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Dani Rowe: Overcoming rejection to take Olympic Gold
2nd August 2024 • The Odd Tandem Cycling Podcast with Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt • Shocked Giraffe
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Dani Rowe has achieved an awful lot in her career. By the age of 22 Dani was already an Olympic Champion, a triple world champion and double European champion. But Dani's road to the top was far from straight forward. Plucked from the obscurity of a school maths lesson she would face constant rejection from the famed TeamGB track programme only to fight her way back to gold at her home Olympics in London.

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Transcripts

Speaker:

All right, everyone.

2

:

Today on the odd tandem,

we have a great guest, Dani Rowe.

3

:

Welcome to the podcast.

4

:

Thank you. It's great to be here.

5

:

first of all,

6

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I have to say thank you for coming on

because I know that you've been busy.

7

:

What actually,

have you been up to this last month or so?

8

:

Well, I've been very, very busy.

9

:

I got roped into being on The Breakaway

for the men's Tour de France.

10

:

I say roped into.

11

:

I was very excited to be part of it,

but it was very last minute for me

12

:

only about ten days before the tour, so

it was a bit of a jump into the deep end.

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:

but I absolutely loved it.

14

:

It was such a privilege to be a part of.

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:

So that was three weeks, of course.

16

:

And then I've just had a week at home

back with the kids.

17

:

It was the longest

I've ever been without them.

18

:

and then to come back

was another jump into the deep end.

19

:

Actually, I forgot what motherhood

was like for a few weeks.

20

:

and that was just as hard,

if not harder, to be honest.

21

:

So, yeah, I'm

just enjoying a bit of downtime

22

:

and actually off to Spain for a holiday

tomorrow.

23

:

That is actually pretty cool

that you have a little bit of a holiday,

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:

and they don't get you in for the Vuelta

as well.

25

:

on they are okay.

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there you go.

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So I've actually got a week off now,

28

:

and then I will jump into the women's

Tour de France.

29

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Femmes.

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And then I'll go straight into the Vuelta.

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So another very busy period coming up.

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So I'm jumping on a plane,

having a bit of a relax

33

:

and then it'll be bam,

straight back into it.

34

:

And for our, listeners and viewers,

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:

during my nine days on a motorbike

at the tour de France,

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:

I had a British commentary in my ear so

I would know what's going on in the race.

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:

And I did hear

38

:

Dani quite a few times, and believe me,

she was just like a fish in the water.

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She was in her element.

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So I can only give her

the highest compliments.

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She did actually fit in. Absolutely

perfect.

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Just needed to say that.

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Thank you.

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That is very kind.

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I was very nervous

coming into a very established team,

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but I've been commentating on women's

racing for for many years,

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:

and I've been part of The Breakaway

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for Discovery Eurosport

and some of the men's classics as well.

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And obviously I follow a very,

very passionate about cycling.

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:

So yeah, I was nervous

that it went really well.

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I really enjoyed it.

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It was part of a great team and thankfully

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they've asked me to come back,

so I must have done an okay job.

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:

Well, that's a fantastic intro

55

:

into our little quickfire questions

that we have for you today.

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:

So question number one,

do you prefer commentating or coaching,

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commentating,

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homecoming parade or the gold postbox?

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:

And to our viewers and listeners

that don't know what that means?

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Maybe you can explain

what the gold postbox is actually.

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Yeah of course.

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So after the London Olympics

in London,:

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they decided to paint every gold medalist

a gold postbox

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so we could choose

which postbox was painted gold.

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They wanted it to be where we were born.

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But actually, I was born in a

in a city called Southampton, in the south

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of the UK.

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But I'm from a little village

just outside of Southampton called Hamble.

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So I asked if I could have my gold postbox

painted there because it's

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where my parents live.

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I go back and visit a lot

and I do a little running route

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where I pass the gold postbox,

and it was only supposed to be painted

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gold for a year after the Olympics, and

then they were going to paint it back red.

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But then they decided that now

they're going to keep them gold forever,

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which I think is such a lovely touch

because,

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you know, I get pictures of people

that have come to visit the gold postbox

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and some friends, if they're just walking

past and oh, look where we are.

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And then when I go back,

it just brings such a nice feeling

79

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when I, when I run past it or I don't,

I walk past with the kids.

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So that's.

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Yeah, that's what happens.

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So all over the country,

ery gold medalist from London:

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has a designated postbox

that's been painted gold.

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Okay.

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Next question.

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Do you prefer track or road racing?

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Oh, it's such a hard question.

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I'm going to go track.

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Okay.

90

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And last one, Olympics

or the

Tour de France.

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Which is your favorite?

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Olympics I've never ridden.

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It's all to France.

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So I have to say Olympics.

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If I'm talking about myself and riding.

96

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since you already touched on it

with the gold, postbox

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you are born in, actually,

the correct word is Hamble-le-Rice.

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Correct.

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And that's just outside of Southampton

or Portsmouth.

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Right. 4600 Southampton..

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not Portsmouth.

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They're big rivals in the football Jens!

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Okay okay.

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So you depending to the Southampton

side of that okay.

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And the British Channel is not too far

from there.

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And 4600 and habitants.

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So you would expect

half of them are fishermen.

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How on earth do you become

a cyclist in the first place?

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Good question.

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I'm actually not from a fishing family,

so my dad is a two time

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Winter Olympian in the sport of biathlon.

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he actually got roped into skiing.

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And here's part of the, the British Army.

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And they asked him

if he wanted to try out for skiing.

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And he thought it was fun downhill skiing.

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And it turned out to be cross

country skiing.

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He was pretty good at it. And then he was.

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Yeah, part of the British team, whilst

being in the Army, went to two Olympic

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Games, 84 and 88, in Sarajevo and Calgary.

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Didn't medal but was yeah.

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How British Red records for a long time

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anyway are we never even knew.

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I'm talking we as me and my sister.

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I've got a sister who's two years

younger than me.

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We never knew.

He never put anything around the house.

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We were just very, very sporty,

a very active family.

127

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I took part in every single club

you could imagine, from ballroom

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dancing to football, swimming,

you name it.

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Everything.

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I loved it, and then I was keen

swimmer and runner in school.

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but never going to be an Olympian.

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Wasn't that talented.

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Worked hard, love

the British Cycling came into my school

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when I was 14 and asked if anyone wanted

to try out for the talent team,

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which was a talent identification program

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that they put in place to to find talent.

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Initially, I did it to

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get out of a maths lesson

because I loved sport

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and I got through the first round.

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It was just round the school

playing field.

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They did an endurance test around

the 400 meter track and a sprint test

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on the 100 meter track,

and I got through that test.

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Then they brought in

kind of Watt bikes to test, obviously,

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you know, different powers, measurements,

a bit more scientific.

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Of course.

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I got through that test

and then I got invited on a mountain

147

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bike ride, which now, looking back,

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I think they did to test mental capacity.

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Whether you were up for the challenge,

whether you'd get stuck in.

150

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And then I got a letter home to say

I made it onto the talent team.

151

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Were my parents,

you know, happy to support me

152

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because this could mean training camps

throughout the year, race in cycling.

153

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So being a taxi driver for me,

and they said,

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yes, if you want to do it,

we will support you 100%.

155

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And that was the start, really.

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So I was 14 very up and down.

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You know, I was the British Cycling.

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They've got a kind of pyramid system,

leading up

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to the Olympic program

where you get selected for the Olympics.

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So I was on

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the talent team and then I was okay.

