A Shropshire lad

We’re betting Matt Simmonds’ first World Cup podium won’t be his last

Hailing from Telford in the rolling hills of Shropshire, Matt Simmonds has been a familiar face on the downhill circuit for some time, steadily climbing the ranks. Last season this culminated with an impressive fifth place at theWorld Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, proving Matt’s ability to challenge his peers in a sport where hundredths of a second separate winners from losers.

Rolling into the 2014 season as the newest member of the Madison Saracen Factory Team, alongside a charging Sam Dale and a dominating Manon Carpenter, and with a new bike and kit to get to grips with, Matt’s eyes remained firmly on the prize – making it on to the World Cup podium.

Fastest in qualifying on the steep and technical slopes of Méribel – the antithesis of the pedally Pietermaritzburg track where he’d scored his previous best result – that prize was finally within his grasp. And though on the day he was pipped to the win by the master of steep and wild, Sam Hill, second place couldn’t have been any sweeter.

“Méribel was a classic Sam Hill course and to come so close after qualifying first was a big confidence booster,” a jubilant Matt told us. “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” he added. “To prove that I can perform on such a diversity of tracks as Méribel and Pietermaritzburg feels great.”At only 27 years old, what comes next from this Shropshire lad is anyone’s guess, but we’re betting on big things for Matt Simmonds.