Pull the dribble and like e-bike, you know, super heavy. Yeah. Gave me a bit of a kick on the takeoff and uh, all the way to the outside. Big tree on the left, landed straight into the tree, like smoked my head, broke my helmet. Like shoulder was like yellow, like everywhere. I think it broke it actually with a clip pedal clipped in, you know.

And then compressed like this and broke it. Andreas KB Hales from Schladming in Austria and is one of the best World Cup downhill racers on the planet. The journeyman spent years as a privateer while working as a car mechanic and battling his way through the ranks. Andy KB last Steve over the last, yes, Andreas Co goes fastest.

2022 was the breakout year where he got five World Cup podiums. Then in 2023 it all came together and he won his first World Cup at 27 years old at home in Ang. It's so emotional for me. It's my ninth season elite. It took me ages to get here and I will never forget this day. It's unreal. He has joined the YT mob for 2025 and he is looking for more.

I woke up and I was like, I haven't crashed for so long, like two months at least. Same day. Hit the deck, dude, I see trainers telling athletes like, yeah, gotta be good with 18 da blah, blah. No, look at the, the launch burn aur me. I don know. I think for me, the current setup would be for sure Korean. Why can't we get a World Cup black in sch ling?

I need to be careful to not fall into the like, just train, train, train, train, eat, clean, blah, blah, blah kind of mindset. Now think about 2022. Do I party every weekend? I think if that would've not happened. I would've probably called it pretty sure

at first. Guys, I need to ask you a huge favor to please like and subscribe. And if you're feeling generous, drop a comment. This makes such a huge difference to the YouTube algorithm, and at this stage, we need all the help we can get because the bigger the podcast gets, the bigger the guests. Back to this episode, Andreas Colp.

Uh, finally we actually get to sit down and do this. That's a ua We've been trying for, like, when did I first reach out to you? As we're like, I think probably before I started mountain biking. Stoked that we actually made it happen. Um, so yeah, stoked as well. Sorry, I was a bit late. First day in sch Laing today, so I got a little bit, um, a little bit, uh, delayed.

Classic, classic lost ride, enjoying the bike park. Best bike, like out there. My hands are, as you can see, sch slamming approved. Um, I just found out, you just told me that you, um, actually broke your ankle in the off season. I had no idea. It's funny. Yeah, a lot of people don't know about it, so yeah. What happened?

Um, e-bike, that's what happened. I won an e-bike ride actually end of December, 29th of December. It was with my train and another friend and yeah, just tried a dribble I did before already on the trek, build like a LMI trek super ice track. Actually pulled the triple and like e-bike, you know, super heavy.

Gave me a bit of a kick on the takeoff and then, uh. Kind of like a, like overweight to the outside. Big tree on the left landed straight into the tree, like smoked my head, broke my helmet. Like shoulder was like yellow, like everywhere. Nothing happened on the shoulder there. But my foot, I think I broke it actually with a, um, clip pedal clipped in, you know, and then compressed like this and broke it.

It's like a, the doctor said it's more like a snowboard fracture. I had like a classic one uhhuh, like you normally don't see it from mountain biking notice, so, yeah. Crazy. That was right after when I posted the videos from skiing, so everybody was like, you did it on the skiing. Come on, you can say it because it's all a skiing injury, you know?

Yeah. Like, no, I swear my train, I was there. I have proof. My helmet's broken. Yeah, I was, there was a pretty sad moment first. First I went to the hospital in cart and there was a specialist. I was so happy. He told me just the ligament is all is uh, torn. And I'm like, dude, I've done that before. I've torn a ligament two years ago.

Mm-hmm. It was painful, but I could still walk. And you were, you were limping. It hurts a little bit. Maybe need a painkiller, but yeah. All good. And yeah, I was stoked. Went home here, um, for New Year's Eve started walking and everything. I always tried to walk as what a broken ankle. This, this is painful as hell.

And yeah. Went to my doctor, which I normally see most of the time, did a x x-ray and he is like, nah, I can see something. Let's do a CT or MRI think it was a ct. And I was like, yeah, you knee surgery. I'm like, right. Awesome. Second off season in a row where I get injured. Like the year before I broke my radius head on the wrist, I was like, do not again.

But I mean, it was still December, so it was not the biggest disaster. Like March would be worse. Mm. So it was still a bit of hope, but yeah, it's quite, it's my biggest injury I ever had. So. Crazy. Yeah. What, well we, on that topic, so you, you've had the hand, the ankle, what else have you had injury wise? Uh, I did the left hand quite often already.

I did. That's, that was my first injury. I broke the meta car, how's it called? Metacarpal? Yeah, that one from the ring finger, 2013. That was my first injury. Then I broke this one from my thumb in 2019 in Leo gang first compression, you know, after the start gate? Yeah. On the grass. Yeah. I just lost the front crashed like this and the hand by broke it.

Like this hand was never on the floor. I couldn't believe I, I erased IES and everything. No way. Put like foam underneath and it was like fully broken, but I didn't really know. But yeah, if I would've looked closely, I would've, and I got 63rd or 65th, like only, no way. Two tens of finals or something. So that's, I was quite happy though, because it was super painful.

Um, what else Are they both a c joints on both shoulders? This one was a grade two, this one was a grade four, I think like the highest grade had surgery on it. The collarbone 2018, like shoulders was both 2017. Collar bone was 2018. After my first top 20, I was like, I'm the 2018. Yeah, I was, I thought, was that on a sen?

On the sen, yeah. The MRC trading noon team in Croatia. Like the track, remember? Yeah. Yeah, dude. Yeah. Yeah, I first top 20, I got a flat. I got a flat and qualified dude like everybody else. That's why I got a top 20. But I thought, I'm the king now. This is, this is the big between. No, to be fair that, I mean, it was a, it was a hot, it was a short track, but it was an easy track.

I liked it. I thought it was sick. Something different. You see the, the C from both sides of the star case. Yeah. I think I was sick to have like many calamari free tea every day. How good. Dude, I loved it. I hope we go back one day we'll be sick. Yeah. It's a shame that they only, they had two. Two, was it not just one, I think, and they've had, they've had a couple European cups.

Yeah, I think it's the same organizer then Maribo used to be. Yeah, and I've heard some rumors. Maribo wants to come back, so maybe lodging one day as well would be cool. I'm surprised that you've had, I mean, yeah, you've had quite a few injuries. Elbow 2022. Just when I did my first podium before that, I broke my radius head in the.

But that was kind of a small injury, like nothing crazy. Well, I remember, uh, it's actually surprising, I mean, you had quite a long list of injuries, but like, touch wood, not like, you know, wood, the ankle was not great, but nah, with the way that I remember the first time I saw you was like 2013 around that area.

When you super, when you were, you were on Sam's team, I think 2013 was 2014. 2014 maybe. 2014 was same team, I would say. Sam came to me and he was like, he's like, there's this dude from, there's this kid from SCH ing, his name's Andy Colp. And he's mad. Like he's mad. He's like, he just goes into sections so fast.

Yeah. I dream give a, I remember actually specifically in Liang, like where on the old track where you'd come off the wall rides and hit that step down and then you'd go, you know, those, they had that section with off Canberra roots. Dude, I love this. And it was, and it was wet. Yeah. And it was, I, it was a section I hated the most and I remember standing there in practice and just watched you come through there and just like, no consideration for your health whatsoever.

It was just like, I had a huge question. It was just like full gas, no breaks. Was that 2014 or 15 one? I, I dunno, one of those years I had a massive crash there. Like it was like through two trees, wasn't it? Yeah. And I went a little bit too far right and clipped the tree, which crashed till the free ride track on my head.

I saw stars and everything. It was pretty gnarly actually. Still have a helmet somewhere. It's pretty smashed, dude. Yeah. So yeah, I think that's pretty impressive to to yeah. To have that. Only have that. And now when you watch it now, like you don't look like, you don't look crazy on the bike anymore. No, not at all.

You look like very controlled, I calculated, which is totally opposite to how I first saw you on the bike. Yeah. I think I had to learn a lot. Um, I think my wild riding style was part of all the injuries. Yeah. And like you said, not nothing really crazy except that ankle, which was way more of an injury than I thought.

Um, but yeah, I had to learn from the injuries a lot and yeah, just wanted to keep getting smoother and smoother and crash less. And now I'm literally, sometimes I don't crash for three months. What? Yeah. Honestly, it's insane. But what do you, how do you feel when you haven't crashed for a while? Like, dude, because like I, when was it?

I think it was, was it LA two this year? I, I woke up and I was like, I haven't crashed for so long, like two months at least. I couldn't remember the last question. Oh, so the longer it's away, the, as soon it will happen. You know, that's what, same day bomb hit the deck. Dude. I think it was actually the crash.

I, in Latu in, um, my ly run like both ly runs. I crashed. Yeah. So from not crashing for two months, I crashed twice on the day. But it's weird. Sometimes I have my days where I'm not a hundred percent or I know I want too much or, but I think it's like a, it's almost like when you think about it Yeah, for sure.

Then it happens. Oh yeah, yeah, for sure. And like, because, and I've had that before also where I haven't crashed in months. Yeah. And then, and then you think like, Hmm, I haven't crashed for a while. And you're like, I mean, like, shit that, I mean, it's not nice to do crash. Think about it. But then you like, the longer I go without a crash means at some point it's gonna come say I should go into the slow corner there and just tip over.

