I think
whatever the conditions are, you just need to
make the best of it really and,
yeah. Leo gang, maybe I didn't quite do
the best of that. K. I think when
when it's at hard ground that you can't
get your tires into I struggle,
struggle to just just relax on us.
And that, you know, that race we had
a couple of stages where the ground was
a bit softer and it was kinda more
muddy almost. Yeah. And I went really well
on those ones. Say that's that's when the
the irish light up. Right? Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.
That's it. That's What about combo I imagine
that would be a sort of place that
you'd quite like as well. Yeah. Comedy was
sick. I think that was 1 of the
better races we've had in a few years
in terms of tracks,
proper natural French,
you know, not super
built trails, but they still work quite well,
and there's still support where you need it
us and some fresh cut as well. Yeah.
Some fresh coast, and that's kinda Alex
Who does a lot of the courses. He's
like, he's so good to getting creative with
tracks. Yeah. Because there are tracks that have
existed before, and I think not many people
had written numbers.
I don't know if we rode much of
the actual tracks he'd kinda pop on and
then he'll tape in a couple of corners
here and there. So it kinda takes away
any kind local advantage jonathan, which is which
is quite cool.
I think what made comedy so good for
Racing was we practice in the wet. Yeah.
So a lot of rot got cut in
and then they kinda dried up for race
day. Oh, nice. And some of them were
in. Someone of them were really hard. But
some of them were, like, class. So it
meant like, by race there you could really
push on. Yeah.
Very special. Mh. So do you do you
feel like you've got what it takes?
To win 1 of these still?
Yeah.
I do. Yeah.
You know, I I say.
I know some people might hear me say
that would be like, Come on, like get
a grip bush. I mean, seventh place in
Finale. Right? And that's it. And, like, fourth
on that last stage, and I know that
I do have the speed. I just needs
all the ingredients to kinda to line up
and even, you know, last year, I was
kinda getting 20 it's 30 it's and now
jumped up into the top 20 with... On
a top 10. So
it doesn't happen overnight either, So I noted
if I can keep building on from where
I am now. Yeah. You know, towards the
end of this year, into next year,
could be back in the Sharp end. Yeah.
Yeah. So you think it's it's a matter
of time rather than, like, any changes that
you're happy with the process. It's just that
you gotta give the process time.
Yeah. Pretty much. Yeah. And that that's the
thing as well with this season is that
there's no not much time for changes. Because.
It's tight. Yeah. Like, we're what first week
of July and Yeah. Next weekend, we have
our fifth race out of 6 for the
seasons. Yeah. Pretty quickly. The season's is gonna
be nearly over. Yeah.
And that was gonna
somewhere very aware of coming in this year,
it was like, if you start well and
you're in a bit of a good rhythm,
it'll keep going nicely for you. Yeah. So,
yeah. I think I think it's just building
from here. Yeah. Pretty much. Do you think,
like, riders like Richie and Slab mirror and
Guess Alex Charlie? Like, what... Are... Do think
they're doing anything
differently or they just had a bit more
of a consistent in program for longer or...
Yeah. I think so. I think it's... The...
Consistency is the big thing, and that's what
amaze me is that,
you know, race like last weekend again there
was it was hectic. There was a lot
happening and it was physical.
And on paper, it'd be like, that's a
race where
people are gonna have crashes make mistakes up
mechanical Yeah. Maybe bunk
because it was such a a hard day,
and it was it was hard as well.
But just doesn't happen.
Everyone's just so good all day. And which
is the thing. So, like, there's no...
Like, if after 4 stages you're in tenth,
the best you're gonna get us a gate.
Yeah. You're not gonna jump 5 place on
the last stage or whatever. Yeah.
So, yeah. I think you need to be
consistently, really, really fast. Mh And do you
think, like,
consistency
IIE staying uni injured as well. Right? That
just being out and train and ride
for a couple of years without any interruption
from, yep. Time out to injury and stuff.
Yeah. I think so. I think so Under
our riders who manage that very well. Like,
some riders come and go and injury quite
often. Yeah. It still seem to come back
very fast. Yeah.
Jack, more, I guess would be 1 example.
Right? Seems to be. Incredible at her. Casper
Williams well his. Like he's had
some of the earliest injuries
and he just comes back the same speed.
Yeah. Like, it's amazing.
But,
yeah. I think it's just
Just racing well, training well and just trying
to
consistently move forwards
for me. Anyway. Like, for me, I'd be
kinda 1 that would make smaller steps over
a long period of time. Okay that 1
that's gonna have a light bulb moment and
just fine 5 percent of speed. So
yeah. For me, it's just it's just build
them gradually. Nice 1. So you're back on
your own? You're missing anything about being in
a team?
