‘Cycling’s in a great place in Britain'

 
8 August 2014

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Laura Trott says we have become a proper nation of bike enthusiasts

“I like to think that cycling has become a phenomenon in this country. I now think of Britain as a proper cycling nation. It’s down to a number of factors. Obviously, what happened at London 2012 and the ongoing success on the road for Britain’s cyclists has played a part, but it’s also down to events such as Prudential RideLondon.

What happened in London two years ago was special, and the atmosphere on the track was incredible, but it was all played out in a velodrome. This is a chance for the whole of London to come alive on their bikes and in support.

Last year, I was lucky enough to ride and win the Grand Prix event. It was funny because, as an ambassador, I did feel this pressure to win it – and I desperately wanted to win it.

Crossing the line in front last year was an odd sensation. In one sense I was letting out a great sigh of relief to have done it but, on the other, it was just amazing to see so many familiar faces, all the people at Prudential I’d worked with in the build-up to the race for such a long time.

But it’s not just about that race to the line for everyone. It’s more than that. I did part of the 100-mile challenge last year and it’s the atmosphere both of those on their bikes and those lining the roads that sticks in my mind. Plus, it was amazing to see London engulfed by bikes for one day.

I’d love to predict another win for myself this year but it’s a hard one to predict – it always is in road racing, particularly as I genuinely don’t know how I will be at that point in the season.

Last year, the girls in my team helped me get the win, so it might be that this year I return the favour. But the goal is the same... to go for that win.

Much of my training has been on the track over the past months. It’s the place where I feel most at home — and that takes nothing away from the road.

The focus has been on the Commonwealth Games and going in the individual pursuit, the points race and the scratch race.

I’ve been trying to peak just right for that, and the aim is to be able to continue that peak for Prudential RideLondon as well, but it’s never easy translating your track speed to the road. The other way is fine, as I found by switching from the road in the Women’s Tour of Britain to the track for my Commonwealth preparations.

The thing you’re lacking, though, is endurance. The points and scratch racing helps that to a certain degree, but I’m used to pushing myself in the pursuit for three minutes max, as opposed to three hours on the road. That’s quite a difference.

I have the utmost respect for Lizzie Armitstead, who is solely a road racer. The mentality of road racing — whether that be Prudential RideLondon or a longer stage race — takes so much out of you, concentration-wise.

I remember one stage on the Women’s Tour where the weather was so horrendous I was concentrating just on being able to see, let alone think about attacking on the climbs.

The other thing is that, on the road, you’re bunched so close to each other that, inevitably, crashes happen. I hit the deck pretty hard on the Women’s Tour, but your natural instinct is to get back on your bike. If you don’t, you’re out of the race. It wasn’t until I cycled on a bit longer that I realised there was a big lump on my arm, and I was worried to move it in case it was something serious. But it’s a crash, isn’t it, and I’ve had loads of them — that’s bike racing. My team pursuit team mate Joanna Rowsell had one on RideLondon and ended up with a broken collarbone.

As I said, cycling’s in a great place in Britain, and women’s cycling, particularly. Before London 2012 — bar maybe Victoria Pendleton — no one knew who we were really. Obviously, that changed with what happened at the Games and since that point, particularly with the way Lizzie Armitstead has been going on the roads. It’s a special time to be involved with the sport.”

Prudential RideLondon by numbers

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