So I crashed. Yes, I crashed again. I can call it crash. Yeah, dude. But yeah, I got, I got way better, I think watching Bruny, especially 20, was it 2018? I think Winning Za had a world championship. I remember that run. That was like the, the time where I got injured the most. I was like, this dude is, looks like he's not even trying.

Mm-hmm. I'm trying my best that I'm not even getting into top 30. Like sometimes I do it, but I think I got 31st at this one, so, and I wrote for my life, literally. So I'm like, how is this dude going so smooth and I'm risking everything and I'm 10 seconds back or more. So yeah, Peggy came in. Marcus Peck.

Mm-hmm. And. Told me a lot about writing style technique. Where to break, where not to break, like there so much. Really? Yeah. Because how do you, yeah, like how, take us through, how do you go from, from where you were like getting say 30th and then to winning a World Cup when you've got that mindset. 'cause a lot of us had that mindset where you're like, I remember runs and I came down and like, it felt like you could not go faster.

I would've killed myself a way faster. Yeah. And then you are like, you are like 12 seconds back or 10 seconds back and you're like, what? You crossed, you crossed the line, you crossed the line. Like, and you like, then you watch as you say, like you watch Bruny or one of those guys come down and they like so smooth.

Yeah. And you know, like Minna as well. Like so smooth and, and it makes it look easy and Well I think it's, it's about trusted process, isn't it? Like the classic saying, um. I think for me I start, I wanted to be super good straight away, but I only started riding when I was 16. Mm-hmm. He take Jackson Goldstone now.

He started when I was five. Yeah. What's the kid now riding in Westside Saw today? What's his name? Western Lucas son. And this flipping every second on a line and stuff. Yeah. Flipping. So there was a big one. He just landed. He landed the double back. The youngest double. He's the youngest to landed. Double back flip.

Yeah. You look at those kids like obviously they're betters earlier. You know, Jackson's landed a double back flip. Did he? Yeah, I saw it at Audi nines a few years ago. I just saw a video, a random clip that came up was a random day in his life. It was insane. But yeah, I think I wanted it way too much too early, but with, without realizing, I only wrote like, or raced like four years compared to my competitors with race.

10 years sometimes. Mm-hmm. Or like Bruny. Apparently he started like, I think he said something. Either b X-rays when he was three years old. Crazy, but like I can't really compare myself to Loic in my young, my young days because I had to learn everything for so much longer. That's why I also just won my first World Cup in 23.

I was 27, so super late compared to other. It's crazy because if most people would've and would maybe higher this time. Sometimes. Yeah. Like people are like, if you haven't made it by whatever five, then yeah, dude. That's what I thought, honestly. I was like, I need to make it before I'm 22 or something, because otherwise I have to quit and just stay comic connect and keep working on cars.

Like literally I thought you need to be super good at 22 and that's like people telling you as well all over the internet. Like, oh yeah, if you're not good at this age, forget it. I see trainers telling athletes like, yeah, you gotta be good with 18 da la la la. No, look at the launch. Berner me. I don't know.

So what was the, what was the main difference then? You said you brought in Peggy, but like what changed from like getting 30th to being able to win like so much? That's the problem. What's to tell? Um, I think the people around me was probably the biggest part. Peggy the first teaching me proper writing technique.

Um, not exposing me in the worst moments. I always try to be the fastest in the rock garden. Mm-hmm. Like nice. You just won two hundreds and there's a slow corner afterwards. Yeah. And you lose three tense because you have a shit corner technique. Yeah. Awesome. Like you went fast as the rock gardener, like doesn't help you at all.

Um, so I think that was the first part, trying to understand that I need to. Race hard in the easier sections. Mm-hmm. And not just cruise through them. That's what I did. Literally like, oh yeah. Easy corner. Just like everybody's cruising it, you know? Yeah, yeah. Obviously know that's what, uh, most time is gained.

Um, bike setup I think was always a big one for me. I always rode pretty bad bikes, I would say I, not bad bikes, I think I always had quite good bikes, but like suspension, uh, or tires. I remember at a tire company once we developed tires or we got tires just to ride with them 'cause it's a sponsor. Mm-hmm.

And they literally won't drop of water on the track and you had no grip. Like, awesome. But you get it for free. Yeah. That's very classic. So that was always a big problem for me, I think. Um, then my mental trainer, Daniella, she's helping me a lot. I think. I always thought I'm super strong mentally, but then I realized, but there's so much more and that I actually think about so much.

Negative things. Mm-hmm. And I think I started to become way more positive and grateful for a lot of things. Mm-hmm. I think that helps a lot. And not compare yourself to others. I think that's a big one. Not go on social media and like, oh, mm-hmm. Everybody's so good. You know, I think that's a big part nowadays anyway.

Like you, you're just comparing yourself to everybody. I think it's hard. I mean it's, it's, it's like a fine balance because like, you need some sort of comparison. 'cause mean racing is in the same, in itself, comparison, but at, at the same time. I understand what you mean. Like you, if you're doing that all the time, it's easy to bring yourself down.

Like, let's say Jackson and Goldstone, I can't recomp compare myself to him. I'm like way heavier. I'm way taller. Yeah. Yeah. He's just a different animal. Like writing wise to me, if you try to compare my writing to his writing, it's like you will never find much similarity. Yeah. Yeah. On that topic, what, so what do you think, what's it gonna take for someone to stop Jackson?

I mean, I know Lo won the last World Cup, but yeah, I feel like Jackson is the, the guy to beat at the moment and like for sure a hundred percent. There hasn't been a guy that's done what he's been doing since like Gwen like, or I don't know when he was the last one. Maybe four more cup, maybe Ery. Ery was like free in a row, I think.

Ah, yeah. True, true. But I feel like ery always put himself way, way more into like risk. Like his runs when he won and was like, he just stood down there. Oh my God, this remember the, yeah. Like runs like this. You're like, dude, he is gonna die soon. Yeah. You watch Jackson looks like he's playing with us. Yeah.

That's a bit of a different game, like from someone going over the limit to someone looking like. It's not even pushing out, pushing his GoPro because he thinks he forgot to start it. Oh, love. I couldn't believe that. In your winning round, did you just press this GoPro in the finish air? I like, nah, that must have something wasn't the way or whatever.

And then I ask him in the bottom. Yeah. I thought, I didn't feel fucking, you gotta be joking, like how do you think about stuff like this on a winning run? Yeah. So that, that's insane to me. It's like a slap in the face to everyone else because it's like, yeah. It's like, can we change topic? No, I'm a big fan of Jackson.

I think it's sick. It elevates our game as well. We're all going to, we're all trying to beat him now and he's definitely beatable. And I think there's also a time frame where it's possible to be that dominant. So it's gonna end somewhere. Hopefully I will be one of them. Who is ending it? I mean, Bruni ended it now.

The streak? Yeah. Yeah. Things like, I think that was. I, I kind of would've been stoked for Jacksonville. I gotta, I gotta, because no one had done it before. Right? Yeah. He is such a nice kid. Super humble. But yeah, you want, you want to be the guy, not see someone else, dude. I mean, I'm super far away. Only won one World Cup, so I'm not even talking about some areas, but, oh.

But I feel like you've got the, you've got the consistency down. Yeah, for sure. And I mean, you've done, what did you do, five podiums in one season? Four. Five. Five, yeah, so like five. I mean, it's close. Like if, if they, everything just clicks into place, like you're not like a one hit wonder, you know, some people they get a podium and they don't get a podium ever again, you know?

Yeah. I think when I look at the last three years, I'm definitely one of the most consistent riders. And I was fourth, fifth, and sixth the last couple years in the overall always one, one spot behind Finn. And the thing as I was like Bruny in front of me, Jackson and. I think that's like the guys which are always there.

So I think I'm, I'm pretty stoked about that, but also I want to have that like single day Yeah. Feeling again, like right now I'm bit lucky on that. Um, finding the aggressiveness. Mm-hmm. But also I think I had to learn a lot about the bike. I made some wrong moves from the beginning. I think the 29 and everything.

I was so sure that it's faster. But then I swapped to mul and I'm like, oh, this is actually better. But I taste it on two easy tracks, you know? It's like I was gonna ask you about that as well. Yeah. I tested on two easy tracks. Why? Okay. So first of all, why did you think that the 29 er was faster? Because it was fast on the track I tested.

And what made it faster? Quite a bit faster. I think the rolling speed and more grip maybe on the back exit speed out of the turns was insane. Just. I don't know. It felt o was so good and it was like nearly three seconds quicker than one minute 54. Wow. I think it was. Okay. That's so huge. Time. And Ocean also rides 20 minutes.

Yeah. So that was like, okay, ocean 29. Uh, yeah, I'm faster now. I'm a hundred percent sure. That's it. I wanted to test an off season again, then my injury came in. Mm-hmm. I came back in March, which is one and a half months before the season really starts. One and a half months. Was he gonna test nothing? It just trying to get back.

Mm-hmm. And then I came to Poland pretty unprepared, I would say. I not say unprepared, but obviously not. Mm-hmm. A hundred percent prepared. I mean, now the summer break is happening. I'm going to the gym now more again. Dude, I'm so weak. Yeah, it's insane. Honestly, I'm like some weights, I'm lifting. Uh. So far below what I normally lift.