162

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I was never that great.

163

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I just tried very, very hard.

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I wasn't winning from the start at all.

165

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but I loved it.

166

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And I just, you know,

I was a very hard worker.

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So initially, I was an endurance rider.

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And that's my background.

169

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How, you know, my dad was a by athlete.

170

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And then I don't know

if you remember Iain Dyer,

171

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who was the national sprint coach

for a very long time for British Cycling,

172

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said, oh,

you should try out for the sprint squad

173

:

because we think you're

pretty good at sprinting.

174

:

So I went on the Olympic

Development program for a year, sprinting,

175

:

and I was shit.

176

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I got my head well

and truly kicked in by Jess

177

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Varnish and Victoria Pendleton.

178

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Becky James, who, you know, Becky

James is still one of my best friends.

179

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Silver medalist from Rio, two time

silver medalist from Rio Olympics.

180

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And then I got I said, this is not for me.

181

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So I was coached by, Jan van Eijden

182

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you know, went over to Germany again

183

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to Cottbus, European champs,

got my head kicked in.

184

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You know, riders like Kristina Vogel with,

I remember

185

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actually, quite a funny story.

186

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hold it me up for the sprint.

187

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Obviously three laps or maybe two coppers

because it's a longer track.

188

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And he said, Dani, your only chance of

winning is if you go from the gun,

189

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which is obviously not really

the thing to do in cycling.

190

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So I just want to pass as I could.

191

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But anyway, I got passed

probably with about 300m to go.

192

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So then I got invited onto the back

onto the endurance squad,

193

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because when I was initially asked

to go on the sprint, I said, okay, only

194

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if if it doesn't work, you put me back

on the injured squad for you.

195

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But I

196

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was crap

because I'd only spent a year sprinting

197

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and then I got kicked off the program,

then for two years.

198

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So I said, oh, you're not good enough.

199

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You'll never be good enough.

200

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yeah.

201

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You’re chucked off the team,

202

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and then I went away for British

Cycling and,

203

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found my own coach

and my parents were amazing

204

:

and said, look, I will support you

as long as you want to do it.

205

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And so I kept going and kept going.

206

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Then I got glandular fever,

207

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so I couldn't ride for a long time.

208

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And I thought,

oh, I don't know if this is for me.

209

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And it was the first time

I've sort of had a wobble.

210

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But then when I got better,

I had about six weeks

211

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to the national championships

on the track,

212

:

and my coach at the time said,

let's put everything into this,

213

:

because this will be a big opportunity

to compete against the girls

214

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who were already

on the British cycling team.

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So I was training three times a day trying

216

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to trick my body into thinking

there was more days in the week.

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just putting everything into it.

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Went to the nationals

and I medaled in every event I rode.

219

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And I got an email from Paul Manning,

who was the British coach

220

:

for the team pursuit at the time,

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and he said,

222

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do you want to come to Manchester

to try out for the team pursuit?

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This is the event that we highlighted

as being out, you know,

224

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most likely gold medal in London Olympics.

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This was at the end of 2010.

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went up to Manchester

and started on this.

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I call it an X factor elimination process

because there was 12 of us, 12 girls.

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I was the only one that wasn't on the team

at the time, so came in

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and it was driving myself

up to Manchester.

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This is about four hours from Southampton

every week to do a couple of sessions,

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and then made the world's team

232

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in the March of 2011

when we won, in Apeldoorn

233

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And that was the start, to be honest,

that was the kind of upward

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trajectory to the Olympics.

235

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After each major competition,

someone was told, that's it, you're off.

236

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You're not good enough.

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Until that was four left

for the for the Olympics.

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And then three of us rode

all three rounds.

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So it was, Yeah, that's a quick journey

into my life as a cyclist.

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I'm sure we'll get deeper.

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A quick explanation, for their viewers,

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back then, the women's team

pursuit was a team of three.

243

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Now it has a team of four.

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I don't know when it changed,

but back then it was a team for three,

245

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for a women's teams

pursuit on a track right?

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Yes. Three women, three kilometers.

247

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It changed in 2013

248

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to become kind of parallel with the men.

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So it's now for women four kilometers.

250

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But when I rode in the Olympics

it was three kilometers, three women.

251

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And it was myself, Laura Trott and Joanna

Rowsell that rode the the Olympic Games.

252

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Well, there's so many things to

unpack from your your last answer.

253

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I always wondered, because Rod Ellingworth

is a good friend of mine and was a

254

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mentor, is a mentor of mine, and he would

he was one of the guys that ran

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that, program to go to the schools

and see the kids and to test the kids,

256

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and I didn't know that it was tiered

like that into you do one.

257

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And then if you pass that,

you do another one and another one.

258

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I so,

so thank you for filling me in on that.

259

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I'm going to have to get him.

260

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Or are you on again to basically do

261

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one whole episode asking about that

because it was so effective?

262

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I mean, you know, it's difficult over here

in the US to, to, to find that talent.

263

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But you guys definitely did it

and continue to do it.

264

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So, yeah, you got stuck in for sure.

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:

I mean, it is brutal.

266

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Like I was on the road side of British

Cycling a little bit when I worked at Sky,

267

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and I would just hear little rumors

and, you know, around the

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when I, when I would spend time up there

in Manchester of how

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many to lead difficult

the selection process was like

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that was hard that that was the

it really honestly was the hardest for me

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and I was very lucky that I had supportive

friends and family outside the bubble

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because it was

you've hit the nail on the head.

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It was absolutely brutal.

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and that was something that you would

worry about every single day.

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When you went into the track,

everything was scrutinized,

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and I think that's why

they got the best out of us.

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But it was done in quite a brutal way.

278

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You know,

there was people on this journey told

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after a World Cup

at the baggage carousel at the airport

280

:

that that was it, that

their journey to the Olympics had ended

281

:

and then they weren't

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coming into the track on Monday

morning for the track session,

283

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and you were always worrying about

284

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whether that was going to be you or not,

even up even up to the Olympic final.

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So there was four of us

that went to the holding camp,

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which was two weeks before the games.

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We were told a week before who was in

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round one

the night before, who was in round two

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and 30 minutes before the final,

who was riding the final.

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So not only trying to perform up

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to the absolute pinnacle of your ability,

but also in

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the back of your mind is thinking,

am I going to get to the next round?

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Am I going to be in this final?

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Because, you know,

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they could just put someone else in,

which is very different to most Olympians

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because I guess injury or illness aside,

someone should know a year before

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if they're going to be lining up

in the Olympics, you know,

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at least six months before

not and 30 minutes before the Olympic

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final, because, you know,

they're going to keep that from you.

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Scrutinize the ride,

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look at the bar chart that they used

to see who's slowing the team down, who's

302

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pick it up too much and then tell you

that you're in the final.

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It's it's brutal.

304

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But but that's what I mean.

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It was

so that around the baggage carousel, hey,

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you're off the team sort of thing.

307

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Where it's some of the stories

that I heard, but you just told us

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that you actually got kicked off the team

multiple times.

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And I know the people at British

310

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Cycling like, once their head is made up,

you know, once their decision is made.

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I mean, how did

312

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you get back into the selection like,

other than performing?

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I mean, mentally going through

314

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that multiple times and then coming out

the other side eventually.

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And we'll get into this later with,

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with some amazing results,

including the Olympic gold medal.

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But yeah, what was what was that like?

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And how did you how did you get stuck

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in, as you said, and, and combat that?

