Name – John Bamford (AKA “Bambam”)
Height – 5′ 6″
Weight – 55 KG
Riding style – Wind cheater
What’s your story? Why did you get into cycling?
I used to run when I was younger, but then started picking up more and more injuries, especially to the knees which meant I was training and competing less and less. A friend roped me into doing an alternative triathlon for charity which was a row across Lake Windermere, then a 40km bike ride over Lakeland passes and then a fell run up and down Scafell Pike. That was when I bought my first serious road bike, a GT ZR 3.0.
- What was your first bike?
- Grifter.
- What are your trademark traits that people know you by?
- I’m sure if you asked all my friends they’d say fair, reliable, charming, cultured, dependable, humorous…. You get the picture 🙂
- Who is your cycling hero, past / present?
- Past – Marco Pantani.
- Present – Fabian Cancellara.
- Apart from cycling, any other passion or addiction that would be impossible to give up?
- Real Ale
- What do you avoid like the plague?
- Queues
- What’s your party piece?
- My 6 year old daughter still thinks I can do real Magic by making things disappear and then miraculously re-appear… although it gets harder and harder to fool her these days.
- What’s your power track?
- David Guetta – Titanium
- What about your karaoke track?
- Anything by the Killers
- What’s your pre-race habit?
- Arriving early to avoid the queue of riders for the single trap.
- Best ever achievement on the bike?
- Gold Medal time on the etape du tour, finishing up Alp D-Huez. Winning my first road race in 2013.
- Favourite bike race?
- Any of the classics.
- Perfect three course meal?
- Antipasti, fillet steak, sticky toffee pudding.
- Favourite Film?
- Braveheart
- If you could do just one more ride, what or where would it be?
- Mont Ventoux
- Best decision ever made?
- Marrying Gillian.
- What one piece of advice would you give to anyone thinking about bike racing?
- Train hard and learn to ride safe in a group.
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