English
End of Season Lowdown with Team Wiggle
Our Team Wiggle athletes have had a cracking year, standing atop rostrums the world over in road racing, mountain biking and triathlon. Before they put their feet up for the festive break, we caught up with them all as they reflect on 2009 and look ahead to 2010. Ben Simmons signed up at the start of the year as Team Wiggle’s roadie, but was soon excelling at MTB and XC riding too.
Q. Looking back on your 2009 season, are you pleased with how it went?
A. This season has been excellent for me. I have done so many races and loved every one of them. I have been racing Mountain Bike, Track, Road, Criterium and Cyclo-cross races and have performed well in all disciplines.
Q. What was the highlight of your year?
A. Having an injury-free season. It was also nice to win the Welsh Circuit Race Champs jersey so I’ll get to show that off in the races next year and it will get me some more publicity!
Q. What was the funniest moment?
A. That’s a hard one to answer as every event and training ride I do always seems to involve some comical moments, mainly because of some of the characters I ride with. I was out on a training ride recently with a couple of mates and we were riding up a gradual climb when two dogs came out of a farmyard and chased us for miles. I was the fittest there so knew the dogs wouldn’t get me, but I was laughing so hard I could barely pedal – and being in the big ring didn’t help! Eventually the dogs gave up and my mates caught their breath while I was still in stitches.
Q. What was the most important lesson you learnt?
A. Not to hold anything back during a race because you might not get the chance to use it again. I found that if you race hard all the time you will get yourself in a better position and from this you will naturally perform better. Every position, point or second counts!
Q. What are your plans for winter training? How’s it going so far?
A. Winter training for me is a mixture of cyclo-cross races and long endurance rides. I have focused mainly on the bigger cross races so I can still get my long base miles in on some weekends as well as mixing in some track riding when it is wet and dark as Newport Velodrome is on my doorstep.
Q. What does 2010 have in store for you? What are your major races going to be?
A. For 2010 I am going to cut down on the volume of races and focus on performing well in bigger events. With me gaining the Welsh Criterium Champs jersey I would like to show this off as much as possible riding local and national circuit races and also mixing it up on the Mountain Bike and Track.
Ben Simmons Hugging The Black Line.
