Climb every mountain: Catching up with Ed Laverack

We caught up with Saint Piran Elite team rider (and UK National Hill Climb Champion) Ed Laverack to find out what he’s been up to during lockdown.

So where are you at the moment?

This is my sixth week in lockdown in the UK and it's been a mixture of feelings. I've been staying with my partner, in Cardiff while she finishes her studies in May before graduation. But that’s been postponed indefinitely. In Wales, we've had different lockdown rules for the last week or so regarding the distance allowed to ride. We have been advised to ride no further than five or 10 miles from home or what's considered a reasonable walking distance. I don't think walking 10 miles is reasonable. I suppose you could do it but I think if I had a choice I wouldn’t walk that far in Lycra! 

Are you managing to train?

Yes. I've been training indoors for the last six weeks because my partner is in the NHS and I just thought it would be best for me to stay indoors and not go outside and risk anything happening. I feel really privileged in 2020 that, with all the technology, we can ride indoors further for specific sessions or even with friends and teammates from the comfort of our own homes. I think that's very special.

I feel like things are a lot clearer when you only have a few things to worry about. Training has been going well, with fewer distractions and outside variables. I've found riding indoors is actually very calming, it’s a very specific kind of training and it's working well for me.

Have you had to make any adjustments training indoors? 

I have to be careful not to overdo the intensity side, because when you’re racing and training indoors you end up not having as much freewheeling as out on the road. You sweat more and you have to eat more, so you have to think about those things when you're training almost every day. I've been taking two or so days a week completely off the bike and I really make the most of that time. 

What are your thoughts on the rest of the season?

I'm still very much focused on what's ahead. If the road season does materialise later in the year, I’ll make sure I’m ready for it. But when there’s so much uncertainty around The Tour de France - arguably the biggest bike race in the world - if that's not going to be on (or at least seriously delayed) then why would there be any events on in the UK. 

I love goals and am very much driven to being a better athlete and a better cyclist. I echo the words of my Saint Piran teammates when I say that we will be ready when the season does come around.

Let’s talk hill climbing. Why do it - isn't it just a horribly painful way to spend time on a bike? 

Yes! Very painful! But personally, I find it very pure. You are in control, and the art of pacing a climb has never been more technical, even when going flat out. Plus, the best bit is coming down the other side!

When did you get into hill climbing? 

I started after I missed selection for the Tour of Britain around three years ago. I didn't want all my hard training to go to waste, so I decided to have a go and experiment with my nutrition. I discovered my new optimum racing weight during this process and that really helped my power to weight ratio.

In what way are the best hill climbers different to other riders?

Power to weight is a huge deal, but the climbs I enjoy, the longer ones, require a bit more planning and preparation. Pacing also starts to play a part, where you can save energy when moving the fastest, for example. Every ride is different, and no one rider will win on every length of climb. There will always be a certain specialist somewhere. The training for events like this is brutal but it’s also done in a smart way. You train specifically for the demands of the hill, pushing your ability to ride at a higher and higher sustainable power output.

How does hill climb training work alongside training for road races? Are the two complementary? 

It can be complementary. Most of the hills used in road races in the UK are between two and seven minutes long, which crosses over well with the average length of a hill climb event. Training boils down to making yourself fitter, stronger and more efficient. The biggest challenge is balancing everything. Not doing too many hard training sessions that you blunt your effort on race day, doing enough to give adaptation and the mental fatigue that a year of training can bring on your elite performance when hill climb season starts in September. It can make for a long year.

Apart from the UK National Championships, what are the biggest events and do you hope to take part in them this year? 

The UK National Championships are traditionally on the last weekend of October. My main target for the coming hill climb season is the Taiwan KOM Challenge, which happens to be a few days prior. I have been recommended by lots of people and it would be a good opportunity to enjoy a climb with different challenges and dynamics. Regardless of the events being on or not, it will give me an opportunity to stay focused through these uncertain times.

Finally, what are your goals for 2020 with Saint Piran?

My goal for the team is to contribute to some really good results on the road, particularly at the Elite Road Series. I will still do my very best to target those races that suit me, whenever they may be. There are the races that I am sure I could train for specifically and set myself those specific goals. I really enjoy pouring my reserves into helping the team in any way I can to get good results and good exposure from being competitive, and until then we will remain ambitious and positive.

Ed winning the UK National Hill Climb Championship in October 2019