Yeah. But it's getting better. So can't wait for the next couple races. So just like coming, coming back to the wheel size again quickly. 'cause I'm super interested in that as well. Um, 'cause I've gone back and forth with my bike. When did you decide to, to like, well, what made you think, okay, maybe I must try the 27 5 again.

And where did you try it? Like where was the sort of light bulb moment where you like, okay, this is actually better? I mean, like I said, I wanted to test it in the winter, but then there was no time. So it was always in the back of my, in my mind, like I should give it a try again. But when the season was so stacked, you can't really do it.

Like in a one week break would be a bit of a stupid move maybe. Um, then your fellow countryman. Your potta. Mm-hmm. Always. Uh, remind me as well like, why you riding the 29? The Mae is so much better. Which. I gotta say, if I would not race World Cups, just like Ride for Fun, I would ride the 20 niner probably.

Oh, really? Because when the trek is not super rough, the 29 is insane. Like, so smooth and so nice. Yeah. But as soon as the big bumps are coming, that's when I realized the malad is better. Okay. Um, that's, the mullet is just more stable. The rear wheel follows a bit better and I don't get like, you know, any have mistake in a corner and it like pushes you up.

Yeah. The 29, it just does it more. Yeah. It just wants to mm-hmm. Fight you off track a bit more where the mullet just, you lean it in and Yeah. Doesn't like stand out that easy Because I had the same thing when I tried. I've been riding the 29 er and I tested it on, I found like on smoother tracks. Like a home track or something.

Yeah. There was no comparison. The 29 er was faster, like, yeah, like by seconds. But then when you get to, like, that's the same thing, soul and going down those drops and stuff. Yeah. I also felt like the, the, the bike kicked more. Oh, for, for sure. Yeah. Because of the bigger wheel. Yeah. Like it would push you forward more.

So I had to like raise the bar. Yeah. Like obviously if you have a mullet, you don't have to do that. Yeah. Nah. So what was the last race? I was on a 20. Niner Ol was the last one. I was actually going really well on that weekend. Top 10 in Quas. I destroyed, destroyed my wheel finals. I was a bit of an idiot.

I went into a rock section without breaking it all. Uh, that was actually the moment I tried to keep it easy on the top, like, you know, like super smooth, like just finish the top section and then we go. And that's my tactic in values all the time. Mm-hmm. And literally when I thought that I'm like. Now we are going two seconds there.

Ba I nearly flew over the handlebar was like the harshest hit ever. And yeah, had a flat tire. Tried to finish the run, but yeah, had the rim broke. Riding down by this hole on the rim is maybe not the best street. Yeah. Um, but yeah, I was fourth at the first split as well. I've never been that good in Valez.

Well the first split, so that was the last race actually on the 29 er even. It was going well. Mm-hmm. Leo going, I had some really good splits where I was fastest in sector times. Colon. I was top five pace till the second last column before I crashed, so it was not going out. Oh, you won it there. Yeah.

Until you, but I felt like the mistakes I did, they always ended cata catastrophic. Yeah. Because of the, yeah. Yeah. They bike just not handling how I wanted. And then I think it was a weekend off of the valley, so I went to peel with potty, tested the mallet. And literally straight away when I on went on the bike and just rolled out the lift, I was like, something feels nice.

Like something, yeah, something. And then I rode and I really liked it. Just more fun. Yeah. Like in tight corners when you have like a gnarly section into a tight corner that just turn it around and wear my jaw. Yeah. But on smooth sections, I did some timing on the bottom corners. I was faster with the 29 again.

Interesting. But the overall time was faster than Pila. Interesting. And then lazu happened and I was super quick till I crashed twice. Yeah. So it didn't really worked out. Worked out straight away. But then in Pandora, once I got seventh, that on the track I hated to the most. So I think that's, that's a good sign for the next couple of races for sure.

And you like, I mean, Leger is uh, favorite track being good for you? Yeah, for sure. Favorite track, yeah. More than, so. What you talking about? Race? I mean, racetracks. Okay. Dude, dude. Crazy. Okay. That's, that is interesting. Um, because yeah, I, I, I mean, I also went back and forth on the wheel sides for a while and I, I was, it is an interesting one, especially for tall guys like us, because I was always like, I was, I was like, make a, you do some testing or whatever, and then you'd be like, cool, no, 29 ERs, that's the way.

But then there'd be situations where I'd be like, maybe it would be cool to have a smaller rear wheel now. Yeah. But then you can't just, you know, it's not so easy to just flip back and forth. So, but that's weird that ocean rides are small. The 29 er then Yeah, because you could even, I don't really know about Ocean.

I, I mean he grew up with a bike pretty much so he is so used to it. Yeah. For me, I rode, rode a mallet for five years. Yeah. The last five. I was on a 20 Niner 2019. And when I thought about it, when I changed to the Mallet, now I'm like. 2019. I struggled a lot with the bike. Like maybe it's the 29, you know?

Yeah, yeah. But I remember that was the same like in the off season. I'm like, this is it. Yeah, this is it. And then on the racetracks, I really struggled. Interesting. Yeah. Yeah. Um, just rewinding back a little bit, like how, how did you actually, I mean, you only started down here at 16, which is pretty late.

Yeah. So how did, how did life look for you going, you know, through childhood and stuff and what actually brought you to mountain biking? I know you've done a lot of skiing as well. Childhood. I think I did everything as a kid. I liked skiing a lot, obviously. I mean, it's like 10 minutes, not even 10 minutes to the first lift.

And, um, hiking with my family, especially with my dad. Um, also some biking, but not much. We built some jumps in the, in the backyard, like every kid pretty much does. Mm-hmm. Um, I did some ski racing. Nothing crazy to some small ones. I enjoyed it quite a lot, but the, the vibe in ski racing is different. It's more aggressive than in mountainbike, I would say.

Mountain biking is getting there. Some of those helicopter parents you can see coming up now, you know, like 10-year-old kid crying, you know, and, uh, leave him alone. Um, so that, that's like skiing long time already. You can see the parents going really hard on the kids. Mm-hmm. Bringing free pairs of skis to a school, race, race suit, everything.

Warming them up. It's a bit weird, but yeah, I didn't enjoy that one, so I went more to slope style skiing. Tried my luck there a little bit, but I never really had the talent, but I won my last, I won my last contest. Sick. Yeah. Well, I've seen you and the guy who gets, who got second or did he get third? He's a welcome winner now.

No. Yeah, Lucas Mulo. I beat him, but I was pretty lucky. It was like a rail contest on dark stand. Uh, it used to be actually a big icon, a bigger, like a jump contest. Uhhuh, like free jumps. I sucked on the jumps. I could, like I did a cork 10 80 was my best trick, which was back then was a okay trick now than a 5-year-old kids do it probably.

Yeah. And he already did like double cos and easy double back flip, double from flip stuff. Yeah. Yeah. And then the four came in and then we just did a rail contest and that's when I won. But I need to stop now. Um, but yeah, then the same summer, that was like the last contest I bought my first bike. I was already a car mechanic back then.

Mm-hmm. I started working as one in when I was 15, so I literally just did nine years of school. I never really enjoyed school. I hate sitting down for ages. So this podcast, hopefully it's not too old. Um, so I literally, I wanted to go work, uh, immediately started as a car mechanic. And I think I worked there like for a year.

Then I bought my first Don bike, and then I saw a sign like, oh, a string championship in sch trapping. And I could see all that as a fun category as well. Signed in no way. Uh, like literally three weeks in. I know I had a, like a, what was it, like a third jump bike before I sometimes pushed up the forklift track in shortening and a free ride bike.

I, I rode a couple times, but then I had a proper bike. And you'd never ridden it yet at that point. Like you just got it right. I got it. And like three weeks later I, I did the race and then funny thing, I was like, the, the current national champ in the under Syrian category Yeah. Was in front of me in the track and over overtook him.

In like a grass section, the bottom, you know, sharp corners, because he was too slow and I didn't know who he is. Ah, and a friend of mine, he was, who was behind me is like, do you know who, who you choose? Pasta Know who is it? And he's like, oh, he's champion in the under, under 70 category. Okay. Or maybe not too bad.

Then crash three times in my race run. Got 45th in the fun. Caught, got no break lever left. Good start. Dude, I was so angry. I came to the finish and my dad was there and I looked at him. I don't know, it was like a, I was so disappointed, which I never been before, you know, in skiing. And I lost them. Like, yeah, I don't really mind.

But then at this time I was like, I was so damn angry. I think that was the day where something started. And Uhhuh straight talked to some people who was the next race. I went race again, and then, yeah, everything started. And what year was that? 2012. 2012. So the next year I did a, I started racing with a license.

First year. Junior. When was like the moment where you thought, okay, I want to be a pro Mm. Pro next year already. Really? Yeah. Yeah. I think I realized pretty soon that I have potential for something. Mm-hmm. And I remember even when I rode my heart tail down the trek, I could follow people on Donald Bikes.

And I'm like, maybe I'm not part in this. I, I always enjoyed it. And Dan sch slamming. You rode a hard tail down, dude, the whole trek got shuttled up or maybe just got like a, a one run, but I only had like, you know, the Marita, the UMF bikes? Yeah. You remember those? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had one of those, uh, Hardy one or Hardy five.

