Cycling Name?
Mr Kipling
Why do you ride your bike?
There are lots of reasons. You can try as little or as hard as you want on a bike. You can discover new places, see things that you would miss in a car and do it all with a group of people with the same passion. Doing something really hard and then the feeling of looking back at how far you have come always makes it totally worth it!Finally, it is the best ever excuse to get a Fortitude bun on Fridays.
Favourite place to ride?
Puerto Pollensa in Majorca – So much variety.
Up or down mountains?
Always up, I unfortunately suffer from the fear when coming down.
Best moments?
Climbing Teide, hating it at the time but loving it at the top and for someone that hates descending, it was actually pretty epic.
How long does it take you to change a flat?
On anything that doesn’t have a deep rim; five minutes, if it does, half an hour.
Advice to a new cyclist?
The effort you put into yourself is the best upgrade you can make.
Preferred frame material?
Carbon.
Grand Tours or Classics?
The classics are so much more exciting, I mean just look at the last two; Tour of Flanders and The Amstel Gold Race (perhaps not classic status) – But photo finishes all the same.
Gels or potatoes?
Potatoes ideally but Walkers haven’t delivered a jersey friendly packet yet.
Have Pro, or retired Pro?
Adam Blythe – He keeps it real
Headwind or rain?
Rain.
Disc or rims?
Discs.
I wish I had been told that…
Keeping your chain clean is really, really important.
What is it like being a Baroudeur? Not a trick question
It’s a team with great people and no ego’s, we all help each other, we listen and we get better.
What advice would you give someone wanting to join the Bs?
The Winter months really challenge your commitment.
Next challenge?
I just always want to be able to hold a wheel and fend for myself.
GC predictions for 2022?
Probably Pog.
:: Meet more of the Baroudeurs