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it was all for remember getting

the letter because you had to apply

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for the Olympic Development Program,

which was, sorry, the academy.

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So I was on the Olympic

development program for sprint,

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then the Olympic Development program

for endurance,

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and then the next tier in the pyramid

was the Academy.

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And I applied for two years,

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and I was told for two years in a row

that I wasn't good enough.

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:

and I think those words in those words,

you get a letter.

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Yeah.

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I mean, I was told that

I wasn't good enough by a specific coach,

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but in the letter it's a little bit nicer

word.

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Not like, you know, but ultimately,

I think it was one coach

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that maybe didn't believe in me

or didn't think I was good enough

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that had the power over

whether I go on to the next level or not.

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And I think I was so young still,

I was only maybe 17,

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16, 17,

that is young, so, so still pretty young.

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:

And I loved what I was doing.

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I always I'd always dreamt

of being an Olympic and world champion.

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I didn't care what sport it was in.

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I was never

I didn't come from a cycling background,

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:

so I was never a passionate bike rider.

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But I loved competition.

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I loved elite sport.

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I got goosebumps watching anything

because I felt that I,

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I don't know, I just love pushing myself

and that feeling of success. So

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what I was told I wasn't good enough.

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I remember crying for days on end

and my parents again

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:

were the best thing in this journey

because they just kept me believing.

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I never really believed in myself.

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Throughout my whole career,

I didn't really believe in myself.

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I always had to be picked up a lot,

but I guess there was

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:

something in a

that just kept me going. I'm.

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It's really hard to put into words

what that is.

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I think maybe as a parent

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you would know more because my, my dad

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:

especially,

you always knew there was something in me.

356

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I think you can kind of see it in kids,

whether they've got that

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:

internal motivation to keep going when new

people tell you you're not good enough.

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I remember when I used to swim,

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:

something that sticks with me is that my

we used to have to get up really,

360

:

really early for swimming sessions

before school, and my parents said,

361

:

if you wake us up, we will take you.

362

:

So I had to set my alarm and wait

my parents up and they would take me.

363

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So it never came from them.

364

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It was always for me

because I wanted to do it.

365

:

And I think now as a pair of myself,

I think, wow, that's actually really

366

:

powerful because you hear about kids

living through the parents type thing.

367

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It's their parents

dream, it's not their kids dream,

368

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and the parents want them to do it

more than they want to do it themselves.

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But that was never the case with me.

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I always wanted to do it,

and I don't really know.

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Well, I can't really answer that question.

372

:

And I think going back to your question,

Bobby, it's more

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that that was just it drives inside me

that kept me going.

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And I had the support from my parents

who would help me find a coach,

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:

and I just kept training.

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:

And then I went to

those national championships, did well.

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:

And then it was a different coach,

Paul Manning,

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:

who I had a very good relationship

with that obviously saw the talent in me

379

:

and maybe the hard work that I would have

had to have done, not being on the team

380

:

to get to that point.

381

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and then that was it.

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So, don't want to go too much into it,

but it sounds like, eihter.

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You've got to be mentally extremely strong

to work under pressure

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or to take the decision

to new that you out,

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or you got to have a really good support

network, right?

386

:

Like close friends or a partner

387

:

or having, your parents on your side,

your siblings.

388

:

Otherwise, if you're 17, you got to,

actually know you're not good enough.

389

:

Maybe nicer words in the letter,

that's hard to take, right?

390

:

Really hard, 100%.

391

:

If it wasn't for them, it wasn't for.

392

:

So my husband,

who was my boyfriend at the time,

393

:

his dad was actually coaching me.

394

:

So it's Luke Rowe.

395

:

So my husband is Luke Rowe’s brother

Luke Rowe’s dad.

396

:

He's been a coach for many, many,

many years.

397

:

Was coaching me at the time.

398

:

And they all just stuck,

you know, got behind me,

399

:

kind of stuck together,

kept supporting me.

400

:

I kept right in, obviously.

401

:

but if it if it wasn't for them,

there's no way I would have kept on.

402

:

I would have listened to them and thought,

I'm not.

403

:

I'm not going to be good enough.

404

:

Maybe I'd have tried another sport.

405

:

and I think, you know,

that is half the battle,

406

:

especially with young, young kids.

407

:

It's so much about the

the support network.

408

:

Otherwise

it would be so easy to just give up

409

:

because you need those parents to drive

you up and down the country.

410

:

You need the coach to to still believe

411

:

in you and say, okay, that person's told

you you're not good enough.

412

:

But we still believe.

413

:

And if you're still enjoying it, then

let's crack on and see what we can do.

414

:

Wow. Yeah,

415

:

you absolutely hit that on the head.

416

:

I mean, you have to have

that support around you, but

417

:

so we've talked about the pressure

surrounding the:

418

:

Let's hear about your positive memories

of of the games.

419

:

I mean, there's a lot that goes into it.

420

:

And we know that the pressure is there.

421

:

But tell us some of the good stuff.

422

:

Oh where do I start?

423

:

It was incredible.

424

:

Everything about it,

you know, it was my dream.

425

:

And to be at a home Olympic

Games was just amazing.

426

:

I remember pressure, but good pressure

because we were flying at the time.

427

:

we actually broke six consecutive world

records with the three in London as well.

428

:

So we we'd broken three beforehand

and then we broke

429

:

three in each round of the Olympic Games.

430

:

But I was sharing a room

in the holding camp with Laura

431

:

Kenny, she was Laura Trott at the time,

432

:

and we got a newspaper through the

through the door of the hotel,

433

:

and it had something like most

likely gold medals of the London Olympics.

434

:

And we were number one.

435

:

And we said, oh my goodness, there, hang

in this medal around my neck

436

:

before we've got on the track, you know,

but we work with,

437

:

Professor Steve Peters,

438

:

the psychologist, psychiatrist,

439

:

and he was amazing and still is amazing.

440

:

I, you know, seeing him up all day long,

I still speak to him now.

441

:

And I'm having a wobble about motherhood,

442

:

because I'm a big worrier,

and I worry about everything.

443

:

but he was so instrumental

to so many of our performances

444

:

because there was that pressure on us,

but we just had the best time.

445

:

I was only what was I, 21?

446

:

So I was so young at the Olympics

and it was just one big party,

447

:

really, from,

448

:

you know, the moment we got there

and we had all of our,

449

:

all of our kit GB kit,

went to the Olympic Village and we saw

450

:

all these superstars from other teams

and it was just the best feeling.

451

:

And although we were nervous,

we knew we were flying because we'd

452

:

we'd ridden a world record in training

before

453

:

we got to the, the Olympics.

454

:

and then yeah,

455

:

in terms of the,

the race in, it all went perfectly.

456

:

We rode three world records.

457

:

We nearly, caught America in the final.

458

:

And then after the games was

where I could really, really enjoy it

459

:

because obviously leading up to the race,

that's all you're thinking

460

:

And you don't really let yourself

think that it's the Olympics.

461

:

And that's what Steve Peters helped us do.

462

:

You know, this was just another race.

463

:

This is what we would have been doing day

in, day out.

464

:

yeah.

465

:

To could just control the controllables

what we were in control of.

466

:

And that was going as fast as we could

467

:

on a bike, around a wooden bowl.

468

:

And that's how he would put it

into perspective for us.

469

:

but after that, it was just

we were like superstars.

470

:

Sir Paul McCartney was stood in the crowd.

471

:

He got the whole crowd singing

Hey Jude stood on the podium.

