A dream that took root when he was an adolescent is on the cusp of coming true for Matthew Richardson. On Saturday night time, he’ll compete for the primary time in British colors, representing his delivery nation on the UCI Monitor Champions League, after two Olympic cycles with Australia.
The observe sprinter’s nationality swap got here as a shock this August, introduced lower than a fortnight after he gained two silver medals as an Australian on the Paris Video games. “That is one thing that I wished to do for a very long time,” he advised Biking Weekly on the time. His first occasion as a Brit is now only one sleep away.
“I’m tremendous excited,” Richardson mentioned forward of Saturday’s opening Monitor Champions League spherical in Paris. “Clearly Paris goes to be particular, simply being the primary one, however [the] London [round] is actually the place it’s going to really feel fairly wonderful.
“Each time I race there, like Commies [Commonwealth Games] or earlier rounds of the Monitor Champions League, I’ve all the time had essentially the most dwelling assist within the crowd than every other competitors on the planet.”
The sprinter moved again to the UK following the Olympics this August, and now lives on the outskirts of Manchester.
“It’s been an fascinating couple of months relocating and attempting to settle into a brand new surroundings and the stresses and challenges that include that,” the he mentioned. “I used to be capable of have a little bit of a break after the Video games after which get a strong 10-12 weeks coaching in, simply to try to put myself in the very best type for this.
The most recent race content material, interviews, options, critiques and professional shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
“I’ve carried out every little thing I can, however I gained’t actually know the way a lot of a toll that transfer has had on me till I begin racing.”
(Picture credit score: Alex Whitehead/SWpix)
According to UCI guidelines, Richardson is ineligible to characterize the GB nationwide squad at main competitions till subsequent spring, that means he missed the latest Monitor World Championships. Riders compete independently of their nationwide our bodies on the Monitor Champions League, a contest the 25-year-old gained on his debut in 2022, and has “liked yearly” since.
“It’s one thing a bit of bit completely different from the conventional Monitor Worlds or Olympics or World Cups. It’s one other probability to get some expertise and race among the greatest guys on the planet,” he mentioned.
“I feel it’s going to be actually robust, accurately, as it’s yearly. You don’t need it to be simple. You wish to study as a lot as doable for the races that actually matter subsequent yr.”
Richardson will compete on this yr’s collection with private sponsorship from Hope, the bike producer who present observe bikes to the GB squad. The sprinter visited the corporate’s HQ in Yorkshire earlier this week. “It blew my thoughts,” he mentioned.
“It was so cool to satisfy the folks behind the venture. I bear in mind when the Hope video [for the Tokyo Olympic bike collaboration with Lotus] obtained dropped mid-2020, I watched it about 20 occasions. It simply blew my thoughts how cool that body was, and the wheels, and all that stuff. To be in these rooms in that video I watched was tremendous surreal. An excellent cool expertise.”
Richardson is now anticipating a equally awe-inspiring second in London subsequent month, when he’ll race as a Brit, in entrance of a British crowd, for the primary time.
“This yr, having the entire crowd behind me goes to really feel tremendous particular. I’m tremendous trying ahead to it. It’s going to be a little bit of a pinch-myself second, [given] how lengthy that I’ve wished this for, and that it’s truly taking place,” he mentioned.
“I’ve simply obtained to watch out and ensure that I actually soak it in. It should solely occur as soon as, racing for the primary time in entrance of a house crowd.”
London’s Lee Valley Velodrome will stage the ultimate rounds of the Monitor Champions League on 6 and seven December.
Matthew Richardson now writes a column for Biking Weekly journal, along with his first instalment out this week. Subscribe to Biking Weekly to comply with the sprinter’s progress, in his personal phrases, as he adapts to his new life and racing nationality.
