Spot Interviews: The Brits on Tour Part 1

As the riders rolled away from the presentation at the start, we managed a few quick chats with some of the Brits in the race – James Shaw, George Pym of Madison Genesis and Liverpool’s Mark McNally

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Spot Interviews: The Brits on Tour Part 1

James Shaw: Part of the winning team on two occasions, Heanor’s James Shaw is enjoying the race with some good form. “The roads on Saturday I know really well, our chaingang route pretty much so it will be like riding at home. I just have to make sure I don’t take the wrong turning where the chain gang goes”.

2016 and James debut at the Tour of Britain with Andre…

“The form is good, the team has a stage win (he was speaking before his leader won another) so the pressure is slightly less but we still want more and to win today, on Sunday and do well on GC.” James’ first Tour of Britain in 2016 was also with Andre as team leader and James explained his role this year with Andre leading them again.

“My role is a bit of everything, jack of all trades, master of none! I am the sort of pre-sprint train! I tend to lead the team between ten to five kilometres (over the climbs) to go as opposed to the three to finish line sprint train. The race is definitely getting bigger; the level of riders gets higher every year. 2016 it was a good race, the level was high but every year it seems to get a little higher and you look at the Quickstep team, six guys who could win, the team from Scott… so it’s getting harder and harder to do something.”

James agreed that with the teams coming here being stronger, it is getting harder for his own team Lotto Soudal to assert their authority in the battle of the sprint trains. “We don’t get a free ride!” He said. “With the World Tour teams riding, they don’t tire as quickly, so we’ll see what happens.” And his highlight? “The home stage (Saturday), that will be the golden moment for me with friends and family on that one” … Good luck James!

George Pym (Madison Genesis): “The Tour has been really good – I had my home stage which started in Cranbrook in Devon, which was pretty good and nice to see people I know. It’s been good trying to help Connor and Matt – both have been unlucky, Connor had a puncture on the first stage and Matt had one on stage 3 just before the deciding climb, which threw the team’s GC goals out the window. The highlight though was just being in Devon and seeing everyone I know. It was so hectic with everyone coming to say hello and talking to the media, but that was really good.”

Mark McNally – One rider awaiting news of the arrival of his (and his wife Pia’s) first child back in Belgium, is Liverpool’s Mark McNally who said he’s waiting for the news that will take him from the race. “It should be next week”. About the race he says “The race has been good so far for us with Xandro and Dion sitting well on GC which bodes well for the Team Time Trial. Stage 3 was a hard day out and I’m taking every day as it comes. The first few days I have been looking after Dion but I’d take an opportunity if comes.”

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