472

:

I remember thinking,

I need to soak this in

473

:

as much as I can, because this moment

is going to be gone so quickly.

474

:

But oh my goodness, this is just amazing.

475

:

Oh, my dreams have come true.

476

:

You know, I've dreamt of being world

an Olympic champion.

477

:

I became world champion

in:

478

:

And then this was the Olympics

and my family and friends were there.

479

:

And then we just partied, you know,

and we got to do some amazing things

480

:

after the games from meeting very,

481

:

very famous people, going out nightclub

and every single night,

482

:

going on holidays.

483

:

Yeah. It was just a very,

484

:

a whirlwind, a whirlwind

and something that I'll never forget.

485

:

And, wasn't it,

486

:

that moment or the day

you want your medal?

487

:

Wasn't it like these golden afternoon

of British sports or something?

488

:

Please explain that a little more

to our, to our listeners.

489

:

Sure. Yeah.

490

:

So it was the 4th of August 2012,

and it was deemed Super Saturday by

491

:

the British media because it was the day

that Great Britain won six gold medals.

492

:

So. Oh, you're going to this will test me

now, I knew those three in athletics.

493

:

So it was Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and Greg

Rutherford us on the track and then I

494

:

believe there were two in the rowing lake

495

:

but yeah, don't quote me on that.

496

:

You got all of them.

497

:

our producer is is from the UK

498

:

and he put this all down, so.

499

:

Oh, nice. Nice memory there.

500

:

Nice memory there. Yeah.

501

:

So that was Super Saturday.

502

:

So yeah, it was just unbelievable.

503

:

I remember, you know, getting back to the

the room and my phone had gone crazy.

504

:

just the opportunities we got after were.

505

:

Yeah, it's really even hard

to put it into words.

506

:

It just gave me goosebumps.

507

:

And we felt like we were just

living on a cloud for, well, not that long

508

:

because we had to do a World Cup

in Glasgow in October and it was hell.

509

:

I got dropped and it was the worst team

pursuit I've ever done in my life.

510

:

If you've ever done a team pursuit,

511

:

it's the best when you go, well, I'm

the worst if you're not

512

:

because you start out like a sore thumb

513

:

and obviously you can't lose someone

when there's three riders.

514

:

So now with four, you can lose a ride up.

515

:

But back then you couldn't.

516

:

So you just had to hang on as long as,

as long as possible.

517

:

And I was just flapping off the back

for about the last kilometer.

518

:

Here's my little experience

was that I was, I believe, 16

519

:

German championships four kilometers.

520

:

I mean, I still had like these points,

race style bike with flat spokes.

521

:

We didn't have discs.

522

:

I mean, I'm talking 1986. Maybe.

523

:

And so I was the third spare.

524

:

So the first guy flopped,

the spare guy went, oh, I feel sick.

525

:

The next spare guy “ohhh but no”,

and they came to me.

526

:

I was not even the picture really said,

527

:

okay Jens listen,

we need two pulls Jens, two pulls.

528

:

It was actually in Cottbus, the track

you talked about the 330 meter, concrete.

529

:

And I said, look Jens,

we want three pulls.

530

:

And and you go up

and you scream on top of your lungs.

531

:

Three men left so I said okay, okay,

two pullsI can do this.

532

:

Yeah.

533

:

So I started last position and I did

my two pulls and there was three men left.

534

:

And then we won a bronze medal.

535

:

So that's how I

actually had a bronze medal.

536

:

at the junior championships.

537

:

But the other ones

were absolutely absolute legends.

538

:

But I just jumped in, like,

because nobody else wanted to.

539

:

And I know what you mean.

540

:

It is terrible if you're not in shape

or if your technique is not good

541

:

and you're afraid when you come down,

you're too close to touch the wheel

542

:

or too far off,

so you have to sprint to catch the,

543

:

There's so many things

that could go wrong, I know.

544

:

Yeah.

545

:

so the team pursuit

546

:

was obviously your jam, and,

you know, you,

547

:

like you

on the World Championships in:

548

:

the Olympics in 2012,

the world's up to:

549

:

So, you know, you were in the know

550

:

of everything that was going

on, you know, the gears and whatnot.

551

:

I know it's

552

:

it's what, three Olympic cycles later and,

553

:

you know, it sounds like you're

you're still kind of attached to us.

554

:

UK cycling, the track program.

555

:

And as a commentator,

how have you seen the sport of women's

556

:

team pursuit changed from

n you won the Olympic gold in:

557

:

Until now, for example, I don't know,

558

:

gears, equipment, pacing times.

559

:

How has it changed?

560

:

yeah, it's changed quite a lot.

561

:

The gears are a lot bigger,

even though we rode

562

:

pretty big gears, but now even bigger

because they're getting faster.

563

:

So already we were spinning about.

564

:

I think my average cadence in the Olympic

final was about

565

:

122 is so fast.

566

:

but and that was on,

567

:

I think, something like 100.8in gear.

568

:

So I don't know what that would be kind of

chainring versus sprocket,

569

:

but it was pretty big,

but now a lot bigger.

570

:

The positions have changed a lot.

571

:

So if I look back at my position,

it was awful.

572

:

My head was right in the sky.

573

:

now obviously we've got a more head

to hands position

574

:

that you see on the road as well.

575

:

So you've come up higher, but you've got

your kind of frontal areas a lot smaller.

576

:

and then

577

:

in terms of

pacing, I think they use in longer terms.

578

:

So you're getting more rest than what

we were when it was three kilometers.

579

:

So you'll see riders do in longer

turns up to sometimes three laps.

580

:

I mean, I know Katie

Archibald was an absolute machine

581

:

and unfortunately she's not going

to the Olympics because she, she broke

582

:

her leg only a couple of weeks ago,

but she was doing monster

583

:

turns in the British team pursuit squad,

and it just enables everyone

584

:

to have more rest and more recovery,

to be able to then give more on the front.

585

:

But there the

586

:

the probably the biggest changes that

I've seen, technology will always change.

587

:

So they've probably got a lot of faster

equipment now, faster skin.

588

:

So even though we did a lot of testing,

we had

589

:

specific

skin suits made for us for the Olympics.

590

:

We did do a little bit of wind

tunnel work, but not a huge amount.

591

:

And then, yeah,

I mean, our bikes were great at the time,

592

:

but even even

they will be getting faster and faster,

593

:

which is what we're seeing on the track

and on the road.

594

:

All these records

are being broken every year.

595

:

So yeah, I'm sorry Jensie.

596

:

I just have one more follow

up question to that. So

597

:

when you're

598

:

on the front pulling in a team

pursuit versus

599

:

when you're fourth in the draft,

what is the difference there?

600

:

Like what do you what what are you pulling

to basically pace a team.

601

:

And what what

do you have to sustain to recover?

602

:

Okay, I got to try to think back

to what I used to do now,

603

:

I believe

when I was on the front of the team

604

:

pursuit squad, I'd have been doing about

605

:

450W versus

606

:

about 270 280 in the line.

607

:

So quite a lot, quite a big difference.

608

:

Yeah.

609

:

And then off the start

I'd probably hit over

610

:

1000W in the start

because our start was fast.

611

:

we used to come out quite hard

612

:

as we had quite the three of us were fast.

613

:

So myself, Laura and Joanna.

614

:

Joanna was in, so it was Laura.

615

:

where were we now?

616

:

Laura man one and then Joanna

and then myself at the games.

