the treacherous bends, somehow getting away with it until there
was one winding high-speed descent between me and the finish.
I never got to the finish. Pushing too hard, I slid into one of the
barriers at 80kph. I broke my nose arm and ankle in 6 places. The
latter has finally stopped from running, my preferred exercise
these days. Life scars I think they’re called.
You’ve always lived on The Wirral, is it a good place to ride
bikes?
Even when a continental professional, I lived and trained here.
The roads are as good as any for training but we also have some
great places, such as the Wirral Way for occasional riders too.
For the past 20 years, I’ve been one of the organisers of the Wirral
Bikeathon, a wonderful family event starting and finishing in
Arrowe Park where’s there’s a jazz band playing to welcome riders
home after their 32 mile jaunt around the peninsula.
Nobody is timed, it’s just for the fun of it and of course, it’s in aid
of a great charity, Bloodwise. This year it will break the £1m mark
which is quite something. It’s on the 16th of June so you’ve still got
time to dust off the bike, enter online (at www.wirralbikeathon.
com) and join us. Bring a picnic, it’s a great day out. If that sounds
like a shameless plug, it’s because it is.
You’re an ambassador for this year’s Wirral Borough of
Culture, what’s your involvement with the Tour de Britain -
which amazingly starts and ends in Birkenhead Park?
These days, I’m just a spectator along with everyone else, having
beer and watching a good bike race. I wouldn’t have it any other
way. The novelty of not being stressed and being able to have a
curry and a beer when it’s all over, still hasn’t worn off.
What else keeps you busy these days?
I still feel like the ‘head of stuff ' with so many fascinating things
going on. My biggest role is as Cycling and Walking Commissioner
for Greater Manchester, where I oversee a £1.5billion, 10 year
project to enable to people across the region to get work, school
and the shops without a car. It’s the most important job I’ve ever
had and it’s so important (for the whole country to see it can be
done) it’s also the first thing that’s kept me awake at night for 20
years.
As well as that role, I still get involved with design and strategy for
the bike company and last year, we opened the world first cycling
specific wind tunnel, which has proved really popular with both
enthusiasts and professionals. I still cover all the major cycling
events for the BBC mostly to keep my membership of the BBC
curry club, very exclusive and a few other interesting things.
26 wirrallife.com
What do you do for leisure?
In 2016, we took on an overgrown property on the Wirral,
with head-height brambles growing into the trees, it looked
like Jumanji. I bought a tractor - that I had no idea how to use
- and spent 2 years renovating the place. There are few places I’d
rather be than outside chopping things up with our dogs, Sybil
and Teddy keeping me company. We have 6 kids, 2 still at home
so like all parents, we spend quite a bit of time ferrying them
around the Wirral. Occasionally I force them to go on long walks.
Geocaching is a big thing on the Wirral, if you don’t know what
that is and you have kids, look it up.
Childhood hero?
Didn’t have any, lots of people I admire but no heroes.
Favourite movie?
Always a tough question this. Probably The Commitments.
Favourite Album?
Rolling Stones, Forty Licks.
3 things you couldn’t live without?
Oxygen, food and water (I’m a very literal person).
Favourite food/drink?
Beer and fish, pretty much any kind of either.
Restaurants/pubs most frequently visited?
The Red Fox in Thornton Hough and further afield, the Grosvenor
Arms in Aldford.
Guilty pleasure?
Crisp butty (white bread, a lot of butter).
And what was your guilty pleasure while training for the
olympics?
Still beer, just less of it.
Why is, in your words, the bicycle the most wonderful,
underrated tool on the planet?
Because it can, if we let it, literally help save the planet. Not many
devices can make that claim.
What is the future of cycling?
As big as we can make, as fast as we can make it happen.