Quiz Time! Seb Grindley (Fensham Howes MAS Design)

Quiz time with one of the country’s top riders, Seb Grindley (Fensham Howes MAS Design Junior Team) who’s been British CX Champion and came so close to winning the 2023 Junior RR Championship – Seb also top 10’d in the Worlds!

Quiz Time! Seb Grindley (Fensham Howes MAS Design)

Q: What is the best thing for you being in such a strong ambitious team?
SEB: Without the backing of the team, we wouldn’t be able to achieve any of the results we have had in the past year so it is really appreciated. The fact we can race almost any UCI race we desire is really valuable in a junior team especially from the UK where opportunities are harder to come by than across the Channel.

Seb racing the Men’s Otley Grand Prix in 2023

Q: After a long winter, are you hungry for racing or happy to wait until its warmer!
SEB: At the moment, after the cyclocross season, I had a small time off, so while I’m looking forward to start my season. I have given myself enough time to start it properly and to get in good shape.

Q: Does the success of the team in helping riders move on in the sport to pro teams motivate you during the tough days of winter training?
SEB: It’s definitely nice to see the path that riders on Fensham before me have taken with quite a few going pro. Especially last years guys, who I was riding with. All of them have gone to great teams so that does give me a lot of motivation to match them.

Q: Have you had a good winter on the bike and have you had to spend a lot of it indoors?
SEB: I’ve never been a massive fan of the turbo but once the weather goes really grim, you can’t avoid it. It does have its benefits though because I find that due to the lack of freewheeling and the constant power you have to produce, it is really productive training so it needs to be done.

Q: How was your 2023 season on the bike?
SEB: I really really enjoyed 2023. The step-up from the youth category to juniors was a big one but it has definitely made me enjoy racing so much more. There has been a lot of learning in 2023 and now that I’ve had the chance to experience the racing on an international level, I look forward to going again in 2024.

Champion! Seb after winning the 2023 Junior Cyclocross Championship

Q: What was the best result/performance of yours in 2023.
SEB: For me, I can’t look past my 8th place at the Road World Champs in Glasgow as my best result. This wasn’t something I expected but I knew I was going well coming into the race and with the home crowds in the streets of Glasgow, it was very special.

Q: What race was the most fun to do in 2023.
SEB: Trophee Centre Morbihan Nations Cup race was super fun. It was a race for Great Britain as a junior on the road and I rode pretty well which helps. It was a really fun group of lads too so that week was mega. We all worked well in the end and Ben Wiggins took the overall which topped off the week well.

Q: Are you looking forward to racing abroad and if so, what makes that racing so exciting?
SEB: The level of the competition steps up a lot which makes it interesting. The racing is much faster than we have nationally so it’s harder to read the racing. Also, as we come from crit racing as a youth compared to the Belgians and Dutch etc that have been racing on roads since a young age, they seem to have a lot more knowledge of how the race will pan out which takes some time to learn.

Sooooooo Close! Seb is second to Finn Mason in the Junior Road Race Championships in 2023

Q: How do you find all the travel to races with many an hour on the road?
SEB: I don’t mind the travel but when it’s combined with college, it’s a struggle trying to keep up. I do it when and where I can but it is still tough. I have my A-Levels this summer and once they are over, it will hopefully be a lot easier to travel and race the rest of the season.

Q: What was the toughest bike race you did in 2023.
SEB: My final race of the season was the toughest BY FAR. I finished my season at GP Reubliland in Switzerland and I was completely dead from start to finish. Combined with crashes and crazy hills, I struggled a lot that week but it was made better by an all you can eat Chinese Buffet after the final stage to kick off the off-season.🤌

Q: What are your goals for 2024.
SEB: I’ve made a few goals ready for 2024. The main one is to try and get a UCI win. I was close and performed well at a few races however I never managed that top step at the UCI level. Secondly, I will hopefully be racing Paris-Roubaix this year which has been my favourite race since I was quite young. To go well and get a nice result here would be mega. Finally, the world champs in Zurich this year is a big goal. While top 10 would be nice to repeat, my ambition is to improve on that even further.

Q: Have you raced in 2024 yet and if not, when do you expect your first race to be?
SEB: Not on the road however I did race the national CX champs which didn’t go as planned. After a little break though and a lot more miles on the road bike. I’m getting ready to come into Nokere Koerse in good form on the 9th March.

2023 and Seb was third in the CiCLE Classic for Juniors

Thanks Seb, mega insights into your season! Good luck for 2024 and fingers crossed you get to race Paris-Roubaix and race that would seem to suit you ;-)

 

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