Dirt: Big adjustments for Marc Beaumont in 2012?
Marc: Yeah, been doing a load of labouring, tin roof is off my new house. But yeah, I’ve been riding with these guys since the youth category. Didn’t ever think I’d be riding alongside them. Had a long relationship with GT, they’re happy with what I’ve been doing. It’s a new incentive for me.
You’ve been/are a key person for GT, won a World Cup for them, first in a long time. You carry the legacy of Nico, Peaty, Carter, King and co. It’s huge.Marc: On paper we’ve got a strong team. It’s exciting, but more importantly it’s nice to have a structure around it, there’s been people in and out in the past so it’s good to have something solid.
Rather stupidly I then turn to Gee and take the wrong direction, and begin reading my interview notes from the wrong place. I question him on his five World Cup wins in fifty races, three of his wins having come in one season, 2010, and one going as far back as 2004. Trying to restart I question Gee on his staggering efficiency at claiming a podium place at a World Cup (82%) which is equalled only by Minnaar.Gee: It’s a shame it doesn’t equate across to wins as well you know.
Not closing the deal?Gee: It’s something I’ve always found easier in the past you know. I find it easy to get to a high level but it’s those last small steps that you have to approach differently and really it’s only in the past few years that I’ve realized that. It’s altered my approach to racing.
Not wanting to push the bike detail too far I was aware Gee was not fully happy with last years race bike, and also the fact that his bike was running many pounds heavier than his opponents. With that in mind I tried to be a bit more tactful with this one. Maybe this GT bike will change all that. The bike might be the small percentage to get those wins, Marc has proven what it can do.
Gee: I’ve no doubt that I can win on a GT, it’s undoubted they have a World Cup winning bike, if it wasn’t we wouldn’t be in this position now talking about it. But it’s not so much the bike as the team that’s around you that’s important I think. I definitely think we are in a position to start upping those numbers on the wins.
Gee: It goes to show when riders arrive at the top it’s not because of one reason, they’ve got everything right in their camp and they have pulled it all together, and they don’t just win one race they get on a roll. You only have to look back at the past and see riders that have dominated the year. Gwinny, Sam (Hill), Peaty. A rider just gets into their comfort zone and starts winning races.
And the new team might get you on the roll?Gee: Yeah undoubtedly, I’ve always responded well to change in the past and it’s important you don’t get stale. If you keep everything the same it gets…well, not boring, but definitely stale sometimes.
