Paul Manning Training Update

Interview: Paul Manning (England)

15th of March, 2006; by Larry Hickmott

Going through the final training session on Wednesday morning was Paul Manning who will be riding the Team Pursuit (Saturday) and the Individual Pursuit on the opening day, Thursday. Paul is one of the later arrivals in Australia after getting in a couple of extra races in Belgium prior to arriving in Sydney at the start of March where his track training started in the countdown to Melbourne.

Like it does for most travellers, it took Paul a few days to get over the travelling and start the track work in Sydney before moving on to Melbourne and more of the same. The last time Paul and the team did a Team Pursuit was the Manchester World Cup where they were second to a team who may well pose a major threat in Melbourne, New Zealand.

He says that he and the rest of the team have done enough during the winter to keep their hand in and not leave them a lot to do in the weeks before the Commonwealth Games.

"We always gel fairly quickly and then its just the little bit of polishing to be done which is what these last few weeks have been about. The fitness is their for us to tap into and we're all confident and looking forward to the racing."

He admits it is always going to be a close race between the English and the Australians but that there are so many other things to focus on that they aren't really thinking about what the Aussies are doing or not doing. "We can only do what we can do. We all have our own little things to concentrate on which we learnt in the Sydney training sessions. Simple things really like working on our strengths and weaknesses and pull it all together."

Asked if had to do any top work when he got onto the track after lots of road racing in February, Paul smiled and said "I've been doing plenty of top end work on the road I can tell you!" Paul was referring to the pace of the pro races he has been doing in Europe with teammate Steve Cummings.

"We have done just enough in Sydney and here to tap into that work and the speed does come quite quickly. You think you're not going so well on the road but you get on the track and it's there. We're lucky we have this natural speed."

His first event will be the Individual Pursuit which he won a bronze medal in at the Manchester Games. His preparation for that event will consist of a start the day before (Wednesday) and then the race itself. "Its about getting the mindset right and riding it as well as I can on the day and we'll see where it gets me."

What he has found daunting away from the track he admits is the pro racing in Europe. "Some days I have been in a group that has climbed off - if you're not in the front, you're racing for tomorrow or the day after when there is no point in finishing. Single day events appear to be more cut throat and I prefer the more relaxed stage race environment."

"I have found it overall fairly tough but equally its about learning about what goes on and the slightly different style of racing. I have been enjoying it even though it's been a bit tough on some days. I got through knowing this (the Games) and the Worlds (Track) were coming up and when we get back, I'll have to knuckle down and wait for the form to come to get some results on the road."

Paul then left the track centre to do a 2k Team Pursuit effort where he is able to go through the normal race warm-up, the countdown at the start and the first 2000 metres of the 4000 metre effort. Then, they'll review the video footage and splits later and work on the strategy for the race from that. We wish Paul and all the guys the very best for the Pursuit and Team Pursuit.