[size=8]Sir Chris Hoy MBE[/size]1. Chris, thanks for accepting this interview during your busy schedule. You started BMX at the age of 7, can you tell us what influenced you to start riding BMX and also about your first BMX bike?
I’ve always been a really competitive person in all sports and I was attracted to BMX as it was just starting when I was about six or seven years old. It really appealed to me at that age and there was a track near my house so I tried it once and I was hooked.
I wanted a Raleigh Super Burner which was gold and black. It was £99 and my parents said if I could raise half the money, they would match it. I did odd jobs for the neighbours and managed to raise the money over a couple of weeks. The bike weighed a ton but I loved it.
2. At the age of 11 you went up to 2nd in the UK, who was No1 at the time and who else did you race with back in the day?Number 1 in the country was Matt Boyle and he was European champion at the time. He was a strong rider and my main rival - I was consistently coming second behind him. I also raced with Nick Gill, Simon Jones, Ian Turner, Gary Smith, Craig Edwards and James Morris. BMX was quite unpredictable and there were five or six guys who were there or thereabouts, but Matt was the best and I first beat him in the National series final at Chesterfield.
3. Who were your role models when riding BMX?Andy Ruffell, who was the most high profile BMX rider in the country at the time. Andy Welsh, a Scottish rider who was three or four years older than me, who won the world title in 1986. Also Ian Archibald who was a local lad who did really well.
4. A lot of riders mixed Race and Freestyle like Andy Ruffell, but did you ever try Freestyle Chris?No, I was never very good at it. I was in Holland for a race and I was mucking about on the ramps in the freestyle area and I knocked myself out. That taught me I wasn’t skilled in freestyle and I should stick to racing.
5. What bikes did you own through out your a Facebook group and have you kept any?I had a Raleigh Super Burner and then a SuperFox, which was my first proper racing bike. I had a second hand Hutch Pro Racer which was a really light dedicated racing bike. I had a GT Pro Series when I used to race for them and I think I’ve still got it at home.
6. Rising to 9th in the World in 92/93 Chris, what happened to turn you on to Road racing and robbed BMX of a potential World superstar?I was ninth in the 1986 worlds and by 1991 I just wasn’t enjoying BMX as much. Mountain biking was just coming out and I had a shot at that and really enjoyed it. I was also doing some skateboarding and playing rugby and quite a bit of rowing, so I chose to take a break from BMX racing. When I stopped BMX, mountain biking was there for the next couple of years.
7. Did you get time to watch the BMX racing in Beijing Chris, and if so how did it feel to see BMX on such a large scale and are you ever tempted to ride a BMX again?It was amazing to see BMX make it to the Olympics. For a lot of people who don’t know much about the sport, it’s viewed as something for kids. It’s an impressive sport to be a part of and to make the Olympics. The sport has changed so much over the years, there are bigger jumps and less pedaling.
It’s been about 20 years since I last raced or rode a BMX bike so it’d be quite difficult to have another go.
8. Take us into the mind of Chris Hoy in 2008, how did it feel to win 3 Olympic Gold Medals?It was a mixture of relief, excitement and pride. Winning my first Olympic gold medal in Athens was the realisation of a lifetime’s dream and to win three more in Beijing was incredible, an absolutely amazing feeling.
9. How does Chris Hoy relax in his spare time?I don’t have much spare time outside training and racing but I try to spend as much time as I can with my friends and family who I don’t get to see when I’m away from home. I play a bit of golf and I enjoy reading books and watching TV, especially comedy. I’m a big fan of motorsport and I’ve done a few track days. I also love coffee and I’ve done a couple of barista training courses in Australia.