617

:

So we'd just get off the,

618

:

off the mark pretty quick

and then just be able to sustain it,

619

:

because it wouldn't

take too much out of us.

620

:

We were all.

621

:

Yeah.

622

:

Could sprint over 1000W pretty easily.

623

:

you mentioned Katie Archibald.

624

:

do you have any news?

625

:

for our listeners,

she had the ticket for the Olympics.

626

:

She was an important

part of the British team.

627

:

And she actually happened to fall over

in her garden, and, yeah,

628

:

in this weird accident.

629

:

Broke her leg in a terrible way. Right.

630

:

So did she needed surgery.

631

:

And is she back on the bike on recovery,

or do you have any news about her?

632

:

I don't have any more news

than anyone else who follows her

633

:

on social media.

634

:

She could have won three gold medals.

635

:

I'm not going to say quite easily,

but she was looking very, very good for

636

:

for three golds for the omnium, Madison

and the team pursuit on the track.

637

:

And then.

638

:

Yeah, like you said,

she had a freak accident in the garden.

639

:

no no no no more than that really

broke her leg in a couple of places.

640

:

Required surgery

and is now, rehab, not back on the bike.

641

:

Yeah.

642

:

The recent post I saw,

I think she'd just come out of a cast

643

:

because she was saying

644

:

how she'd lost so much muscle,

you know, when it's in a cast.

645

:

But I'm not sure exactly where she is

now, but it's just heartbreaking.

646

:

obviously, you know, when you're so close

647

:

to the Olympic Games in the shape

she was in, I just.

648

:

Yeah.

649

:

Hope she's got a lot of support

behind her, because

650

:

I'd love to see her come back from it.

651

:

Over here in the US.

652

:

You know,

we don't know so much about track racing.

653

:

You know, it's not super popular.

654

:

Can you just give a short few word

answer to explain the track events

655

:

that are going to be in the Olympics

this year?

656

:

starting off with the team

pursuit, team pursuit, obviously

657

:

four kilometers is for women or for men,

658

:

and it's what it says on the tin.

659

:

You just share the workload, try

and get from A to B as quickly as you can.

660

:

So 16 laps around the track,

the time is taken

661

:

on the third rider that crosses the line.

662

:

Okay,

this is one that I kind of understand,

663

:

but maybe you could shed a little bit

more light on it.

664

:

The team sprint.

665

:

Yeah.

666

:

So team sprint again is a sprint event.

667

:

So as quick as you can go

for three laps, but

668

:

one rider will pull off each time.

669

:

So you start with three.

670

:

Then the front rider will lead off.

671

:

Two riders slot in behind.

672

:

He'll go as fast as he can off.

673

:

She'll go as fast as she can swings off,

let the other two riders through.

674

:

They will then do another lap.

675

:

The front rider swings off

676

:

and that will leave

that one rider left to do that last lap.

677

:

And again,

it's the fastest team that wins.

678

:

Okay, how about the keirin,

679

:

I've seen this before

and I still don't really understand it.

680

:

Okay, so the keirin, it's

the one with the funny bike.

681

:

I always try and how I explain it.

682

:

So there's like a a motorbike

that gets the riders up

683

:

to speed, that swings off

with two and a half laps to go.

684

:

I believe I wasn't a sprinter,

so I didn't pay too much attention to it.

685

:

And then they just fight it out then.

686

:

So I think there's normally about,

687

:

I want to say

688

:

6 or 8 riders in a final,

689

:

and then it's just absolute carnage

for two and a half laps where they sprint

690

:

behind the dirt or the dirty,

so the motorbike is pulled off

691

:

and then they give it hell for leather

and see who crosses the line first.

692

:

But it's all argy bargy and there's always

crashes and it's so fast.

693

:

And I hate watching it

because it makes me very nervous.

694

:

The way they explained it to me

when I was young, is the

695

:

keirin is the event

where places three and five crash

696

:

and slide across the finish line

that’s how they explained it to

697

:

me? Right?

698

:

That basically backs up

what you just said, right?

699

:

Yeah, it is exactly that.

700

:

There's always crashes you oh,

there's always riders

701

:

trying to get into gaps

that aren't even there.

702

:

And then it just ends in

I mean, it's amazing to watch, but

703

:

I yeah, I never enjoyed it

when I did a little bit of sprints

704

:

in myself,

I just went from the gun and got caught.

705

:

Hence why I got kicked off

that program was the, I think the sprint,

706

:

is, is pretty self-explanatory,

so we won't have to go through that.

707

:

But can you shed a little

bit of light on the omnium?

708

:

Yes. So

709

:

that's actually changed quite a lot

since I was riding.

710

:

there's four races in the omnium now,

so there's a scratch race,

711

:

individual pursuit, elimination

race at a points right.

712

:

And that is then combined to the total.

713

:

So your your combined points

then give you that overall score.

714

:

So it's basically the best of a collection

of different races.

715

:

And the Madison we've seen this one.

716

:

This one is kind of known in the US.

717

:

But explain a little bit about the Madison

okay.

718

:

So the Madison is the longest race

I think maybe by the points race

719

:

you're in teams of two and you're

both riding around the track, but

720

:

only one rider is in the race at a time,

721

:

and it's almost like a relay race.

722

:

When you reach your partner,

you swing them in

723

:

using your hand, handsswing,

and then they will take over and you rest.

724

:

Then at the top of the track

while they're racing around the bottom.

725

:

And when they catch you again,

they use the hand sling you in.

726

:

And again there's loads of crashes.

Is that absolute carnage?

727

:

You can hardly follow

what's going on, but it's brilliant.

728

:

So if you wouldn't

have done the team pursuit

729

:

if you weren't a team pursuit

specialist of those other Olympic

730

:

events that we just talked about

and you explained so well,

731

:

which one would you go for

if you couldn't pick the team pursuit?

732

:

Well, there was only the team pursuit

and the omnium

733

:

that were available to to us

when we were riding as endurance riders.

734

:

And I'd actually ridden a few omnium,

735

:

it was myself and Laura that would go in

for that spot at the Olympics.

736

:

so I medaled in a few World Cups

that I've done in the omnium.

737

:

So I did enjoy that.

738

:

But Laura was obviously Laura,

so she got the spot

739

:

and then I enjoyed the Madison as well.

740

:

So myself and Laura have been national

Madison champions.

741

:

and I loved it.

742

:

So to be honest, all of them.

743

:

I really like track racing.

744

:

if I had to pick one,

I'd probably go Madison,

745

:

because I really like the thought

of riding racing with someone else

746

:

and being able to share that

with someone else.

747

:

Like the team pursuit.

748

:

In a way,

I really liked that collective goal,

749

:

working together with other people to

to reach it and then target.

750

:

But I enjoyed the omnium as

well, so it's hard to answer.

751

:

in your

752

:

last training camp or last days or,

you know, maybe not days,

753

:

but weeks before the World

Championships, the Olympics.

754

:

How would your training be looking like?

755

:

I mean, you train for an event

756

:

that's like just a little more

than three minutes, right?

757

:

Or maybe four and a half or four minutes

nowadays.

758

:

Is it just all anaerobic?

759

:

Max, Max, Max, max

760

:

and just suffer until you got, like,

lactic acid, like coming out of your ears

761

:

or you actually, do like some normal

three hour, like, endurance rides as well.

762

:

Also, just all on the track and full gas.

763

:

No. So we did a Pre-Olympic camp

in New York.

764

:

we used to do a lot of camps in Mallorca,

and we would combine a lot of road,

765

:

a lot of our training with our efforts.

