Talking with young star Matt Gibson

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Talking to winner of round 3 of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series, 17 year old Matt Gibson going places fast

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Talking with young star Matt Gibson
(Report from round 3 of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series)

The name Matt Gibson first came to my attention with tweets of results in Europe and then I saw first hand in the Tour Series at Barrow just how handy Matt is on a bike. It reminded me of the days when the likes of Adam Blythe and Ben Swift were doing the same, dishing it out to the seniors in the top level crits in Britain.

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Matt in Barrow was third, outsprinting Richard Hepworth after they’d chased the two leaders for much of the race. In Peterborough, it was a whole new ball game. Matt first made it into the break with the winner from Barrow, and a stage race in France in 2014, Graham Briggs. Also there was the Kiwi crit champ Mike Northey and also a certain former World Tour rider, Adam Blythe. Now that is a quality move!

Matt though, just 17, was not intimidated in the slightest. He’s raced well in the Nations Cup, international events for Juniors, and in the crits, a young mans race if ever there was one, he was looking comfortable. After his win in Peterborough, VeloUK spoke to the rider that managers are already talking about and impressed with.

“I could not have expected to have done that” Matt said shortly after I caught up with him as he rolled to the podium to greet the crowd. “I knew I was going well and after last week getting in the break but I didn’t expect to win it today.”

“I didn’t start cycling until three years ago after watching it on TV and to be out there racing with them and being competitive is amazing.” Matt explained the break got away around halfway through the race and that he was feeling good all the way through before he made his move.

“Just over a lap and a half to go we started sitting up a bit so I just went as hard as I could and didn’t look back and kept going all the way to the line.”

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Matts’ win came only days after he won a Peter Buckley National Junior RR Series event. Asked how his legs felt so soon after that effort, the GB rider replied “I felt pretty tired yesterday and didn’t feel great this morning but I came out today for the warm-up and the legs started to feel good and I knew it should be a good race.”

Final question to Matt before he was wizzed off to do the podium was about the experience of being in a break with some of the top British pros including one who has ridden at World Tour level, Adam Blythe (NFTO). “That was amazing” he replied adding the aim is to go for the dream of riding at World pro level in the future.

If he continues to kick ass like he did at Peterborough, the youngster is sure to be on the world stage soon enough.

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