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Matt Page Interview

In early May, Wiggle rider Matt Page retained his title as UK National 24 hour solo mountain biking champion against one of the most competitive fields in any British 24 solo race for years. This victory comes at the end of a few seasons in which the mountain bike world has watched Matt's rise to glory. As the dust (or more accurately the Newcastleton mud) settled, Cyclist No. 1 caught up with Matt to see what it took to get to the top of the solo 24 tree.

Fi: So Matt, you have just returned from Newcastleton where you won the 24 hours of Exposure national 24 hour mtb champs. Congratulations! What was the race like for you?

Matt: It was a great event again. The organisers managed to improve on everything making it great to be a part of. In terms of my race then I guess it went pretty well. Apart from a few unavoidable technical problems early on it was the best 24hr race I have done. I don't think it is possible to have the perfect race over 24hrs, but you can also aim for perfection.

Fi: You've had lots of success in the past few years. What would you say are your top three cycling moments?

Matt: Tough question as there have been some special moment over the last few years. Ranking them would be impossible, so in no particular order:

• Winning Mountain Mayhem solo in 2009 and proposing to Nia on the finish line. I had wanted to win it for several years and came close in 2008, so it was a special moment,
• Experiencing the highs & lows of the 24hr World Solo Champs in Australia. It was the toughest race I have ever been a part of and it totally broke me mentally & physically. You remember those moments.
• Winning the 24hr Solo UK Champs in 2010. I felt I had to prove myself against the best in the country, it was a major step up for me and I was able to perform. This years race hasn't formed the same emotional memories yet, it usually takes a while.

Fi: Why 24 hour racing? Why not road racing, cyclocross, tiddlywinks?

Matt: I actually do a bit of everything, or will have by the end of this year... except tiddlywinks. I've tried CX, dabble in road racing and all forms of MTB from XC through to DH including Mega Avalanche later this year but I guess the reason I concentrate on 24hr racing is because I do well at it. Winning is addictive and although the racing & training is seriously tough I still have the desire to win and am willing to do the work needed to get to the very top.

Fi: Can you talk us through an average week? Is it all train, train, train?

Matt: It changes through the year, depending what races are coming up. When a 24hr race is coming up the training is long and hard. Over 20 hours is normal and the focus is on distance and intensity. Right now I am still recovering and the training is far less. I just ride when I feel like it and go as hard (or easy) as my body allows. In another week or so from now I will be concentrating on shorter events, so intensity will be the main focus but with a couple of longer rides thrown in as well.

Fi: What kind of support do you get in your training? Do you have a coach, nutritionist, hair stylist?

Matt: I do pretty much everything my self. I don't have a coach as such, but I have people I can turn to if I need advice. I do however use a Powertap powermeter when training and that gives me all the information I need in order to make informed training decisions. I moved to train by power last year and it has honestly made a huge difference, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to train seriously.

Fi: You raced the 'worlds' in Australia last year. Would you tackle that mountain again? What else is coming up on the horizon?

Matt: Well to answer the question literally, I would love to race at Mount Stromlo, Canberra again. The course was super tough but fun and it broke me along with pretty much everyone else in the race, most winners included. It holds many good memories despite a bad race for me.

I'd also like to tackle the 24hr World Solo Champs again, maybe this year. I know I can do better than my 6th place in Elite.

Fi: What would you say are your secrets to success? What makes you different to all the other 24 hour champion wannabes?

Matt: There are no secrets. Hard work and dedication has got me where I am now. Go back 5 years and I was no where near the cyclist I am now and I think anyone who puts the work in will get the results. I've been lucky to get a brilliant sponsor in Wiggle who have had faith in me since I first joined them in 2008 and maybe without them things would be different.

Fi: Who is the Next Big Thing in British 24 hour racing. There have been some epic battles out there between you, Ant White and others. Who is on the horizon that we'd better watch out for?

Matt: 24hr racing is different that you don't have a junior system for racers to rise through, instead racers might pop up from nowhere or make the transition from XC racing. Take the rookie & veteran champion at Newcastleton, Mark Spratt as an example. He has been racing for years and I know him well, but I didn't expect him to do so well in his first event. Normally people need a few 24's to gain experience. Anyone is a threat, which makes it all the more exciting. Ant White was at the top of the sport when I started, I remember looking up to him at the Trek 6hr series and wondering how someone could go so fast for 6 hours! He is a really nice guy, a friend as well as a rival.

Fi: Would you like to see 24 hour racing British Cycling regulated and sanctioned?

Matt: It would be nice to see some form of centralisation, especially considering the rules and the different championships but I don't think it will become BC sanctioned and I don't think it should be either. It already has great support from riders and if BC got involved it would just mean extra money spent for the organisers with little or no return. If BC can't give us a Marathon champs for 2011 then I don't think 24hr racing would be high on their agenda either.

Fi: Many of our Cyclist No. 1 readers are kit junkies. Can you tell us about your bikes and favourite pieces of race kit that you wouldn't be without?

Matt: I'm a self confessed bike geek and very fortunate to be able to hand pick every part of the bike and get the spec exactly how I want it, so I can honestly say that every part is perfect for me. There are a few parts that stand out though and some a little different to what many choose.

• Ergon GS1 grips: I got these in the week before the 24hrs of Exposure. Normally I wouldn't change something so close to big event, but I knew these were going to be great and they were.
• Ritchey 10D Superlogic bars: They get plenty of looks because they look a bit different. Essentially flat swept bars... 620mm width with zero rise and 10 degrees of sweep. They are comfortable and wider than most XC bars, giving extra control but still weigh a crazy 125g - yes I am a weight weenie as well!
• Crank Brothers 11 pedals: Bike jewellery, almost too nice to use! The simple design clears mud much better than any other pedals and have enough float to keep my joints happy.
• Rocky Mountain Element RSL bikes: New to me for this season, I had them just over a month before the 24hr. I settled on them pretty quickly and I am loving the ride. The original plan was to keep them for marathon & 24hr events, but I will use them for XC racing as well because they are that good.
• Exposure lights: Rather important when racing at night I'd say! I think Exposure make the best lights and certainly the best for racing. My preference is Maxx-D on the bars and Diablo on the head. The right compromise between lightweight and brightness.

Fi: Thanks Matt and good luck for the rest of the season. We'll be watching!

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