766

:

So we would just do

general three hour rides.

767

:

We didn't do a lot of riding without,

with our efforts.

768

:

A lot of our rides had effort.

769

:

So the, I guess the easiest type of ride

770

:

we would do if it wasn't a rest day

would be like a zone two ride.

771

:

So kind of just at that niggly type

pace for a couple of hours.

772

:

but we would also do a lot of efforts.

773

:

So 20/40s was a big one.

774

:

I don't know if you're,

775

:

you know, Mallorca, but

there's a very famous climb Sa Calobra.

776

:

And we used to have to do 20/40s up there.

777

:

So 20s full gas as hard as you could,

and then 40s

778

:

just basically to, to keep you upright

because on Sa Calobra it’s pretty steep.

779

:

So to just keep moving,

you still probably have to do.

780

:

I was probably still having to do around

I dunno, at least 150,

781

:

if not 200 watts and then Bam, go again.

782

:

And we do kind of blocks of

783

:

maybe like ten minutes at a time,

which was pretty tough.

784

:

And then we would do

a lot of split days as well.

785

:

So we might do a two hour zone

to ride in the morning,

786

:

and then in the afternoon we'd go up

and down the coast and do capacity for so

787

:

three minutes, trying to average

as high power as you can.

788

:

So not so full.

789

:

Got a full gas from the off,

but just to try and measure your effort

790

:

throughout three minutes and try and have

the highest average that you could.

791

:

And that was really hard.

792

:

So a lot of specific training,

but we'd still probably be doing

793

:

at least

794

:

15 hours on the road awake, I would say.

795

:

But very specific to team pursuit effort.

796

:

Well, that that's a great transition

797

:

because obviously, again,

you were doing a lot of road riding,

798

:

a lot of training on the road,

and you also raced a lot on the road.

799

:

you know, the Commonwealth Games

you did Fleche Wallone

800

:

You came to the Tour of California.

801

:

You even did the the race in Philadelphia,

which was the biggest race in America

802

:

back then.

803

:

You did Strade Bianche,

Tour Down Under, Giro d'Italia feminine.

804

:

I mean, you raced all over the world

on the road.

805

:

how how was how was that experience

after coming off such a successful career

806

:

on the track and then getting to do

all these different road races?

807

:

I actually love the road and I race

quite a lot on the road before and whilst

808

:

I was still training on the track,

so I actually got,

809

:

I medaled in the under 23

national championships back in.

810

:

I think it was 2008,

so I would have been 18.

811

:

And then I got signed into Vision One,

which was Nicole Cooke's team,

812

:

and she, won the Beijing road race.

813

:

yeah.

814

:

One of British, Britain's most successful

road women.

815

:

she had a team called Vision One.

816

:

So I did a lot of race it out in Belgium

when we went out and stayed in Italy

817

:

for a training camp,

did a few big races back then.

818

:

So something

that I always really enjoyed.

819

:

So after the track and when I transferred

onto the road, that's

820

:

when I kind of really focused on it

for a few years.

821

:

yeah, I again, it was very,

very different from the track.

822

:

We were allowed to live

where we wanted to live.

823

:

So when I was on the track,

we had to be based in Manchester

824

:

with the British team,

825

:

and if we were on the road

then we could be wherever we wanted

826

:

because it was,

827

:

you know, down to our road contracts

and our road teams to be happy

828

:

with where we were.

829

:

I always stayed in the UK.

830

:

and then kind of flew out

to races from there.

831

:

But yeah, I love I love the road.

832

:

I was, I was okay.

833

:

And if I've carried on after 20 18

when I stopped,

834

:

I think I probably would have carried

on doing better than that.

835

:

I've done in 2018

and I had a good year in:

836

:

I just felt that I achieved everything

837

:

and more that I ever dreamt of,

and I wanted to start a family,

838

:

something not really cycling related

when you get to Commonwealth Games

839

:

and for me, as an outside European,

what is going on there?

840

:

Sometimes you be England,

sometimes you be the United Kingdom,

841

:

and sometimes you are Great Britain.

842

:

Well, what is all that about?

843

:

Like can you like make it like easy

and on the break it down for me

844

:

as a stupid continental European

because how can you have three different

845

:

nationalities for the Commonwealth Games,

846

:

for Olympics, for whatever

the World Championships and so on?

847

:

Oh God, don't ask me.

848

:

I have no idea. I just do what I'm told.

849

:

I mean, obviously Great Britain is made up

of different countries, so England, N.

850

:

Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

851

:

So I actually live in Wales,

but I'm English.

852

:

but yeah.

853

:

So in the Commonwealth Games

you would compete as either England, N.

854

:

Ireland, Scotland and Wales

855

:

and when it's the Olympics or the World

Championships it's Great Britain.

856

:

So you would have athletes,

English athletes,

857

:

Welsh athletes, Scottish athletes

that will all compete for Great Britain.

858

:

Thank you very much for clarifying that.

859

:

Great.

Not just a pretty face there, Jensie.

860

:

That's a great question.

861

:

I think we all struggle with that one.

862

:

you know, this year in the tour de France,

863

:

Yonas van ago had, you know,

he finished second in the tour de France.

864

:

I don't think

he needs to be sad about that.

865

:

But after his crash down in Pay Basque

866

:

he had a very similar injury

that you suffered in:

867

:

which was a, snapped

rib cage and collapsed lung.

868

:

you also spent ten days

in, in the hospital.

869

:

Can you give us a little bit of info

870

:

on the recovery back to full convalescence

after that sort of injury,

871

:

because it had us all kind

of scratching our heads

872

:

this year, watching him recover

so fast and perform so well in the tour.

873

:

Yeah, it was remarkable, to be honest,

because I could somewhat

874

:

relate to, you know, what he had

come back from.

875

:

So I had a very bad accident. Yeah.

876

:

Like you said in 2014,

I was out just with a club run,

877

:

a local club run,

a group of guys, actually,

878

:

and we were on our way back

and it was raining.

879

:

Typical Wales, and there was a pothole

that was covered in water

880

:

and someone in front of me went into it,

881

:

lost his hands on his

balls, went over the bars,

882

:

and then I had nowhere to go.

883

:

So I went into the back of him

over my bars.

884

:

Initially, when I hit the floor.

885

:

I think you do this as a rider.

886

:

You kind of think, am I okay?

What have I done?

887

:

It must have been a split second later,

the 100 kilo

888

:

ex rugby player rode into my back.

889

:

did all of that damage.

890

:

So the impact broke ten ribs

and punctured my lung.

891

:

And initially

I remember thinking or saying,

892

:

I will never ride a bike again,

and I thought I was going to die.

893

:

It was.

894

:

It was all for I remember

being in the ambulance initially.

895

:

I was on the ground for an hour

because the the ambulance took

896

:

that long to come

and there was injuries everywhere.

897

:

because on the face of it, I looked okay.

898

:

I was the last one to be seen because,

you know, some people would hit their head

899

:

and it looked catastrophic,

but actually they were fine.

900

:

Even so, all of my injuries were internal

and I was still conscious. So

901

:

when I got

902

:

into the ambulance,

I was in a lot of pain.

903

:

And then I was in intensive

care for a couple of nights

904

:

because I broke my wrist,

two of my ribs in two places,

905

:

and they said if that bit of rib

had become kind of dislodged,

906

:

it would be floated

with my internal organs and that would be

907

:

really like catastrophic,

probably wouldn't survive.