I don't remember. But they have no chain guards, so you lose your chain every 200 meters. So rattle, I try to pull some guys in front chain on again, we go again. For anyone that's ridden schwabing, that is impressive. I did the wood section with no, not taking my feet off on a hardtail with like dirt on tires on it.

Oh yeah. I didn't really realize that's like good, you know, like I could have started very early I think if I would've realized. Yeah. Yeah. But. I just had fun doing it. Sometimes I literal, legit did like three times a year or something crazy. Yeah. And then so say 20 12, 20 13, then you were like getting more serious and we know what happened, you know, 2014 when I saw you on Sam's team.

Yeah. Um, but my second year junior was, yeah. When was, uh, so when would you, when was like the turning point where you were actually, you would consider yourself like a professional where you didn't have to work anymore? Consider myself a professional. Well, I would say 2019 already. Mm-hmm. First year on when we've been on Com sale, but, well, my bank account was not getting bigger.

It was getting slimmer. Actually, I think I had some money from the insurance for my shoulders, so I actually could live off that. And I got 10 grand from my left shoulder. I'm like, fuck dude. That actually saved my career. I think The money from the insurance. No. So injury saved my career. Inside. Otherwise I would've probably finished.

And 2018 was the season where I put everything in one car. I quit as a car mechanic. Mm-hmm. Worked a bit in a ski rental shop in the winter to still make money, but have more time to train. Mm-hmm. So I only work like three days a week. A week, yeah. Made a bit more, made four days. Um, and then I put everything on one card.

Didn't work for that summer, got my first top 20, and then I signed with gum books. I think if that would've not happened, I would've probably called it pretty sure crazy. Like that's literally what I said. Like if it's not happening now, I. Calling it because working as a car mechanic. Yeah. Racing every weekend, getting injured all the time.

Trying to hide your injury. Go back to the, go back to a workshop, like with your shoulders, working on the cars. Oh, this is so fun. It wasn't fun anymore, dude. That was a moment where I really started to not enjoy it anymore. Nearly. Yeah, because like I love riding bikes so much, but fuck it is painful being in pain all the time and not having any time for anything else.

Just working and racing. Mm-hmm. And finally paid off then? Yeah. But like my real first deal where I made some money, or let's say black numbers was 22, probably even my first year on Atherton was like still red numbers after the season. 'cause you have to pay taxes. How did you, you told me this already, but um, how did it go again?

How did you actually get that ride on Atherton from, uh, well. 2020 COVID year I was with on the factory bike, the own bike. And how, sorry, before we move on, how was that bike actually? Well it was,

um, I think the current one now is a bit better, I would say. You're being very polite. Yeah. That, that was not the best one for sure. Um, but we had some, um, good suspension techniques I would say, which made it Okay. I actually had some top 20 there. Yeah. I remember in top 15 I think I rode for Yeah. Risk everything in that season as well.

And then well, yeah. They told me I, I'll get even less money the next season, even though I was making red numbers and I'm like, well, I gotta go back in the work in a workshop again or something. Mm-hmm. Um, I said, I don't wanna do that. Send, send a message to Lloyd Team manager. Uh, from ton's on Instagram.

Right? On Instagram, yeah. And next day he replied, I think that's wild. And he was like, oh, let's, let's chat. I'm like, no way. What's going on? And yeah, for a couple weeks later I signed with them, couldn't really believe it. And since then I would say I'm a real pro. That's like, must have been a, what is it? I see that movie.

There's a movie with Will Ferrell and he's like, worldwide, you know, the one, no, I was honestly, I, I thought like that was like 2018 again. I'm like, I might call it, you know, like, yeah, if I don't run a team, I don't ever do the private program again 'cause it's just too expensive and I don't have the money anyway, so.

Yeah. And so coming, obviously then things have just gone in the right direction for you, but Pretty much. But uh, with the new, the way that downhill is now, it's obviously changed a lot in the last, just two, three years for sure. Yeah. I don't know, like do you think someone can still do what you did and make it still with the new system?

Like, because I feel like now with only 30 guys and streak Q1, Q2, like I just feel like the people like Bernard cur yourself mm-hmm. That, that have done it for a lot of years before they really made it. Yeah. I don't know. It's gonna be, I think it's super tricky. Like if I think about my first time I qualified was 2016 in Andorra I qualified 77.

Mm-hmm. Like get 20, get 77 for now. It's like, bro, like you suck. Back then it was like finals baby. Yeah. You know, it was so sick and everybody was like celebrating and now, oh, I only got 77. There's a couple a strains which would've qualified in the old. Um, what do you call it? Regulations? Yeah. Yeah. Um, but now they're super stoked because they only got 60th, you know, but it's like, I would've been super stoked back then.

Yeah. And that gave me like the springboard again and again. But yeah, I feel like the second series is not there yet. Mm-hmm. It's like saw, I was in Portugal this year, like no hate, but that track was not good. Yeah. Like tracks like this don't prepare you for workers and it's also not a lot. You need propert tracks.

This isn't not a lot of coverage either. Like, no. No. So it's not like teams and sponsors are in. So I think the second series needs to get better. For sure. Otherwise the whole thing is gonna kill the priorities or it's already killing them. There's some guys who I'm like really impressed with them.

Mm-hmm. Like the Spanish kid, um, Danny Cast. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I always forget his name. Um, anyway, he's super fast and nothing. What he does is a private, he is insane. Um, and so it is also like if you have a proper background, let's say you grow up in Australia, you have Okay, wealthy family, you can do it easily, but like it was for me, like my parents would've never had the time or the money to join me or Yeah.

To buy in lot of deal or something. Mm. So I think for me, the current setup would be for sure Korean five years ago. And it's for sure, for me that was one of the coolest things about downhill. Like, and don't get me wrong, like bringing up the stories. Yeah. Like I, I love the fact that it's way more professional now, et cetera.

But what was cool is that, I remember it was Jamie Edmondson for example, like in in Portugal, he, he qualified like oh, super good there fifth. Yeah. He qualified like way back, like 50th or somewhere. Yeah. And then he got fifth. He got a podium. Oh, he got a podium. Extra two. Yeah, because it was five on the podium.

Yeah. You see, that's another thing. The rain came in a a little bit, I think, but still. But like that was so, and that will never happen obviously again because it does, you know, and I feel like also now Matt Walker in America thing. Someone told me slept underneath a car and got top 10 next day. Stories like this, you're like, bro, you don't know you hit it anymore.

Yeah. My bed is not comfortable enough. Yeah. You know, it's like it is a good thing that it's getting more professional at the top. Yeah. But also the second series needs to be way better, better tricks, more races and better support for them as well. Coverage. Yeah. Because right now there's not really any value, but who's gonna put money into the second series if they don't have enough money for their first series?

It's not really working right now. Industry is not in the best place. Tricky one. I mean, I mean, if I, if I could decide, I would definitely. It's, well, let's say I'm head of Warner Brothers. Yeah. Straight back to top 50 or something. Yeah. Straight back. The thing is also for teams, I think it's not enough courage to get there.

Yeah. Like YT in Latu didn't have me on TV because I was out. Yeah. Ronan was out in Denville. Yeah. It's like top teams lose value for them, for their sponsors. Yeah. If there will be a top 40, top 50, obviously you don't get like the super long runs out of them, but still they can do good. And you have them on tv.

Mm-hmm. Can sell it to sponsors again. Right now it's, yeah, also nobody can watch the coolies. It's like, eh. The thing is also, the level has gone up a lot insane. Like, like how close the field is in, I mean like was it less than, was it two seconds or something for qualifying 2.1? I think so. I think I was 18, so I was like, oh yeah, I made it in like the next day in the morning.

I actually checked the times ago, dude, 700 slow. And it would've been out. I didn't even realize the day before like that. So insane. That's the crazy thing. It's like even if you had top 50, it would still be the guy that qualified 50th could get a top 10 the next day, like for sure. So close for sure. And that's the part that's crazy to me.

Yeah. It's like, yeah, I don't know. And it's also, I think we have so many companies, like if you take motocross, there's like seven, eight, or nine brands. Mm-hmm. Bike brands. How many bike brands do we have? I dunno. 20? Mm-hmm. There's like way more brands. But less spots, actually. Less spots in motocross.

Motocross is 40 on the star grid. Yeah. They're 40 on the star grid. Yeah. So, Hmm. I, I feel I, I know what they're trying to do and like it just went too fast. It's just, for me, it's way too fast. Yeah. Because there's, you should first build a second series. Yeah. And not just be like, cutting the head off.

That's what I said. Second series first, and then we cut the top and everyone's like, where? Go now until slowly. Yeah. 60, 50, 45, 40 some. I think 30 is not enough. That's Ben. Yeah. Ben, like Latu. I went up for little bit of lines, coach help for Ocean and Valley on Race Day, who is there? Ben Launch. I'm like, oh, he's there as well.

Literally on the track. We, I said this could be a good weekend for Bewa Me wasn't. It's, yeah. It's, yeah. I think it's, like I said, not, not the best. Mm. I think they should rethink the, the action well when it comes to top 30 and Eva 100%. I think otherwise they're doing a good job right now, like mm-hmm. The coverage is really good.

