Talkingshop: Matt Bottrill wins first big test of the year

Winner of the 2011 Rudy Project Time Trial Series, Matt Bottrill (Drag2Zero) passed his first big test of 2012 in Northamptonshire with a victory.

Related Link: Rudy Project Round 1 Photos & Results

Matt, eyes on the season ahead, time trials his way to victory last weekend.

It was one of those races where riders who have been winning races around the country came together for the first of the head-to-heads to see who is flying and who isn’t. In that drag race on the out and back course along a road lined with historic buildings, Matt Bottrill on his ‘stealth fighter’ held off the challenge of Sam Harrison and Jeff Jones to win the event at an average speed a shade under 28 mph.

It was, explained Matt afterwards, the first test for him to see how things are going and he says that the bike might have saved him after he went into the race a little tired after a big week training.

“Last year I was really flying at this time of the year and while I’m not going rubbish, my form is not as good as last year” he told VeloUK. “My goal this year is primarily the national championships so I’m happy with today’s performance.”

Matt is riding for a new team in 2012 and on a new bike and he’s recently been in the wind tunnel to get his position as aero as possible. Asked how that process has gone; taking that work in the tunnel out onto the road, Matt replied “It takes time to translate it onto the road. You know what works in the tunnel but then you have to try and hold that position for a long period of time and you have to train for it. Come the nationals, I should be optimised with it!”

On a course like that used for the Rudy Project, where there were no long flat roads and instead it was up and down, twisting and turning, Matt says the key was pacing it well. “On the descents, you have to stay aerodynamic and on the climbs, you have to give it full welly”. Which is what he was doing as he past me on the way back.

As he came past where I stood, a good few miles from the finish on a small drag out of Maidford, Matt caught a rider who is regularly winning races, Tejvan Pettinger. Was it a surprise to catch him so quickly?

“Yes, It was a surprise” Matt replied. “I clocked it at halfway and there was a minute between us so I thought I would catch him coming into the finish and I don’t know if he blew or I went faster in that second half but I caught him quicker than I expected.”

For 2012, Matt has changed teams, going from the I-Ride team to Drag2Zero. That was a big change Matt explained. “Drag2Zero is the wind tunnel that Simon runs and I was given the opportunity to ride with Simon and everything went from there. Giant then stepped in and the support I have been shown has been unbelievable.”

“I never thought I warranted people giving me that much support. I was over whelmed by it. Luckily the people who have come on board really believe in what I am doing.”

That Bike – Matt’s Giant Trinity
Back at the HQ, Matt’s ‘stealth fighter’, the Giant Trinity, was attracting a lot of attention. It’s the same bike that Endura Racing have been putting to good use in time trials in Europe and Matt took us through it.

Starting with the chain rings which the eagled of you will notice are not round! There are several versions of these including the Osymetric Chainrings. Matt explained how the ones he’s using have proved to be excellent.“

“You have always have that forward stroke” he says. “Its feels like you are riding fixed and gives you that extra push when you are on the hills and stuff. It’s a big big advantage.”

The bike is a Giant Trinity and Matt is very impressed with it and hoping he can do the business with it. Asked how it differs from other bikes he’s ridden, he says “it’s just about how stiff and aero it is. I never ridden a bike a bike that is so stiff and it looks like a fighter jet too! There’s no flex in the frame and it does what you want it to do, it just glides, it’s fantastic.”

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