908

:

And then with the punctured lung,

909

:

you would be in intensive care anyway

because I had a chest drain.

910

:

because I had a pneumothorax

on a human thorax.

911

:

So I had,

912

:

like, fluid in and air out.

913

:

So I had to have a chest drain.

914

:

I mean, it took ages.

915

:

I don't know how I did it.

916

:

It's incredible because I

917

:

don't think I touched the bike

918

:

for six weeks at least,

and then slowly got back on my bike.

919

:

I mentally I was petrified.

920

:

I remember having to go down

the longest stretch of road

921

:

that I knew of, where I could see

as far into the distance as possible,

922

:

so I knew I didn't have to brake,

or I could see very clearly.

923

:

I could see every hole on the road

because I was just, yeah, really worried.

924

:

But yeah, it didn't take me long

to get back and wanting to race again,

925

:

even though initially

I said I'm never riding a bike again,

926

:

it was even when I had a chest strain,

I was begging the physio in the hospital

927

:

to take me down to the gym in the hospital

and let me ride a bike

928

:

in the hospital because, yeah,

I think we're not all there are.

929

:

We are athletes.

930

:

but I was so keen to get back on the bike

after initially getting over

931

:

the trauma of the accident.

932

:

and then I think I raced again, maybe.

933

:

I don't

934

:

think probably about four months later,

935

:

so maybe 16 weeks ish.

936

:

But it was the worst pain I've ever felt.

937

:

I think if you've ever broken ribs,

it is so.

938

:

They're so painful.

939

:

And obviously I've broken ten, so

I had to have an IV epidural where they,

940

:

I think, kind of block your upper body

in terms of the pain that you're feeling.

941

:

they give it to, mothers when they have

942

:

a caesarean section

when they cut the baby out.

943

:

so I had that for a couple of days

and then had to

944

:

just be on very high painkillers

after that.

945

:

just a quick explanation.

946

:

The human body has 12 pairs of ribs. 24.

947

:

So if Dani broke ten roughly,

we could say she broke half of him.

948

:

That is actually terrible.

949

:

But fascinating

that you came back from that.

950

:

Yeah.

951

:

So I broke eight separate ribs,

but two of them were broken in two places.

952

:

So, yeah, nearly all of them on one side.

953

:

but yeah, I think I just wasn't done

with, with cycling.

954

:

And I wanted to, Yeah, ride again.

955

:

I actually really wanted to be selected

for the Rio Olympics on the road.

956

:

And actually, again,

957

:

I did everything that I was supposed to do

in terms of the British selection.

958

:

but some another rider

got selected over me

959

:

because they could double up

in the time trial on the road race.

960

:

but yeah, that doesn't matter.

961

:

In hindsight, I think it's quite good

that I've got one Olympic memory,

962

:

and that's the the London Olympics

where we won gold.

963

:

But I love, you know, road

racing was something that I did for

964

:

what, nearly

so five years, after the Olympics.

965

:

But I guess fully focused

for probably two, sort of six.

966

:

Well, ‘16, ’17, ‘18,

where I was riding for, for Wiggle

967

:

and then for a while deals with my of,

968

:

well, an easier question.

969

:

as a woman, it is it requires

more planning to become a parent.

970

:

Right.

971

:

So my wife,

I mean, we have six children, right?

972

:

I'm a cyclist.

973

:

So I was gone a lot.

974

:

So in all this,

my wife is actually the hero, right.

975

:

Because she had to do a lot of work

when I was gone.

976

:

Exploring the world for you as a woman,

977

:

was it a if we allowed to ask?

978

:

It was a was it a conscious decision

to wait for after the career

979

:

because nowadays,

the Olympic circle is for years.

980

:

If you have a child within the first year,

you could still have a comeback

981

:

in the next three years.

982

:

Did that ever cross your mind

or is it not?

983

:

I won't have children when I have time for

them and I can stay at home.

984

:

It was actually quite different

even in:

985

:

You know, in the last

sort of 2 or 3 years, it's changed a lot.

986

:

And we're seeing a lot more athletes or

bike riders coming back after motherhood.

987

:

But it was something that I never wanted

to do for me and my psychology.

988

:

I if I was doing something I wanted to

just do that one thing.

989

:

and I had to be so selfish as an athlete,

990

:

and my thought process was,

991

:

I don't want to go to bed at night,

be woken up by a baby

992

:

and be annoyed because I've got four hours

training the next day

993

:

I want to be woken up by a baby and think,

994

:

okay, I'll just have to drink

more coffee tomorrow and it's fine.

995

:

I didn't want to feel any sort of,

996

:

I don't know, all almost

997

:

anger on on any child

that I was bringing into this world

998

:

because they were going to have

a detrimental effect on my training.

999

:

I just wanted to be a mum after

:

00:54:24,760 --> 00:54:28,080

after that and just focus on

being the best mum I could be.

:

00:54:28,080 --> 00:54:32,040

And that's not taking anything away

from these women who who are coming back

:

00:54:32,040 --> 00:54:36,360

from, being a mother or having a child

and coming back into the sport.

:

00:54:36,360 --> 00:54:39,720

I salute them because I think it's amazing

and I couldn't have done it.

:

00:54:40,160 --> 00:54:43,440

You know, I just couldn't of

been the person that I am.

:

00:54:44,080 --> 00:54:49,120

ah, I that's why I stopped in:

because I felt

:

00:54:49,120 --> 00:54:52,160

that I'd achieved everything and more

than I ever dreamt of on the bike.

:

00:54:52,160 --> 00:54:55,320

And I was 28, nearly 29.

:

00:54:55,320 --> 00:54:57,880

I didn't know how long it was

going to take for me to have a baby.

:

00:54:57,880 --> 00:55:00,280

I had enough periods for ten years.

:

00:55:00,280 --> 00:55:02,920

My bone density was low.

:

00:55:02,920 --> 00:55:06,640

you know, I was obviously very lean,

:

00:55:06,720 --> 00:55:10,120

so I was worried that it was going to take

quite a long time as well.

:

00:55:10,120 --> 00:55:13,560

I had no idea if my body's

going to allow me to have a child.

:

00:55:14,080 --> 00:55:18,120

ankfully it did at the end of:

:

00:55:19,040 --> 00:55:20,840

yeah. Here we are, two kids later.

:

00:55:22,560 --> 00:55:23,560

Wow. Right.

:

00:55:23,560 --> 00:55:25,360

Well, I know

we're getting towards the end of our time,

:

00:55:25,360 --> 00:55:29,040

but I have one last question, because

very rarely do we get somebody like you

:

00:55:29,280 --> 00:55:33,360

who was an ex athlete, a commentator,

:

00:55:33,760 --> 00:55:36,480

and you also run Rowe

:

00:55:36,480 --> 00:55:41,280

and King coaching with your husband

and brother in law, Luke,

:

00:55:41,560 --> 00:55:46,200

who has a lot of knowledge around training

:

00:55:46,200 --> 00:55:50,400

because he's been with the, Sky and Ineos

for, for a very, very long time.

:

00:55:50,720 --> 00:55:55,320

So my question is this with your insider

knowledge and experience as a coach,

:

00:55:55,920 --> 00:56:00,280

how can you explain or what do you think

is the the reason

:

00:56:00,280 --> 00:56:04,320

why we have to answer the question

all the time?

:

00:56:04,320 --> 00:56:07,600

How are these riders going so fast?

