Q & A: Maddie Gammons (Vision Innovative Leisure)

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The Q & As are proving very popular and in this one, we quiz younger up and coming rider Maddie Gammons (Vision Innovative Leisure)

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Q & A: Maddie Gammons (Vision Innovative Leisure)

The Q & As are proving very popular and in this one, we quiz young up and coming rider Maddie Gammons (Vision Innovative Leisure)

Maddie Gammons rides for Vision Innovative Leisure (formally known as RP Vision RT) and says the best thing about being part of Vision Innovative Leisure is that it allows her to race the big races as part of a team without any pressure as a junior who’s doing her AS exams. Here is Maddie’s Q & A (thank you Maddie!)

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1. What was the highlight of 2016 for you and why?
Maddie: My highlight in 2016 was finishing 16th in the North Bucks Road Race Elite National series race during my first year of senior racing. It was my longest road race to date at 80 miles and gave me the confidence to continue with the series as well as showing my improvement since the first round at the Tour of the Reservoir where I struggled to sit in.

2. What was your favourite/most fun race of 2016
Maddie: My most enjoyable races were the Otley GP and the London Nocturne. I love crits and even though my results weren’t as good as I’d have liked, the atmosphere was amazing and they were both great fun!

3. What was the toughest race of 2016 for you and why?
Maddie:: My toughest road race by far was the Women’s Cicle Classic. Considering that it was one of my more local courses, I thought I’d do pretty well however I didn’t realise quite how hard it was until I raced it. There were so many hills…
None were that big but it was just the pure amount of them that meant there was no recovery. I didn’t mind the off-road so much being a ‘cross rider but the mixture of it all just made it even harder which lead to only 12 finishers! However with regards to ‘cross, this year’s race at Koppenberg Cross was brutal on the new course. Again no rest and the climbs up the cobbles were enough let alone those on the grass!

4. If there was one thing you learned most in 2016 to help you go faster/better, what was that?
Maddie:: One thing I learnt this season was how important the off the bike side of things is. Nutrition, stretching & core strength are vital to perform at the best of your ability on race day.

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5. What is the best piece of equipment (clothing/bike/gadget) to do with racing you are proud of most?
Maddie:: My best piece of equipment has to be my chrome Bontrager ‘shut up legs’ shoes. They stand out in the bunch and you’ve got to love the Jens Voigt quote on the tongue!

6. What is your warm up routine for races – rollers or turbo? Music or no music?
Maddie: My warm ups change depending on the race. For road races, I do a shorter warm up mainly just spinning on the rollers where as for crits and cross races, I usually do a slightly adapted version of the BC warm up (progressive effort then some sprints). I tend to use rollers and usually have my headphones on listening to my ‘Bangin’ Tunes’ playlist.

7. What’s your favourite discipline on the road; road racing/crits/time trials and why!
Maddie. Currently my favourite discipline on the road is crit racing because it’s faster and doesn’t have so many hills! However I am beginning to enjoy road racing a lot more and I think the more I do it, the better it will become.

8. Will you stay in the UK to prepare for next season during the winter or get in a training camp or two abroad to get in some serious miles?
Maddie: My winters a bit mix and match with cyclo-cross but I spend most of it training in the UK with the occasional race in Belgium. If February counts as winter, I’ve got a training camp in Spain with the team which I’m looking forward to!

9. When will you start training for 2017 and what comes first – long steady miles or a mix of miles and efforts?
Maddie: My training’s a bit odd with cross training through the winter but after the national championships, the first weekend in January, I’ll have a week off and then start the base miles building up to the start of the road season in March.
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10. Do you use a special winter bike with mudguards etc or using a normal race like training bike?
Maddie: I use a normal set up on my training bike with no extra attachments except a saddle bag however I’m debating getting the mudguards out.

11. What are the goals for 2017?
Maddie: My goals for 2017 are to get more frequent top 20s at national series races and at least one top 10. I’m also looking for a podium at this year’s junior national championships.

12. With darkness now upon us, are the long rides now only on the weekend and how many hours a week would you do in a typical week?
Maddie: Mostly yes. I spend a lot of time on the turbo/rollers after school but I still manage to get out on the local chaingang every Wednesday evening. This allows me to race cross and get the miles in. I usually ride for an average of 12-16 hours a week but that changes based on racing and time available.

13. Does winter training consist only of riding the bike or running/swimming/gym work (cross training)
Maddie: I do a lot of running during winter training mainly to help with cross but I also do core strength once or twice a week which helps a lot. I’ll start doing some gym work too once the cross season is over.

14. Finally, what have you learnt over the years to best deal with the winter months on a bike!
Maddie: I’ve learnt that you need to keep hydrated even if it’s cold and that a wind-stopper jacket is a must! I also find that you need to get out with other people as much as you can to keep the motivation high!

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