Interview: Matthew Crampton

 

13th of March, 2006; By Larry Hickmott in Melbourne 2006

Commonwealth Games Features Home Page

 

With the rain falling out of the sky in contrast to the 38 degree temperatures the day before, a small group of the England riders were on the track at the indoor Velodrome in Melbourne today (13th of March).

 

These including the Team Pursuiters Rob Hayles, Chris Newton, Steve Cummings, Ed Clancy and Paul Manning. Whilst they did their stuff on the track, hitting the 'numbers' as their coach Simon Jones put it, I was still trying to rid myself of the red tape that media people invariably have to thread their way through at such events.

This I managed to do, at least for today, just as Matthew Crampton made his way out on to the track behind Shane Sutton on a moped. Resplendent in his Red and White England outfit, Matthew followed his performance manager round and round the boards at a steady pace before making a final all out effort to finish off the mornings work.

 

 Team Pursuiters after training today.

After he returned to the teams pit area, I grabbed some words with him to see how he has found his three month stint in Australia. Matthew, like a few of the English and Scottish team, came to Perth, Australia in January on what was for him, his first major time away with the sprint team. The likes of Jason Queally and Chris Hoy have been doing this trip for many years but this was a new experience for Matthew.

A good one too he says and one that has helped him learn a lot from the experienced riders that have surrounded him at the training camp in Perth. It's also been a period where he has continued to grow, putting on eight kilograms in muscle weight from his time in the gym. I asked Matthew how his form was to which he replied, "it was going really well in Perth and yesterday we had a run out in the Team Sprint and that went really well too."

For Matthew, who has done UCI World Track Cups and World Championships, the Commonwealth Games are a new experience for him and he says since arriving in Melbourne, its got a bit more intense. "The Team Sprint is going to be a really big thing so I'm a bit nervous about that but I'm also trying to enjoy it." Wearing England kit as against GB kit has also added to the nerves and although Matthew says it feels weird, the rivalry he admits is still all very friendly and he's looking forward to it on the track."

Matthew is also very complimentary about the track, saying it feels really smooth to ride and is hoping that it will be quick as well during racing. As for the events he will be doing, Matthew says he's down to do the Keirin, Team Sprint, and Sprint.

At the Manchester World Cup, he was in great form and he says since then, his starts have improved greatly and his times for the 200 metres flying have also improved by a tenth here or there.

Going back to the time in Perth, Matthew explained that in the beginning he was sharing an apartment with Chris Hoy and Ross Edgar for a few weeks before the rest of the team came out at which point he moved into a room with Jason Queally.

"It was really enjoyable" he says of the training camp. "We'd go out for road rides together as well as go for coffees and meals and it was nice. The roads we had in Perth were good too because we were staying right on a lake and there were bike lanes everywhere. We weren't in any traffic at all and then we had a track about an hours ride away."

"The indoor track was quiet with not many people training there so that was good and it was very similar to Edinburgh with its long straights and tight bends. The weather was really hot out there with some days in the high 30's but that helped make it nice and fast. After being there for two months we've seen a lot of it as its only a small place and its been perfect timing to be out there now with all the bad weather at home."

Matthew then had to get his warm down in before the team headed back to the village and I left him to get on with his training. Meanwhile, I took advantage of the free public transport that Games people get and returned to my hotel 20 minutes from the track to continue my preparations for the Games which start on Thursday.

Good Luck to Matthew and all the home nation riders in the Games.