The commentary is a commentary is way better. Mm-hmm. On the beginning with Cedric, like, dude, I could not listen to you. It was bad. But now and everybody was used to, to Rob obviously. Yeah. Yeah. It's like from Rob to Cedric, that was like the worst mistake I think now. Like yeah. The boys are really good now.

I think it's a really good show. Yeah. No, I think it's cool. Yeah, I think what Poi told me as well is, uh, that due to the fact that there's so much, so few riders on track, if you live, like especially on race day, if you're there at the track, he said sometimes you wait 15 minutes for a rider to come pot.

Dude, it was insane when I had the flat tire in, um, Ali. I pushed my bike down and I thought I'm gonna hide a little bit and watch like the next person come by. Like, when's the next one coming? It's like a five minute, um, break in between, I think took ages, but I feel like for a top 10 is probably good.

Like you can show like mm-hmm. The hero shoot in the beginning and highlights on the bottom reactions and everything, which probably came short before. But I feel like for, let's say if you would do top 50 to top 30. Mm-hmm. Just show like a minute. Yeah. Yeah. Like, but you show someone. Yeah. And if someone stands out, like three seconds up, show a bit more.

Yeah. To me it's, I don't really, they can still keep the main show the same and just have that as like an extra Yeah. Like ripple, the used to do, it's, I don't really see the, the downside put it that way. Same. Same. Same. Yeah. Um, what about something like, uh, hardline? I mean obviously when you were in the atherton's, you went there.

What, what's your, you said you didn't race, but what's your Yeah. What's your take on those events? Because it seems like that's, there's quite a lot of riders now that are hiked on it and they've obviously got now two, two rounds and I don't know if they're planning to do more. I'm pretty keen on doing commentary in German.

That's all I can say. That's what I do. Like the last two or three I did, uh, the commentary in German. Mm-hmm. Actually quite fun. I enjoy it, but I don't think Harland is a competition for me. I don't know. The risk factor is super high. Like if I always think about stuff like, imagine you get a flat tire on the roll in, on the road cap.

I jumped there. Well like, it's the nast feeling I ever had. Really, like, honestly, I was so scared I did everything except the two nineties because the risk on that one was too high for me. Uhhuh, I just thought about the wound catching me and landing sideways. Chaos had a huge crash when I was up there like, ah, not mind.

I watched it from the sideline. Yeah. But I feel like this year was actually all right. Like they didn't have to pedal on the, on the nineties look quite chill. But I think they're gonna make it more early again, so, but how not for me. Yeah. A lot of the crashes though don't happen on the jumps though, interestingly.

Yeah, it happens. I think because, because they're not air switched on. They're on the jumps. Yeah, that's what I think. But the sections in between in Wales are sick. I really enjoyed it. So if those shitty nineties would not be there, I would be so stoked. That was the first year as well, when I like muddy.

And the weird is that when Bernard broke his wheel? Yeah. Everything I think, yeah. It was a gnarly one. Yeah. Uh, now for me, I'm, I'm a really risk calculated person now, not like 10 years ago. So hard line is a bit too much. Even I think it will be really sick to do more. There's a lot of ri there's some rise that are wanting the world cups to become more like, go more in that direction.

You know? Like bigger jumps. Like bigger. Yeah. I'm with them, that's for sure. I think the jumps should be bigger and stuff, but not as big. Mm-hmm. They don't need to be 90 foot, especially like wind. Like what are you, what are you gonna do with the World Cup if a 90 foot then it's windy. Mm-hmm. Cancel the race.

So yeah. You have so much more problems as well. Wind drain, like the speed hard line, like how many times did they change the schedule because the wind and the rain is coming in and you don't wanna do that every second World Cup. Yeah. Like Pandora is like the last couple years. It's a nightmare. Yeah.

That place in the wind is, and what is it, like a 20, 20 foot step down on the top, which is the problem. Yeah. And also, and also they've got the same problem helicopter. That step down looks the same as the roll off. And so many people have crashed on those two. Dude, I said it on track this year, like, how do people do this?

And I think on final day, first practice round, I did a little break check. I'm like, which one is this? Nope. No, no. It was like a super tiny one. But you know, luckily I go quite fast off the second one as well. Yeah. So I think I would still clear the top one as well. But you know, when you make fun of something you, yeah.

How do people do this? Like, but it happens. You gotta be stupid to do it. No, see, not fully switched on in one moment. Yeah. You can do a mistake like this. I don't know. And they've had, I don't know, sometimes track builders I think, or event organizers, they know that people have had problems there in the past and every year there's someone else that does it.

They should use like different color matting or something. Yeah. I'll just put a speaker there, which is shouting. Jump every two seconds. Jump, jump, jump.

Going back to you like winning. Um, what does it feel like, 'cause like for most people they can't, it's so far away to think about like winning a World Cup. Um, it's sort of hard to even imagine what that would feel like. What, what does it feel like for you, like for example, when you won Leo Gang, um, going in that moment, in that day, like, um, you qualified, well, you know, you can do it, but how does that actually feel?

And then like in your race run, is it, can you remember it? Is it like a blur like. I mean, 'cause you were telling a couple of years before, you know, you were getting 30th. Yeah. And then, and then you were like winning World Cup, like at home. Like what? Yeah. How does that, how does that feel? Its tricky one to explain.

I think that day was pretty special anyway. I didn't qualify too well. I think it was ninth or something, which going for the win is not the best position I would say. Um, but maybe it, I mean it's still, I didn't expect it, I would say I would've expected way more in za the weekend before. Mm-hmm. 'cause I qualified first with a snap chain and then second semi funnels with a step chain.

You sent the chain twice? Yeah. And then finals. I was like, now, now we going, now we going. And the absolute huge, like really, really big one didn't hurt my knee a little bit actually. So layering was like, I should not crash, you know? Mm-hmm. Like the knee is not in the best shape. Um, so the whole weekend started super easy, easy into it, and I literally just wanted to have a good result.

I, I didn't think about much. Just remember Stargate. I said to Ben, to my old mechanic, like, I want this shit so bad. Like that moment like, dude, I want it. I wanted so much. And then dropped into my run. I remember first corner, there was a guy waving like this, I could see it on the, on my run. And I looked at him like, is he waving me off?

You know, for a second I was like, dude, should I stop? But then I kept going, obviously. I was like, yeah, ah, idiot. This year the ambulance came up the road. Did you see that? No. It might run. The ambulance came up, go around there, first corner, go down, I can hear like, what the fuck? And I looked at them like three, four times the blew light flying up the road.

Crazy in my run. Thinking about thinking about it back now. I was super angry. I didn't say anything on that day when I was like, well anyway, back to the other run. Um, then top section. I remember going super fast, scary fast, like nearly too fast sometimes. I was so scared. Layering top section, the dry is pretty, pretty bad.

Mm-hmm. Um, and I got some infos from the team about the exit onto the motorway that everybody who's fast like focus on the exit, on the motorway, you need to pedal really hard. Mm-hmm. So I'm topping to the section, have a break issue, like nearly crash. I'm like, oh my God, not again. Like I had an issue going on back then, which came up here and then, and I like, nah, here we go again.

But then luckily it, um, got stable again. Next corner go into the stumps in the like onto the exit and I'm already thinking about like pedal hard. Mm-hmm. Literally when I thought that Make a mistake again and I'm like offline, like fighting the corner onto the first wooden jump and try to pedal a little bit, I remember that feeling was so weird.

Like, you know when you're not balanced, like it's fully nice and you're still pedaling, nearly missed the jump. Didn't pull it, cased it. I like go like the team manager told you to focus on third section pedal hard and you mess up this section. And from there on, I just remember going over the second jump, like now I never, like, I just went super hard from there on I, yeah, that was pretty dreamy From there on, I would say the crowd on the bottom was sick.

Did you like, did you think in your run not from there on and Not anymore, no. Did you, but did you think in your run that at any point did you think this I could win? Yeah. The last corner I railed the last corner, like the last really weird left, you know? Yeah. Yeah. I like roll railed the corner and I like jumped out of it.

Kind of like nearly crashed I would say. But I already started pedaling, started peddling, going around the next corner. Like this could be a winning room. Like there was like a feeling suddenly like, dude, that could be it. Like all the feeling I had from the woods. Like I rode it like in TRAs and then it came out like so stoked, like, dude, this is insane.

Finish and jump pedal in. And I didn't even, I just heard the crowd celebrating Stoppy. Yeah. And yeah, very good time. And then that was, you were ninth, so ninth quality. So I had to come. You had to wait. I remember the last two was Bruney and Finn. I think Finn was the last one. I think Bruney was second last one.

Like Laurel was next to the podium or to the hot seat. I could see how he's smiling down there, you know, like super. Yeah. Confident. Like the boys' gonna make it again. Yeah. Yeah. And then Bruney came in second, like not even like a second behind me I think. No, not even. And I was like, ah Finn, he's gonna destroy my dream.

Here we go. Come on, smoke me and I motorway. And he's like, I don't remember, was he up? I think he was up a little bit on the motorway. And then the last split, he was like a little bit back and I'm like, this is it. No chance he's winning it. Like the last section I wrote, so good. Nobody will beat it. I was so confident.