:

00:56:07,920 --> 00:56:09,120

What do you think?

:

00:56:09,120 --> 00:56:11,280

What would be your answer to that?

:

00:56:11,280 --> 00:56:13,480

Oh, that's a great question.

:

00:56:14,520 --> 00:56:16,080

I think it's the combination

:

00:56:16,080 --> 00:56:20,600

of everything that they are, exposed to.

:

00:56:20,640 --> 00:56:25,280

So the best nutritionist,

the best equipment, the best coaches,

:

00:56:25,880 --> 00:56:28,560

and the best kind of lifestyle

:

00:56:28,560 --> 00:56:31,800

they are all now, I'm talking to Luke.

:

00:56:31,800 --> 00:56:36,120

I know this, and they are putting

everything into their bike.

:

00:56:36,120 --> 00:56:36,360

Right.

:

00:56:36,360 --> 00:56:39,200

And they do not have a life

outside of bike riding.

:

00:56:39,200 --> 00:56:43,000

They are eat, sleep, breathe in, bike ride

and now at altitude

:

00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:46,160

when they are not racing,

:

00:56:46,160 --> 00:56:48,920

they are eating right all the time.

:

00:56:48,920 --> 00:56:51,920

In the off season,

they're not putting on ten kilos anymore.

:

00:56:52,280 --> 00:56:54,320

They might put on a couple,

but they're not.

:

00:56:54,320 --> 00:56:57,600

You know, Luke used to come home, party

every night, put on ten kilos,

:

00:56:57,600 --> 00:57:00,280

and even him in the last few years

wasn't they?

:

00:57:00,280 --> 00:57:04,200

He couldn't do that because he wouldn't

be able to compete in tour Down Under

:

00:57:04,200 --> 00:57:06,800

if he was doing that,

or even the classics.

:

00:57:06,800 --> 00:57:10,680

So I think it's just that combination

of everything.

:

00:57:10,680 --> 00:57:12,160

And in terms of training,

:

00:57:13,600 --> 00:57:15,320

they're just

:

00:57:15,320 --> 00:57:19,320

that training, the demands of they're

then, you know, there, there are altitude

:

00:57:19,320 --> 00:57:22,800

that they know what they have to do

is very scientific now.

:

00:57:22,800 --> 00:57:27,320

So they know exactly what what specially

they're going to have to put out on lap

:

00:57:27,360 --> 00:57:30,360

on that

for how long it's going to take them.

:

00:57:30,600 --> 00:57:31,920

And that's what they're training.

:

00:57:31,920 --> 00:57:34,920

That's what they're doing that day

in day out.

:

00:57:35,280 --> 00:57:39,400

So their body is is used to the demands

that the race is going to put on them

:

00:57:39,400 --> 00:57:41,080

when they when they get to that. Right.

:

00:57:41,080 --> 00:57:44,960

So whether it's the classic season

that they're, that they're targeting now

:

00:57:45,120 --> 00:57:46,800

or the tour de France or the World

:

00:57:46,800 --> 00:57:49,960

Championships,

they work back from that goal

:

00:57:50,120 --> 00:57:51,960

and they'll be training

to the demands of that.

:

00:57:51,960 --> 00:57:56,040

Then from from when they start,

you know, race training in the winter.

:

00:57:56,720 --> 00:57:58,480

and that's what it's all about.

:

00:57:58,480 --> 00:58:00,760

And that's what we do

in our coaching company.

:

00:58:00,760 --> 00:58:04,000

We, you know, if someone comes to us,

they tell us what they want to achieve,

:

00:58:04,000 --> 00:58:07,040

whether that's a race or just to complete

:

00:58:07,160 --> 00:58:10,160

their first ten mile bike ride.

:

00:58:10,320 --> 00:58:13,280

And then we use the time that they've got

and trained specifically

:

00:58:13,280 --> 00:58:17,640

to the demands of whatever the,

the challenges that they want to achieve.

:

00:58:18,680 --> 00:58:20,640

We so need you back on the podcast.

:

00:58:20,640 --> 00:58:23,400

I just have a very quick, easy question.

:

00:58:23,400 --> 00:58:27,120

The answer is only one word for all out

for all three of us.

:

00:58:28,040 --> 00:58:32,400

Maybe we start with a Danny,

If you would be Tadej Pogacar

:

00:58:32,400 --> 00:58:36,480

this year, would you pick the Vuelta

to win another one?

:

00:58:36,480 --> 00:58:38,120

Or would you pick to win the words?

:

00:58:38,120 --> 00:58:39,840

What would you pick?

:

00:58:39,840 --> 00:58:42,120

Worlds, Bobby.

:

00:58:42,120 --> 00:58:43,640

Worlds Vuelta.

:

00:58:43,640 --> 00:58:45,880

For me, that would be historic.

:

00:58:45,880 --> 00:58:47,400

Nobody ever done that.

:

00:58:47,400 --> 00:58:50,400

Thank you for the quick answer.

:

00:58:51,280 --> 00:58:52,000

well, Dani,

:

00:58:52,000 --> 00:58:55,800

we really appreciate you coming on today

and spending so much time with us.

:

00:58:55,800 --> 00:58:59,080

you're going to be busy, but first

:

00:58:59,080 --> 00:59:03,000

and foremost, you get to go and recover

and have a little bit of a vacation.

:

00:59:03,000 --> 00:59:04,360

So enjoy that as well.

:

00:59:04,360 --> 00:59:07,560

And we'll,

we'll have to get you back on the podcast

:

00:59:07,560 --> 00:59:09,000

because we have so many more

:

00:59:09,000 --> 00:59:12,120

little questions that we could talk about

for so much longer.

:

00:59:12,320 --> 00:59:14,600

So, enjoy your vacation.

:

00:59:14,600 --> 00:59:17,600

Thank you very much

for coming on the odd tandem.

:

00:59:18,120 --> 00:59:19,560

Me thank you for having me.

:

00:59:19,560 --> 00:59:20,640

It's been brilliant.

:

00:59:20,640 --> 00:59:24,160

well, that's

everything we have for this week.

:

00:59:24,160 --> 00:59:29,240

Now, please remember to follow us at Odd

Tandem on TikTok,

:

00:59:29,520 --> 00:59:33,720

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and wherever

you get your favorite podcasts.

:

00:59:34,240 --> 00:59:38,200

Thanks a million to Dani

for joining the podcast.

:

00:59:38,280 --> 00:59:41,240

Also remember,

if you want to see the video version

:

00:59:41,240 --> 00:59:45,120

of this podcast,

it is up now on our YouTube channel.

:

00:59:45,160 --> 00:59:50,360

Right now, YouTube.com/@oddtandem.

:

00:59:51,240 --> 00:59:54,600

And if you want a full,

uninterrupted version of this podcast

:

00:59:54,600 --> 00:59:58,880

and your name in the titles,

just head to our Patreon

:

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where you can sign up for $5 a month

in order to keep this podcast going.

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That's Patreon.com/oddtandem

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thanks to our Patreon members Scott,

Steven Kimbrough, Marie Teixeira, Jeff

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Kralik, Brian Colon, Chris Merritt, Tim

Farriss and Jim who have done just that.

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And please remember,

if you want your question in our next

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mailbag episode, make sure you keep

sending us your questions.

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To OddTandem@Shockedgiraffe.com

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or any of our Odd

Tandem social media channels.

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Please keep sharing the

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podcast and keep leaving your reviews

wherever you're listening.

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It really helps us to build our audience.

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