Q & A: Simon Alexander, Richardsons Trek

Simon Alexander of the Richardsons Trek Racing Team takes the VeloUK question and answer quiz

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Q & A: Simon Alexander, Richardsons Trek

Simon Alexander of the Richardsons Trek Racing Team takes the VeloUK question and answer quiz. Simon says of his team, “It’s a decent little team who do things properly. The best bit though is our wonderful 03 plate Fiat Stilo* that fits right in with the Beemers and Jags! It’s never let us down LoL”.

1. How did you get into cycle racing?
Simon: I started messing around on MTB with my mates and one thing led to another. The rest is history.

2. What’s your favourite discipline in cycling?
Simon: I enjoy it all; road, crits and TT although I think my strengths lie in the kermesse style racing.

3. What is the best thing about bike racing?
Simon: I like the fact that there are no shortcuts. It’s pretty rewarding when you can see the results of your hard work!

4. What was the highlight of 2016 for you and why?
Simon: While not a huge race, the highlight for me was the last race at the Maldon Road Race. As a team, we rode well as a unit and had all of us up the road and seeing the old boy (Andy Lyons) ride away in the last 3k to take the win was nice, especially after all support he gives us driving up and down the country to races.

5. What was your favourite/most fun race of 2016
Simon: Probably the above again, but I rode Lincoln for the first time in 2016 which was amazing.

6. What was the toughest race of 2016 for you and why?
Simon: Probably quite a common answer, the Tour of the Reservoir. It will be interesting in 2017 having being moved to July. It will probably just be freezing rain instead of snow!

7. If there was one thing you learned most in 2016 to help you go faster/better, what was that?
Simon: I think that it’s so important to relax as I’m pretty good at overthinking things.

8. What is the best piece of equipment (clothing/bike/gadget) to do with racing you are proud of most?
Simon: Has to be my Trek TT bike, it’s a bit of a weapon.
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9. What is your warm up routine for races – in rollers or turbo? Music or no music?
Simon: For a proper crit or TT, always the turbo. I have a really specific warm up. For smaller races, I just hop on the rollers for 20 minutes with a few high cadence sprints. Always with music, unless I forget my headphones.

10. 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?
Simon: I’ve already been to Lanzarote for a week, went with a couple of the local hitters, and a guy called Trev. We ended meeting up with a few of the Madison (Genesis) boys and did the prestigious lap of the island. Can’t beat a December tan!

11. When will you start training for 2017 and what comes first – long steady miles or a mix of miles and efforts?
Simon: I’m pretty good at over indulging in the off season. This year I was lucky to go to NYC which made returning to training pretty tough. I started some point in the middle of November, pretty slowly, have done a few efforts but mostly all natural intervals (pressing on any climbs).

12. What are the goals for 2017?
Simon: Much of the same, get a few wins, see some of the youngsters in the team step up and maybe even crack a result in a ‘prem’

13. Does winter training consist only of riding the bike or running/swimming/gym work (cross training)
Simon: Mostly bike riding. I have also done a little bit of running for some unknown reason this winter.

14. Finally, what have you learnt over the years to best deal with the winter months on a bike?
Simon: Decent kit and having a plan that is broken down to one week at a time. November through to March can seem a long time. Sometimes you need to man up, sometimes you need to be sensible if it’s icy* and get on the turbo

* which is never the case on the Costa del Essex ;-) 

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