And Jackson was actually quite clo close. There's a goal pro us too. Mm-hmm. Where was like. Start to finish. Yeah. And we were literally, I remember that like the last corner. He was like a media in front of me, but then he made that mistake. Yeah. So I think I wrote the last corner. So good. He wouldn't, would've not had me anyway.

But dude, that was, that was a close one. And then, yeah, Finn made another mistake on the bottom. And then you and I was like, I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry. Can I cry like a baby? I'm way too emotional. It sucks. And that, that day, like leading into that, was it just like a normal day or did you have like any sort of feeling that day that this, that, that was, you know, obviously you wanted it, but um, was anything different or?

I think I was just in a good mood and having fun. Like the first time a lot of people from my place here came out there. Like they organized a little bus. Yeah. Like a little fan club came over, but so sick. Uh, the picture in there like. Everybody in front of the pit before the race. Mm-hmm. But the first time, you know, like people from my village and everybody's coming and then yeah, I think that gave me like the extra motivation to show 'em that was pretty sick.

Yeah. It's probably still the best day I ever had when it comes to racing. Well, hopefully not, not the last. Matt. I think it probably gonna be the best day of my racing career. Yeah. I'm thinking this is beatable. Yeah. At home volleyball as well. Yeah. Um, and weather was nice. The crowd was actually really good for living, I would say.

And good after party with drum and bass couldn't sleep. I was still buzzing. And you, I mean, do you in general, do you like Leo Gang? The track? Dude, I hated Leo Game for really so long. I got injured there like a couple times. Like two or three injuries are from Leo Gang, I would say. Yeah. And. I know I never really did too well there.

Yeah. Never really had like a really good result. It was like, okay, results. Maybe as a junior I got eight in at a European cup in the elite. Mm-hmm. So that was actually really good, but like ages ago. So yeah, I was never really the biggest fan of legging. It was, the trek wasn't the best I would say. Mm-hmm.

But then I helped them to build the trek for world champs, which turned out as a disaster. Should keep it natural. Oops. Um, well, but it was, it was entertaining. It wasn't a special one. Yeah. I, I had, who would've thought that it's gonna snow and not a single bit of sunshine comes up? Yeah. Yeah. That weekend was pretty bad.

Um, but I feel like 21 first year as a real pro, I feel like I enjoyed it. Go top 30 and then 2022. Dunno what happened there. My first podium. Out of nowhere. It's like layering is sick. The track was sick there. I would say like super techy on the bottom. Yeah. Bit muddy. Yeah. I think that was the best layering so far.

Now it's going, yeah. Now it's getting a bit more bike parky again. Yeah. Obviously like he can't blame him. It's like it's an open section. Yeah. You gotta shape it. You gotta keep it nice and builds and berms roots are getting cut out. Mm. What should he do? Same thing happened with the old track originally.

Like Yeah. That, you know, that Top forest section used to be a forest section. Yeah. If you watch the videos from the 15 years ago, they were like, Hey, this is Lego gang. Yeah. It's crazy. Okay. Yeah. Who's um, who's your favorite, in your opinion? Who's like your favorite rider, the best rider of all time that like, was like the best rider of all time in your opinion?

I mean, obviously Greg's a goat, but. On paper. On paper. He is the gold. Yeah. I'm super impressed by Bruni. You gotta give him some credit for how consistent he is over so many years. Was a super nice guy. Really like him. Um, I love ery when he, when he is his best, you know, like dude watching those runs sometimes I would love to be that crazy.

But yeah, I think only he is, um, I feel like unfortunately, yeah, that's been this, the result. Like now having, he's had quite a lot of injuries now, like back to back as well. It's just, yeah. I mean an incredible rider, but he does take a lot of risks. Yeah. But the best rider ever, I think gr Sam Hill, I remember his like last era.

I don't remember his best era. Yeah. Only from videos, so I can't really comment on that. But I remember him. What, uh, I watched him win in slamming. Oh, really? I got the golden jacket from, uh, Palm. No way. I was like, first draw Napoleon. No way. Yeah, I was Soto. I wasn't even riding back then, but crazy. Just watching the world.

I was so sick. Um, dude, it's hard. There was so many, I was always rooting for Stevie Smith. I think he was a sick rider, but, uh, best of all time. Or maybe must maybe sir, your, your favorite. I don't know. Your, someone who's like, I don't know, your, your guy through the, through the early part of your career.

Gwen was like the guy because you were kind of, because he, I was sick, but I, I wanted to see other people window and I was like a big Stevie Smith then, because, I don't know, just sick writing style, partying. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Just the whole character I would say. And for Gwen, I didn't really see the character back then.

Yeah. Which I, now I see it. I think it also changed probably. But I would say Stevie was my favorite racer when I was a junior and maybe Brooke as well when I started. Mm-hmm. And Peggy obviously he was like top 10 sometimes. Yeah. Or quite often. And he's from Sharping as well, like I am. And watching Austrian be super good at World Cups, I wasn't actually the main reason I watched the World Cup back then.

Really? Because I, you know, you go on Facebook, you're like, oh, he's racing World Cup again. And then just watch the race because you know, there's like a fellow country man doing well and now he is training me. God. Do you think someone like, 'cause I remember a lot of, obviously, unfortunately Stevie's not here anymore and uh, you know, Gwen had, he had a lot of what?

Raw material. Ah, he's still racing. And the riding style is insane. You know, when something gets super technical, super gnarly. Mm-hmm. Just wait for that. What is it, number 22? Is he now? Yeah. Still remember his winning Anddo that I was watching. That was a crazy race. Like the last gey down there. He like, he made up like two seconds in that last section, dude.

Yeah. Yeah. Let's say Remy, like all time. I love to watch him ride such a cool rider. Maybe not the best, but just a nice person as well. Yeah, I know he is super nice guy. Um, I mean most, most the guys at the World Cup are pretty, are pretty nice guys, to be honest. Yeah. Which is not the same in many other sports.

I think the good thing is we are racing against the clock and not against each other. Yeah. So, yeah, it's good vibe. Do you think someone, I mean obviously for a lot of years Gwen was dominating and then he had unfortunately some injuries and stuff. Yeah. Do you think, do you think he could still win Gwynnie or like come back?

Or do you think it's like to I would not count him off. I feel like there can always something happen, which maybe gives him the confidence suddenly again. Mm-hmm. Because I, I feel like the injuries definitely must have changed him. I don't know about his injury injuries before he got dominant, but I don't think he was injured much, was he?

I don't know, but I think he had some injuries in motocross before down there. Yeah, but that's different though. Yeah. Like if I get hurt at skiing, I don't relate it to Mumba. Yeah, true. So I feel like injuries change you a lot and it's hard to fight back. Like you can see I struggle a bit this year on the beginning of the season.

Ronan like everybody needs to come back. Even like the hardest now this guys. Um, but I think if he finds the right setup again, it's not too far away. It could happen, I feel like, like the perfect day. Yeah. Sunday, everything. You see it so often in the sport. I know. I just feel like, it's interesting because so many people write people off.

Yeah. They had like a couple bad years and it's like, oh, he, he's done like, yeah. It's like, dude, this guy won 20 World Cups, like re material. He was gone for a little bit. Yeah. 'cause of his injury in Leo Gang. Exactly. He was gone and then he came back with, was it? Yeah, he came actually back really strong in 2020 and like that that injury training was bad as well.

I mean, yeah. Super to, for him to come back from that was also Yeah. Nah. So I would never write him off. Never. And, and even this year in, I mean some of the races, like he was, I don't know, 20th or 19th or something, but I mean, in the time it's so tight now. Yeah. Like that's the difference. He qualified in, uh, Latu, didn't he?

Yeah, I think so. Yeah. I think the la the first two he didn't and then he qualified. Yeah. Through all the rest. I could be wrong. Maybe he's winning world champs this year. Do he mentioned that that would be sick. That would be sick straightaway. Retire. Like, yeah, that's like the way to go out. But I mean like it's crazy to me that he hasn't won it.

Yeah. Considering how he won five O rules. Yeah. You know, it's pretty, it so dominant. It's pretty impressive. Where if you think about how mentally strong he was. Mm. But some, something must be a world champ. He's thinking about it. There must be something because otherwise that's not a, yeah. How do you call it?

Inconvenient. Uh, well, yeah, he kind of looked the extra pressure or like, I want to win this one race. You know? It's, it's, it's, that's the big question is how do you get to that point where like, now Jackson has, has had that, like where he, just from the outside, at least he looks like when he is in the start gate.

He's like, I'm wanting today. Like it looks like he knows before, you know? And that's how Guen, the confide, the confidence is insane. And that's how Guen looked at that in in those years. Oh. He was just like in the gate and, and everyone was like, okay, here we go, dude. Didn't care. Here we go. Like, like Lloyd in nap podium in the hot seat down there.

Like he is coming again. Yeah. But yeah. And in those moments it looks kind of easy Yeah. For the guys. But it's obviously not easy to be honest. I, I know that feeling from a podium perspective, not from winning like 20, 22, when I think my third podium happened, like the other two, they were like, easy. Really?

Because I'm like, I want to win. You know? Like the podium is gonna happen for sure. Nearly. I kind of knew. It's like they've had a really good run on there and I feel like for Jackson, he's another level. Yeah. For him it's the win. So confidence is a big thing. It was dangerous. Yeah. Well then you, if you get too confident, then you end yourself.

