Hutchinson-Brother UK LDN rider Tiffany Keep on representing South Africa at the World Championships
Hutchison-Brother UK LDN's Tiffany Keep will be rolling on to the start line with the worlds best this Sunday in the Elite Women's race representing South Africa. Her selection is incredibly well deserved, after achieving her first UCI podium in May at the Tour de Feminin, alongside strong and consistent results both in the UK and Europe. We sat down with her to chat more about the upcoming race and her preparation for it.
You’ve had a great season so far, does that give you confidence going into the World Champs next week?
This season has shaped up to be a pretty good one so far, mixing some mountain biking in at the start of the season with Cape Epic and some road races in South Africa before diving headfirst into a packed road calendar with Hutchinson-Brother UK where we’ve raced both abroad and locally. It has been a busy but productive season in terms of learning and improving. I’m hoping to carry this as motivation towards the World Championships next weekend!
You've been racing the UK all season with Hutchinson Brother UK, do you think that will help as you will know the British roads slightly better than other racers?
It is really exciting that the world is coming to the UK for the World Championships this year. It feels weird to only have to travel to a venue which is a stone’s throw away in comparison to previous years, when we’ve been traveling from halfway across the world. Although I’ve raced a fair amount on British roads this season, I’ve never raced in Scotland before, so this will be a new experience for me and many others. One which I’m looking forward to. One thing I can say is that I’ve at least acclimatized to British “Summer” – plenty of rainy training days banked in preparation for this event.
How has the preparation gone coming into worlds?
I’ve had a bit of a break from racing leading up to Worlds, which has provided the opportunity to focus on training leading up to it. Prep has been going well and I’ve been feeling good on the bike, but all there is left to do now is focus on approaching the race with a clear head and an eye for opportunity.
What do you think of the course, and especially the climb at the finish?
I first had a look through the course at the end of last year, deciding it would be a Worlds course that I’d really love to race! The idea of finishing with a city circuit is not unlike a lot of the racing we’ve done this year and will surely attract big crowds and an incredible atmosphere. The course as a whole will be a tough, punchy and potentially attritional one, and there’s a pretty substantial climb in the form of Crow Road that we have to get over before even entering the city circuits. The finish climb will provide a proper spectacle for an uphill drag race to the line,
What does your pre-race routine look like?
Keeping things simple but having a routine is important ahead of any race. I try focusing on getting good sleep for the days leading up to the race, eating well and nailing hydration with increased electrolyte intake. Focusing on the things you can control and not stressing too much about those out of your control, like the weather or who turns up to the start line.
What wheels will you be running for the race?
The Parcours Strade 54mm – we’ve been running these wheels all season and I’ve been super impressed by how fast they roll and the difference the #thinkwider technology makes to enhancing comfort on the bike.
We can't wait to watch Tiffany this Sunday, coverage starts on GCN+ at 11:30am!
