Spot Chat: Connor Swift

The British road race champion Connor Swift (Madison Genesis) was flexing his muscles at the front of the UCI 1.1 Volta Limburg on Saturday and in a surprise on Sunday, turned up at the Danum Trophy to watch the race on his home roads. We chatted …

Spot Chat: Connor Swift

At the Volta Limburg, Connor finished the race in 22nd, the leading British rider as befits the British champion. In a race of attrition, Connor Swift and his Madison Genesis teammate Matt Holmes acquitted themselves well at the front of the ever-dwindling group. As each move was established in the race, both riders kept themselves positioned prominently.

With 150km to race, first Holmes and then Swift made moves over some of the 28-bergs that littered the 200km course. These attacks were part of a race-changing sequence which left just 30-riders at the front to contest the final 40km. Swift and Holmes did well to stay in the select group of 25-riders who gave chase to a breakaway and entered the final 10km with a 35-second gap to close.

With a lot of tired legs behind and a well organised lead group, the front trio increased their lead to over a minute with five kilometres to race. Behind, a series of attacks followed, sweeping up all of the top-10 placings, while Swift held on in the group for the bunch sprint.
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Asked how the Volta Limburg was for him, he says “it was a really tough race. It was like a mini Amstel Gold and I’d never really been on that terrain before but I enjoyed it. It was all about positioning all day and all the little short steep climbs catch up with you before the end of the race for sure.”

“Matt and I made the front group and we were happy to be at the sharp end of the race but that last 20k, it was a case of getting to the finish, I was really starting to suffer.” On how the race appeared to be uncontrolled which is unusual for pro races at that level, he says “I don’t think any team could ride at the front to control it because it would blow their teams apart so it was a case of the strongest guy on the day won.”

Looking at the coverage on TV, the stripes of the British champion stood out and Connor says of wearing them “it was good wearing the stripes. I’m a little used to it but racing and training in the stripes is a privilege and I love them “.
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With the season in Britain about to kick off in earnest with the Klondike GP this Sunday, I asked what Connor’s programme is for the rest of April/May? “I will be at Klondike next weekend after that it will be TroBro Leon, CiCLE Classic and then the Tour of Yorkshire before straight into the Tour Series so pretty jam packed from now on.”

And his form as he enters a key part of the season? “Having that race (Volta Limburg) in my legs on Saturday, it was one of the hardest race days I have done numbers wise, so to have that in the legs with TroBro a big aim coming up and I’m happy with the form.”

Why TroBro I asked? “It is just such a great race” Connor replied. “I raced it two years ago, a day after Chorley GP and I got round TroBro. I was in the front group until 15 to 20k to go so I said after the race, I can definitely do a ride there one day and here I am in 2019, out to do that. I am really looking forward to it”.

Finally, a word on working with the legend that is Roger Hammond? “He is great to work with. I worked with him a little bit at Dimension Data and he knows his stuff and is great to have on the team. He has so much knowledge to pass on to us riders.”

Volta Limburg and the Brits
22. Connor Swift, Madison Genesis
28. Dan Pearson, Canyon DHB
30. Matt Holmes, Madison Genesis
48. Adam Lewis, BEAT CC
53. Max Stedman, Canyon DHB
58. Joe Laverick, Madison Genesis
61. Joey Walker, Madison Genesis
77. Conor Dunne, Israel CA
79. Michael Cuming, Madison Genesis
80. Tom Moses, Madison Genesis