QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS

WE QUIZ GREG ABOUT HIS FAVOURITE RACES, THE STATE OF D.H. AND MORE

DOB: 13 November 1981 Hometown: Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Most memorable win: My first World Cup win in Kaprun, Austria, in 2001, and my first win in South Africa, in 2012. It was really cool to get that one, in front of all my family. I actually enjoyed that more than winning the World Champs there, because there was so much pressure at that race.

Races you look forward to

the most: I love Fort William, not necessarily for the track, but because I get to see a load of old friends I grew up racing with. Mont-Sainte-Anne is a favourite track of mine, and I love Andorra too. The track is one of the best, and the food and wine are amazing.

Track you’d like to see back

on the circuit: Arai, Japan. Balneário Camboriú in Brazil was a great venue too, even if the track wasn’t amazing.

Biggest party starter at the World Cups: Peaty’s always first to get the beers in!

If you could be sponsored

by any brand, it’d be… I’d say Oakley. I’ve been sponsored by them since I was 16.

How about non-bike

sponsors? Having a beer sponsor might not help the results but it would help my bank account, a lot… and ‘recovery’ after races!

Up-and-comer we should be

looking out for: Finn Iles. He posted some really quick times as a Junior and has moved up to Elite this year.

What does the future of

DH hold? I think it’s at a really good point right now. The media’s behind it and the racing’s exciting. People talk about the ‘glory days’ of the Nineties, but I think those days are right now. Bike parks are exposing the sport to the masses, and even if we don’t agree with all of the UCI’s decisions, I think things are going in the right direction.

Will you ever switch to

enduro? I love riding it and it’s a great discipline, but I’m not set on racing it. Maybe that’ll change, though?