Name:
Hannah Payton
Age:
17
Hometown:
Kingswinford
Profession:
Student studying A levels in Maths, Biology, Psychology and Music.
Years riding:
MTB: 2 years
CX: 8 years
Track: 5 years
A summary of your riding style in three words:
Smooth, calm, cheeky
Why bikes:
It’s a family sport that I have grown up with. I used to do triathlons but found I was best at cycling and wanted to do it properly and achieve something special.
What type of bike got you into riding:
I road a tandem with my Dad from a very young age and got taken all over Europe on different holidays.
When or how did you realise riding bikes was the path for you:
I realised at about 12 that I wanted to race properly and achieve something special. My Brother raced at a high level and I looked up to him and wanted to be as good as he was.
What do you get from riding or racing:
I enjoy winning and pushing myself to the limit during races. I also enjoy the social side that riding a bike brings. I have made so many friends through riding a bike and have had lots of great experiences.
Why MTB:
Its technical!
Why Cyclocross:
It the best sport! Every race is different and every course suits different people more than others. Anything can happen on the day and it’s very unpredictable. This means to be the best you have to be very adaptable and really think about what you are doing.
Why Road:
Its fast and you can go a long way.
Why Track/Fixed:
It’s good for training but does get a bit boring riding round in circles.
Riding and racing history:
I have ridden a bike for as long as I can remember. I started racing cyclo cross at regional level when I was about 10 and national level at 12. I won silver and bronze medals in every youth national championships I did and finally won gold last season as a junior. I also won the senior women’s National trophy series and the west Midlands league. Last December I went to Belgium for a bit of international racing which was an amazing experience and I will hopefully be going back next season. I have also done a bit of track, mountain biking and grass track but I’ve always done those for fun and never taken them too seriously.
Best bicycle moments:
My best moment has to be when I became National champion. It was a moment I’d worked extremely hard for and I’d come so close too many times so to actually win the title was amazing.
Worst bicycle moments:
Mallory Park National cyclo Cross Round 3. Started well, then second lap I ripped my rear mech from my frame and ran most of a lap to the pits. I then jumped on my spare and tried to make up time. It was such a muddy race and my one remaining bike quickly became unridable. I ended up swapping and riding someone else’s bike whose handlebars were as high as me!
What do you hate about bicycles:
Cleaning them!
How would you change the bike world to suit you:
Put cyclo cross in the Olympics.
What bike races inspire you:
World cyclo cross champs.
Whose the rider or riders who made you think that bike riding really is the best thing in the world:
Isla Rowntree. She has helped me a lot by sharing her knowledge of bikes with me. She is a great inspiration and mentor.
What bike skills most contribute to your enjoyment of riding:
Riding in Mud
How would you describe yourself off a bike.
Enjoy being with friends and family. I love music and play clarinet, saxophone and piano. I am in 4 different orchestras and love to perform. I am also doing gold D of E.
How do you fit your love of bikes and racing around school:
With difficulty! With A levels and all my other hobbies its often difficult to fit in as much training as I’d like to. So I often have to get up at silly hours to ride.
What made you want to join The Kinesis Morvélo Project:
It seemed a brilliant opportunity that I couldn’t miss.