I've seen so many times. I think Jackson's really good with that. What's been the toughest track like that you've raced over the years, where you've been like, where it's actually scared you, where you be like, like, I don't know, like this is, I think it must be Pandora. Really? Yeah. I'm not the biggest fan of it.

I mean, this year I enjoyed it, but I, I wanted to enjoy it. It was weird. The thing, I didn't qualify LA two the week before and I, now I go again. I mm-hmm. I actually hate this track, but I gonna do well, but just nothing in it. I don't know. I I, did you like the old track under Yeah, for sure. Everybody did. I wasn't fit back then, so I didn't fully like it.

I sprinted on the top onto to the bridge and I was already dying. Like dude, I was so cooked on the first bridge. That was so good. Long way to go from there. It was like eight seconds back at the first split I remember. And qualified, I think it was. Yeah, it was one of the fastest on the bottom I think. No way.

Yeah, but top sector, super fast, narrow stuff. Yeah. I didn't like that. Wow. Nah. I think Andorra is my least favorite trek right now. Mm-hmm. Because just no lines really. It was a little bit better this year, but I see so much more potential in that area. Mm-hmm. You could build quite better lines, I would say.

I like tape it differently to have more line option, make it super wide or something. I don't know, like some, some corners got better. But yeah, I think that's probably the worst track right now. Hopefully we're going to America New Tricks soon. Hopefully this is not gonna beat it, but I think it should be good.

New tricks are always good. Just something nobody has seen before. Yeah. Like twi, it's always guys get super stoked. That was so good on new stuff. Yeah. Um, but when they've got people that know what they're doing building Mm, for sure. Because for sure. Yeah. Then you, but I, I still have to say I, I feel like they nearly built too much manmade.

Not too, I've rate that track like one of the best of all time, but still they could have done less. Yeah. Digging. Like why first year racing a track? Why already build it half of it with dig or more Yeah. Keep it as natural as possible. Just tape it. Yeah. I feel like you need some catches and stuff, otherwise you get worse conditions.

They're getting 20, 20.2. So, but it, you need like catches in the right sections and sometimes like a nice sperm is nice. I'm not complaining about some big berms sometimes. Yeah. But they nearly did too much already. But it was still really, really good. But, but that's my opinion. Yeah. Bruni Verge, they've been there.

Maybe they love that stuff more. They also love Adora, so they, they like it the exact opposite to me. Probably. Why can't we get a World Cup back in Schwabing? It's expensive, but they have ski World Cups here. I mean that must also, that's cheaper. Really? Yeah, but the, the prize money at a ski World Cup is way more than a Daniel World Cup.

I think they moved it up now to 60,000 for the win year. That's the least you can win. And like kids boo. You win a hundred and then how much you win in Donna again, similar.

That's on talking about this topic. Nah, yeah. It is what it is. That's insane. So it is purely a money thing or I thought because, oh, you're not allowed. I thought maybe because it's, they've already got one in Austria, like in Ligang. No, that's not a problem anymore. I mean France, there's two this, yeah. Okay.

True. This year's two. Um, I think it's a money, it's quite expensive for them and they're like, oh, we need to close the track. So much investment. How much does it bring back? You know? Mm-hmm. I mean, they will be really keen if it would be cheaper. Do you know what a, do you know by chance what it costs? That I allowed to say?

Ah, okay. Pressure must say it to host it. I mean, not from their point of view, but actually what You have to pay the Warner Brothers or whatever. Yeah. Okay. Dunno if it said, I heard it was a lot like hundreds. Hundreds of hundreds of thousands. That's what I heard. Yeah. Dunno if it's correct or not, but I heard like 200 or something like that.

That would be cheap. Really? 200,000. I will be super cheap though. Okay. We could save up in no 200,000 I think. But that's not to run the World Cup. That's just the Regi like to be able to do a World Cup. Like No, I think it's way more in, in the actual running of a World Cup. It's over, over a million as far as, yep.

The triple event like Enduro. Mm-hmm. Cross country in down. That's big bucks. But I mean, layer gang, they are so, so stoked on racing. Mm. Like the guys from the Lift and everybody they so into it. I think that's also been missing in ing maybe like the people who are really close into racing. And I think shortening is, uh, funded by the country and leering is not.

Oh, interesting. And they live in Salzburg. And Salzburg is, um, paying more money for events like this, like giving more money to events. To support him. He is Stereo. Stereo. Yeah. Bit difficult. I should not say too much cheap skates, but I think that they're really keen and it's definitely on their list. So if something changes, if someone changes his mind, like mm-hmm we want to spend the money, we might see it coming back.

I think that will be everyone. Every rider's dream. I let you spoke to Peggy today about it. Like really? What can we do? Blah, blah. Maybe European Cup would be nice. Yeah. Even Austrian James something like, now the rookies James are there, like those rookies get to race the sick track, you know? But I feel like the, the track has changed a lot over.

Yeah. It's become, but you can, you can, for a race you could do so much. Yeah. Like open old wood section again and stuff like this. Yeah. I think for a race they would still be allowed to do it. So we could do some good stuff or we have some plans with that track anyway. Alright. We wanted to do it this year already, but I think they've been super busy fixing everything else.

So hopefully by end of this year we're gonna do some new updates. Bit more freshness. Mm-hmm. Yeah. It's, it's, it not, it's been a bit too bike parking. Yeah, it's definitely a lot more bike parking. It used to be, some parts are cool, obviously, but, you know, um, but that's it. I mean, like mountain bike is not like skiing, like you room it and it's always the same and, mm-hmm.

It's fresh again, it's always gonna be bad somewhere. Someday route's gonna be cut and it's just, would you, is there anything that you would've done differently in, in your career up to this point, um, that would've maybe benefited you? Um, you know, to get you quicker? Um, that's a tricky one. I don't know.

Pretty happy where I'm, but I feel like I could have. Probably look for outside help earlier, like the thing with Peggy Daniella, my mental coach and stuff like this. So maybe could've reached out to people like, oh, can you help me there bit earlier? And not just think like, oh, I gotta make it on my own, you know?

Mm-hmm. Strong and capable man. Um, so I think that would've helped me and I maybe would've not had that many injuries. Yeah. Even they're not big injuries, but I think I maybe would've been there earlier.

And also maybe everything would've been different. Layering would've never happened. You never know. Have you ever thought about, I mean, obviously it's hard when you are racing, but like, have you ever thought about what you want to do after racing? And are you the type of guy that, are we gonna see you racing at 40?

Like, maybe, maybe. Or, or are you like. Wanting to book out early? No, I think I'm one of them. Who is gonna race long If the level uhhuh of my writing is gonna be enough. Obviously I don't want to be not qualifying for every World Cup after being good. Um, so probably, I don't know, at least 35 I would say.

Cool. At least that's how I feel right now. I feel like my body is in a really good, um, how do you call it? Station right now. Mm-hmm. I feel like I know what I need for training. Um, if I don't have like an injury, like right now still I'm in the best shape and I just feel good. Like, I felt worse when I was 20.

Like I always tell I was dealing with back issues and stuff. Mm-hmm. They're gone now pretty much like, but yeah, I feel really good. And I mean, I've seen the other side. I've been a car mechanic before. Eight to five. Yeah. You go into the workshop every day, you work on the cars every day. You do service on the same cars, like you change the same parts because the same parts always break.

You're like, it's just boring, eh? Yeah. It's like, obviously there's some nice parts as well, like, dunno, some cool jobs like fix the whole engine and stuff like this was also nice to do it sometimes, but most of the time you go into, go into the workshop and you are already bored and mm-hmm. Same shit every day.

Yeah. And now I'm living the dream, getting paid to ride my bikes, to keep my body fit and travel the world. South Korea next year, stuff like this is so sick. Yeah. I'm not complaining. Definitely not living the best life. You, you, we chatted about it a bit earlier before we just start. Before we started was um, like riding too much and.

Obviously when you're, I've been there as well, like when you're doing it as a job, it's fun, but it's also a job like, so when you're doing it all the time, it's kind of hot. You need to keep a balance, like for sure. How do you, yeah, how do you keep, keep yourself motivated, like in those times where you feel like a bit, you know, but like you've done too much?

Uh, I think not riding, not riding bikes. I think right now I'm in like a bit of a not ready dollar bike moment, just for two weeks because he lives in Sch Ling and he is like, ah, dude, he is a tricky one, right? You just look out the window like it's just over there. Just a sneaky one, jumpline quickly or you know, just some t-shirt lips, which is the best idea.

Most of the time goes super fast and have a huge e no, I think for me, if I have some time off the download bike, especially. And I get back on it, it's just a, that greediness again, you know, you jump on it. Mm-hmm. Like first run, you're like, ah, I actually feel super shit. I should have written more the last couple weeks.

Yeah. Second like, oh, this actually feels all right. And the third run, you're already pushing super hard and you're just so stoked. And I feel like, oh, it's stoke ness just goes away the more you ride. Mm-hmm. Obviously. And then you get to a point where you're like, uh, it is sick. I'm enjoying it, but yeah.

