Rider Diary: Tracy Moseley 
Interview with Tracy Moseley - September 2009
Britain's most established female downhiller, Tracy Moseley has been racing at the highest level for 15 years and is one of the only gravity racers to have won a round of both the downhill and fourcross World Cup, alongside multiple national titles and the prestigeous UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup in 2006. Finally the UCI Downhill World Champion in 2010, Moseley followed in the footsteps of Steve Peat, when pulling on a long-awaited Rainbow Jersey at Mont St. Anne. Read Tracy's feature-length interview here, before catching the latest in her rider diary.
March 26 2011
Recovering from my trip to Cape Verde took a lot longer than I had expected. I had a cold the whole time I was away, so never really got chance to rest up and get over it and then with all the travelling on the trip I just really emptied my batteries! The first week at home I started trying to do some long rides, but I just didn't feel good, so I ended up taking a few days off the bike entirely which thankfully was enough time for my body to recover.
In those couple of weeks at home I attended the British Cycling Annual Awards in Birmingham. I always enjoy these events as I find it really motivating to see how much talent we have as a country across all the cycling disciplines. This year I also had the World Champ title to celebrate, so it was definitely a special evening as I was presented with a lifetime achievement award with special recognition for my contribution to the sport of downhill mountain biking in the UK. Anyone would think British Cycling think it's time I retired! It was an occasion I will never forget as the audience gave me a standing ovation, a massive honour and another great moment that this sport has enabled me to experience.
With the Awards evening complete, I finally felt good again on the bike and managed to string together five days of decent long road and off road rides. With only three weeks until the Cape Epic I was beginning to run out of time to get the miles in, but I am sure it will all help! Not only is the Cape Epic looming in the next few weeks so too was the start of my downhill season. I had my first team camp of the year in Malaga, Spain. It's always exciting to start a new season and have the biggest Christmas feeling ever when you receive all the new kit and bikes for the new season! Even after all these years I still love opening up the boxes and getting new stuff!
We had chance to work with Fox suspension and test some new product they have been working on over the winter. It always amazes me just how much they keep progressing their gear year after year. The new suspension changes felt amazing and I was feeling great on the downhill bike after only a few days. I also managed to still keep up a few XC rides and had a great ride with Justin and Christoph from Fox and photographer Victor Lucas.
This time of year is also the time for finalising my personal sponsors and getting all my kit sorted for the season ahead and being World Champion means some very cool treats are in store; starting off with a pair of very special custom podium shoes from Shimano! I really felt special to have these arrive and hopefully they can get plenty of use this season!
I also progressed my relationship with Trixter, who became my helmet sponsor for 2011. They had a pretty cool design done for my new helmet.
With kit sorted it was time for my first downhill race of the season, the Maxxis Cup in Gouveia, Portugal. It's a race I have been doing for years as it's always good weather and a good course to start the year with. It was the same this year with the first sunshine I have seen in months and also a chance to get more time in on my downhill bike before the first World Cup.
I felt good in practice, but during the race I really felt a little out of touch with racing, just making loads of little mistakes along the way. There was not a big women's field so even with a not perfect run I managed to win and start the season off well.
Right now there's a serious change of scene though as I fly direct to South Africa to acclimatise before the Cape Epic starts! This will definitely be the most crazy challenge I have ever set myself.....707km offroad over 8 days and I can't wait!
Please feel free to follow my progress on my website, facebook and the Cape Epic website and please help me and support the charity I am riding for, World Bicycle Relief.
I'll be sure to report back on the experience; if I can make it back alive!
