Ex-Mbuk team manager and racer Will Longden has hooked up a deal with Hotlines to ride Lapierre bikes in 2009. Will has won three British MTB titles and two NPS DH series and believe it or not has competed in the last fifteen consecutive World Championships for Great Britain.
So we thought it would be a good time to ask him some “Last Time” questions.

Will Longden

When was the last time:
You upset your neighbours?
Couple of years ago… I set off for a race early, 5am, caught his brand new car with the side of my van and carried on driving… Unfortunately the curtain twticher had watched the whole thing and after stewing over it all weekend, he met me at the gate on Sunday night! Anyone who races knows all you want on a Sunday night is your tea, a beer and Only Fools and Horses, not some nob head moaning about his wing mirror! haha

When was the last time:
You won a race?

That would be the NPS 4X race I did last season. Unless motorbikes count, in which case I won the fastest time in an Enduro special stage a few weeks ago.

When was the last time:
You hurt yourself?

January the 29th when I had to open my wallet and pay the tax man… that hurt just a bit more than getting my new cruiser round the back of the head at Manchester BMX track the week after!

When was the last time:
You bought something you didn’t need?

Before Christmas I treated myself to a Polar heart rate monitor with GPS.. It turns out my heart is working and according to Google Earth my training loop is the same one I’ve been doing for 20 years, imagine my surprise… money well spent!

When was the last time:
You heard a good joke? (What was it?)

My 3-year-old niece just told me a good one!
Why are Pirates called Pirates?
…Because they AARRRRRRRRGH!
…Sorry, I’ll get my coat

When was the last time:
You fixed a puncture?

I don’t get punctures, I run Joe’s No Flats sealant.

When was the last time:
You scared yourself?

My van is currently parked in the middle of the village green on a 1 in 3 hill, up to the axels in snow. I slid down the icy road, rammed it up the pavement, bounced off a lamp post and ground to a halt, having just missed the gritting lorry coming up the hill…

When was the last time:
You saw something that made you go “Holy Shit!”

If you don’t count the gritting lorry? Steve, Gee and Sam Hill coming down the last bit of woods, before the big jump, at the bottom of the World Champs track. That was our sport at it’s absolute finest…

When was the last time:
You did some actual digging with a spade?

This afternoon, I’m building the dual slalom track for Bike Radar Live in May

When was the last time:
You heard a really good song?

New years Eve/Day. Chilling out early hours, listened to an album called ‘Fat Freddy’s Drop’ pretty good

When was the last time:
You broke the law?

Two weeks ago…38mph in a 30 zone. 3 (more) points towards the crystal vase

When was the last time:
Did a good deed?

I just got back from my grandma’s house, I’ve been clearing the snow off her drive so she can get to the shops.

When was the last time:
You puked your guts up?

Last September on the Isle of Man ferry, a rough crossing home after a night out with Jack Daniels… Must have been something I ate?

When was the last time:
You bust something on your bike?

Anyone who knows me will be surprised to hear I over tightened my seat clamp last week and stripped the threads in it… My inbuilt torque wrench has always been a little out of whack!

When was the last time you:
Felt so good, you thought you could fly?

Two weeks ago, blue skies and sunshine on a Wednesday afternoon, at the highest point of the Beast trail at Coed y Brennan. Looking out over the view, rolling down the fireroad on my new lapierre Pro Race, carbon XC bike, I sat up and stretched my arms out laughing… It was a good day to be ‘in the office’ hahaha…

Ex-Mbuk team manager and racer Will Longden has hooked up a deal with Lapierre mountain Bikes to race downhill