Mm-hmm. You know, and that's where I don't wanna be, I wanna be getting onto McDonald Bike super stoked because that's when I ride. Well, every time we have a good result, I'm in a good mood. I don't remember a single time I did a good result when I was in a bad mood. Never bad mood shit result, literally.

It is. It is. And that's why people, if you're in a good mindset in general, like with other parts of your life, like sometimes I try to be super serious. You know, I always. I need to be careful to not fall into the like just train, train, train, train, eat, clean, blah, blah, blah kind of mindset. And I think about 20, 22, dude, I parted every weekend really?

Twice, sometimes like till the sun was rising. No, honestly, I was partying a lot. I was sick. I was very good. Right. And you had, like in Saints, you had like four podiums in a row and I parted every weekend really hard. I was like European jam. I won the first time I came home, I parted two days in a row at home.

Two days later I drove to, I drove to Lenza. I was in the car. I was like, oh my God, I'm so cooked. I'm so hangover still. Two days later I'm like, oh my God, you're not gonna be anywhere near the podium this weekend. I was like, after my first one podium again, because I was in a good mood, it maybe was not the right thing to do.

Like right now I'm like, ah, maybe I could. Stayed a bit calmer and maybe one, but it worked. Won a couple more races already, but at this time I didn't really care. I had the one podium and I was like, season is sick already. I don't need more. And that's it. You just need to be free and enjoy when Jackson's also really good in that, I think.

Yeah, he, I, I mean, I don't know him personally, but I he looks like he's got a very good balance. Yeah. He was a dj, isn't he? Yeah. That's so sick. Ali. So Ali was DJing ing. I think he's so sick. Yeah, I love it when, yeah, if you think about that, like motocross, I'm a big fan of motocross. Those guys ride every day.

Nearly. Yeah. Not every day, but, but they're, uh, it's, it's, they race two days weekend and they 30, 30, 35 races. They off. They off all. We're going to go on a three hour spin on the road bike. Next day we ride motocross. Next day we do motocross. Like I will be so bored. They do the the same circle all the time.

Mm. If I go and ride motocross the same track two days in a row, I'm so bored. But I get bored pretty easy. So I think that's why I also need less time on the double bike because the hype is gone. Even I love biking, but then I go ride my door bike that's on Takey trails. There's a vendor corners and just enjoy mountain biking and not mm-hmm.

Riding my down bike. So how much do you ride your down bike, like coming into the season and stuff like that? Depends, depends if I have to test a lot or not. But two days in a week I would say. Is that like average? Average, yeah. And during season, sometimes more, sometimes less. Okay. But now less two weeks, nothing.

But then probably's three days before leisure again, and then we go again. So you don't, do you feel like when you want to get faster. Do you feel like riding your bike helps you to get faster or do you feel like, 'cause I've had that before. It depends. We've taken a break and then you come back and you feel like you're riding faster than ever and you've had like three weeks off.

Yeah. That's like my first podium broke my elbow. Yeah. Three weeks later. Podium without training or riding it all. Yeah. So I was like, well, but I actually had a huge weekend before because I got a crush with a kid. News, other story that's talking about that one. Um, but I feel like downward is such a sport for your brain.

Mm-hmm. If you ride so much, I feel like you get so tired and, I don't know, just mentally drained and then all the injuries happen and Yeah. That's when I got injured, when I rode too much and too tired. Yeah. That's, if you don't ride for three weeks, you're so on it and you, you want to ride so much and you just in the moment.

Yeah, and I just like, ah, still feeling the, the runs from yesterday pretty much like me dropping dish today and where, actually no, I can't wait anymore, but it's a week ago. When, when you, when you at a race, do you, are you doing, do you do any full runs in practice preparing for World Cup or Depends? It depends.

Um, because I spoke to Gwen and he said to me that he, in the past, he never did any full rounds in practice. Dude, I remember watching him, he only did qualifying was the first full run in restaurant and I was like, he never was fast in time practice. No, only sections. Yeah. Yeah. He's, you could tell like, oh, this guy is flying actually, but you don't know about it.

Yeah. Sometimes he looked so bad in practice. I remember, like I didn't qualify back that much, so I watched like finals there. Yeah. I was like. This dude is not feeling well today. Like he is sick or something. Yeah. P one baby. How? Like you, you look shit in practice like literally and now you are at the top step of the, of the podium.

It's just so crazy to me like that the different ways. 'cause like Danny Hart for example, he doesn't run, run, run, run. So like five full runs when he, do you remember when he won Ole? I think he done like eight full runs till his finals day. I remember him going past all the time, like, this guy's flying man, what?

What's going on? Yeah. Kept doing that like every day. But I feel like now you gotta save a bit of energy. It's also, I think it's getting more physical, like body-wise, you know, like G Force and everything. And I don't really see the point of going super fast super many times. Like for me, I always peak at like run four or something on the day, maybe run free.

So if I do like timing, time runs and I know the track already. Run free or run four is the fastest. And then I start to get slower, nearly. Maybe if I'd make mistakes in run three and four, then maybe not. But if I really hit my lines, I go really fast, I run free. That's it. I don't get faster even maybe if I get super crazy.

Yeah. Risk your life like all. Well, I don't do that anymore. Um, so I don't think it's necessary. And there's some rider out there which are super fast in every time practice. Wow. And then on finals day, they're not in the top 10 running time practice not top 10. It's like, what's the point? It's, do you find it easy to get up to speed?

Like, because that was something that some people struggle with. I struggle with that to like get up to speed quick enough. Like sometimes super easy, I would say. And sometimes I struggle a lot depends on the setup. Like this year I tried something on the fork in Boonville. Mm. And I thought, I'm, I'm fucking fast.

29th in the time practice that course I was pushing dude. Really? Then we changed something on the fork and the next day everything was good again. But dude, I, I was stressed. And then there's other days, I think Leo Game, I won time practice this year and I didn't really push hard or anything. It was just hap happening naturally.

Yeah. Crazy that the fork could make that much difference. Yeah, it was quite a big change. I tried something with Jordy and Yeah. Didn't, didn't really go my way. I was, I was like, you know, not having enough time in the off season. Yeah. So had to do it in the season this year. Still learning. Are you, uh, ready for La Jay?

Favorite track? Soon. We're soon ready. Another a week chilling at home and training at home. Really love to go into the gym at the moment, so yeah, building confidence also, I feel confident after Andorra doing well there. Favorite trilogy. Hopefully some fresh, low me turns. Maybe it'll rain and you'll get your Nice, you'll be able to do your slide again, dude.

Well, then Armory comes again. Dude, that was so good. That was gnarly. That was so great, dude. Um, the last question I'll ask every guest is, what does the word success mean to you? Success. To me, success means if I did my best, then I'm happy with myself. I think that's it. Like, yeah. Doesn't matter what the outcome is.

If I put all the work in mm-hmm. I gave my best and I achieved my best. Like for my, for me personally. Yeah. That's success. It's not about beating other people. Sure. Like we sometimes focus in our sport. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Most of the time try not to do it. Thank you. That's sweet. Thanks for coming over. Thanks for making it happen.

Finally. We got it done at, uh, yeah. It was interesting to, uh, to pick your brain. It's always like, I love it to, to chat to people that are in the same this, that have been in the same situations, you know? Yeah. 'cause there's not many people on planet Earth that have been in a World Cup start gate like True.

And know what that feels like. Yeah. Um, and have also winning a World Cup, like it's, uh, it's an interesting place. I think we, we were also at, uh, similar stages in our career. Like, you came like to top 20. Mm-hmm. Top 21. Was it Top 21? Yeah. In Ali, I remember came to fame top 21. I, I remember. And I remember all this guy's coming.

This guy's coming. And injuries happened. Yeah. So the luck wasn't on the other side. So me, maybe the luck was more motor side. So it, I remember, I remember actually, that's my to fame. I remember, was it OTs? There was a German race. He smoked Mebo and it was wet. I smoked you. Did you actually I smoke. I won.

Yeah. I was, I won by five seconds. I won by five seconds. Dude, that race, I don't know what was going on. That was like my, that was that year as well. Wasn't that year on solid or was that I was on solid. Yeah. I got, I got 21st about Seoul and I was, I qualified at every World Cup except for Andorra where I, I crashed.

Um, but every other World Cup I qualified. So it was like, for me, that was the best season and then unfortunately freaking ended myself the next year to, to get 21st in the world is not easy. So Yeah. I'm, I mean, like you can always, you can always want more. Yeah. Like even, even Loic, I'm sure he wants to win another World Chance.

Of course. Yeah. You what? So I'm like, for me, I think it's important, just like I'm stoked with where, got to, like, where I am. It, you know. There's always, there's never living a pretty good life now as well, I would say. I mean, riding Schlop on a Tuesday. Yeah. Pretty good. And I mean, bikes are sick. Racing is sick, but there's also other things in life that are more important, you know?

So, and I think that's what the injuries also show you. Yeah, for sure. Um, and, and it also makes you then enjoy when you can go ride like more 'cause you're like, it's just sick that I get to do this. Yeah. And I feel like a lot of people in that have been in our shoes kind of myself included. It's just like, whatever.

Like it's just another day, like another day in the bike park, like on a Wednesday or whatever. But like, not many people get to do that. Yeah. It's insane. That's something stuff you always need to remind yourself. Life's good. Definitely nice ones, dude. Thanks bro.

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