LOCKDOWN with Matt Taylor (Cycling Sheffield)

Third in the Eddie Soens Memorial in March, the next Lockdown quiz is with Cycling Sheffield’s Matt Taylor who is based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

LOCKDOWN with Matt Taylor (Cycling Sheffield)

Q: Your last race was and how did it go for you?
Matt: My last race was a double weekend, Eddie Soens on the Saturday and Evesham Vale on the Sunday. I got 3rd at Eddie Soens, a result I was pretty pleased with, but I was also a bit cooked for Evesham Vale which meant I rolled in 19th. It was nice to get a solid result in one of the races though, especially so early in the season.

Q: With racing cancelled, what’s a typical week training wise for you?
Matt: Racing’s cancelled, but so is Uni, so technically I’m now a full time bike rider, with a bit of uni coursework on the side! I work closely with Dean Downing from Downing Cycling to carry on training effectively but not over do it, as we both think fitness will need to be held for longer this year. A normal training week now will be around 17-22 hours if I want to gain fitness, or an easy week will be around 12-14 hours. I do a lot of off the bike work, and I do at least one Zwift race a week. Downing Cycling also do a club run on Zwift every Saturday which is fun and it mixes things up.

Q: Enjoying the turbo or avoiding it like the virus?
Matt: I do enjoy the turbo actually. I think everyone needs to embrace it because it could be all that’s available in the future if we go into full lockdown. I do still try and get outside as much as possible whilst we still can, especially as the weather is alright at the moment.

Q: If on the turbo, what’s your favourite distraction – Zwift or some other entertainment?
Matt: If I’m on the turbo, I’ll go on Zwift and I will usually see if any of my mates are on at the same time and meet up with them and call them so we can chat whilst riding – it makes the time fly by.

Q: What’s the hardest thing for you about the Lock Down
Matt: The hardest thing about Lockdown for sure is all my family coming down to make lunch at the same time, its chaos in the kitchen – every one for themselves kind of thing. Usually everyone is at work and I can relax and make my food in peace, but at the moment it’s so stressful!

Q: Besides cycling, what’s your biggest distraction as lock down continues?
Matt: Besides cycling, my biggest distraction in lockdown is definitely my Xbox. Pretty much everyone is on it at the moment, so there is always someone to play with, I also watch a lot of Netflix (I can recommend Money Heist – so good). Oh and I do my uni work when I can be bothered as well.

Q: What’s your bike that gets the most use by you and what is the best thing about it?
Matt: My bike that gets the most use is for sure my summer road bike, Giant TCR, I love it. My favourite bit about it is my Dura Ace power meter, I’ve only just got it and I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to power meters.

Q: What’s the weirdest thing you have seen since this crisis began?
Matt: The weirdest thing I have seen since this pandemic started is I saw a video of some guy at a supermarket in the line, in a full hazmat suit on, full gas mask, everything. What made it weird is he had a tape measure measuring the 2m guideline taped to his chest, I get people want to be safe but that’s just pure paranoia!

Q: What clothing from the team kit is most used during this time of the year.
Matt: My team kit is provided by Bioracer UK, I use it all the time, but at this time of the year with the weather a bit questionable its very rare I will set off without the Concept Aero Rain Jacket, its mega, I’ve ridden for hours in freezing rain and been dry and warm, and it packs small enough to fit in the back pocket, class piece of kit.

Q: Finally, where you do you enjoy riding the most in this country?
Matt: I genuinely enjoy riding the most around where I live – I can ride into the Peak District towards Sheffield way or I can go the other way into the Yorkshire Dales, or I can ride in between in all the hills closer to home. Riding never gets boring round here.

Good luck during these trying times and stay safe Matt