Some things like, in terms of support, like,
Of I've got
with me, which is Brilliant. You know, we're
traveling as I say, I'm mechanic my film.
My girlfriend. So, like, on a... When everyone
is there, I'm 1 rider with 3 people
around me. Yeah. So I mean helped out
as much as I've ever been, maybe even
more, which is amazing.
Sometimes you would miss having a teammates, someone
to bounce off. Yeah someone to
ride with during the week or whatever, but
there's still... The cool thing we're in in
enjoy is we're all friends and there's a
good crew ends, so you're still you still
find people hanging out with. But... Yeah. Yep.
And upsides to being like a a solo
operator, Italy, but you've got your crew around
you. But I think the flexibility,
you know, especially in the off season, like,
if I felt like I needed a certain
type of writing,
I didn't need to wait for a team
camp to be organized. Yeah. You could just
book for flight and go somewhere
or load the van and go somewhere. Yeah.
So that's been
that's been really good and it it's as
well with
the race weeks, you know, I can decide
when I arrive
when
I do Track walk whatever.
So that's been really good. Yeah. I guess
you've gotta do your own kind of
media and promotion stuff, but also, you're not
then, like, being pulled by a sponsor to
go and do something necessarily have a bit
more say over your own time and schedule
maybe. Yeah. Exactly. I like Tom Firmer. He's
been brilliant on the media side.
He's been so helpful this year with doing
my Youtube stuff and instagram stuff. And, yeah.
Know, he's super keen to to help with
that and get creative with it, So that's
really taken a a big weight off me
because
In Jar is an interesting someone 1, like
I don't know if there's many sports where
the riders do as much media work. Yeah.
If you look at Charlie Murray this year.
He's... He's on it. Yeah. He's anna. And
Like, he's putting a lot of time and
effort into him. Yeah. It's impressive. Same with
Jack more and more Tv and Yeah.
Yeah. Exactly. So it's good to be able
to get involved in that, but what I
would happen to invest too much of my
own. Yeah. Time energy. Yeah. Hey. You got
got plenty of other things going on so...
Yeah. Exactly. I wanted to talk a little
bit before we wrap up about the Irish
scene.
I guess you... You know, you've been a
big part of growing the scene out there
and showing an inspiring Irish riders showing them
what's possible.
And the scenes I guess grown.
And now you've got you know, young downhill
riders as well like Ronan and ocean. Mh,
yet again, kinda leading the charge and and
boy up that, like Irish
riding community. How is it these days? And
how has it changed since you were a
kid and started riding? Yeah. It's amazing. It's
so cool. I like, the buzz coming off
running the machine at the moment is brilliant.
Yeah. Like, everyone's... You know, everyone at home
is so buzz another, and it's so cool
to see that
yeah. Just to see how io air shredder
doing well, and especially at down because you
know, we don't at the biggest hills. And,
you know, on paper, maybe it doesn't really
make sense. Of course,
yeah, The boys are put in the work
and, you know, they've they've
I've come out swing and haven't they. They
have. So it's really cool. In terms of
the scene at home, it's crazy. Like, I
think the having the Aws those 3 years
really change things. Yeah. For Mike and as
a whole because it really put it in
the limelight of the government and just day
to day people. Like, I think the amount
of people, Like I was at riding once
it's a few years ago now, and there
was, Like, god, I think in his fifties,
and he was at Met Biking.
And he was just wasn't. And he was
telling me, like, oh, I got into it
and I went and watch this race. Blah
blah He's like... And it just made me
love mountain bike, and I told him like,
like, I and he said, like, oh, local
guy want it, and I was like, I
was me. Funny. And he gave me a
big hug. No was just like, yeah, you
got me, Mike and I was like nate.
That's so. It's crazy. It's amazing. Yeah. And
to see now like,
the trail development going on, like, I think
there was a grant of I think, 13000000
from the government to build trails in Ireland.
So we've got Think there's like, 7 trail
centers around the country. Yeah. Yeah. And the
standard of trails is unbelievable.
Like it's not. Like, my local hill we
used to go up there when I started
riding and you get told off by walkers.
And there was a handful of tracks, but
they were not very good. And now you
go up there and like there's purpose builds,
world class trails.
And there's still, like, off piece stuff as
well. And then on the... So that's the
front of that hill Is that trail center?
There's. Knock. Yeah. And in the back of
the hill, is a bike park. The gap.
Glen on adventure park, and they've got uplift
they've got so many tracks And makes crazy
amount of tracks. And, like, that used to
be a Golf course. Yeah. And in the
recession, the golf course closed and the reopen
it as a bike park,
which is, like,
what like, how that's crazy you Yeah.
And, like, you go there any day of
the week, especially on the weekends and so
there's such a buzzer in the place the
place packed. Yeah. Everyone just love Biking.
So... Yeah. Like I genuinely anything.
Around Dublin is some of the... Is 1
of the best place in the world to
ride like now. How it filled to have
been, you know, part of doing that promoting
that?
Yeah. Cool. Like, I wouldn't...
Yeah. I wouldn't take too much credit I
think there's a lot of people who have
done sure. A lot of work behind us.
But that I... The Irish win at home.
I think it was a big deal or
I think that really did kind of spark
a few things. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. It
was it was big.
It was definitely big for the sport. And
just to see us,
Yeah. How it's gradually grown from then until
now it's is incredible. Yeah. It's a amazing.
Have you had much chance to ride with
Ocean and Ronan when you've been at home?
Oh, good. Yeah. Ronan lives
20 minutes me. So we do when we're
both home at the same time. Yeah. We
do ride. And he's very good at... Whenever
I get home, he'll send you a text.
Let's go riding. Yeah. Which are really good.
Oh she needs a bit further away. Mh.
So I haven't ridden with him so much.
Actually, funny story. I I did a coaching
and day with his, like, club when he
was, like,
12 or something. Is... Is that dad actually
organized Chris?
It was so funny because he was, like,
so flash. He had all the kids. And
he was such a good little rider and
he was on this hard tail, and I
was kinda teaching them about, like, kind of
race lines and race craft. So, like, opening
up turns and being smooth and carrying speed.
That anything.
And he just wanted to shred. And there
was, like, this corner and it was like
a few bumps coming in and it was
like, a left hand boom.
I was saying, like, hey, you know, you
could set up and, like, get the entry
wider and Yeah. Carr to speed, and I
know she was just coming in manual through
the bumps on his little heart. And, like,
doing like, a scan flick it, like, slap
on the be.
And I was like, yeah. That was class
but like, not what it's like you're gonna
win it. Let's try this. Like this thing
And he just came in into the same
thing again.
And I was like, right. There's not Hell
Kid. He knows what he's doing. Fair play.
What a, yeah. Hell of a rider, and
he... Like, he has been a hell rider
since so age. So... And both taking world
cut wins in the not to do
yeah. Distant past. Yeah. So I'm. And more,
I think. More to come and they're both
consistent now as well. Like it's not just
a flash in the pan. Yeah. They're both...
Like, they gotta go head and their shoulders
and
they're racing to win now. You know, it's,
like, I think, when
on shane worn and Snow shoot, It was
a bit of a surprise maybe. Oh, you
could see it on his face. Right? I
don't think he believed he could win a
world cup at that point. Yeah. Where now
he knows he can. Yeah. Exactly where it's
now, like, I think the 2 of them
are maybe nearly disappointed if filling out the
podium, which is, like,
such a cool place to be in. Yeah.
For both of them. And for us has
fans to watch as well Let's cool to
see them right with that confidence? Yeah. 100
percent. Mh. Nice, man. Well, we should start
wrapping up and
we... When we when we chatted last time
we had 3 final questions, we now have
4. So we've got 1 more to do.
And that is if you... Oh, sorry. What
is 1 thing you do every day that
you feel benefits to you.
Every single day? Well, or that you would
like to think you do every day, but
maybe don't quite always manage it. Probably ride
a bike? Yeah. Say? Like, I'd probably ride
6 days a week and yeah. You definitely
feel better afterwards. Do you find it hard
to rest or not? Are you getting better
with that?
If the weather's going is very hard. Yeah.
Especially live in our air. We've got good
trails. Yeah. There's always some... Because especially, I
think, like,
I've got a few quite a few different
bikes. So there's always 1 like you're like,
I'd love to do that right on that
bike. You know?
Excellent. Yeah. Yeah. Nice. So was never a
bad bike right, I think. No. Are doing
the bike is a good day. Even if
you look out on this raining and you're
like, I'm not sure about this. Once she
gets stuck in. Yeah. You come in with
a smile on your face. Yeah. Exactly. Nice
1. Well, it's been an absolute pleasure catching
up mate. If people wanna follow you throughout
the season, where's the best place to be
looking Yeah. Instagram. Ask Greg underscore Call. Yeah.
And Greg Call on Youtube. We've been doing
race videos,
recap from me each. Trying to give a
bit of insight into what's happened. So tune
in for little sweet. Yeah. We'll stick links
in the show notes all that stuff. Yeah.
Thanks, man. I hope the rest of the
season goes well. Hope the build continues. And,
yeah. Look forward to seeing where it goes.
Thanks very much. Awesome. Cheers Greg. Cheers.
Alright. That's it for this. Episode with Greg.
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