Life with Lachlan (Morton)

Here’s a very brief extract from a long and fascinating conversation that I had during 2020 lockdown (spring) with EF Pro Cycling wildcard Lachlan Morton, where he explains what it was like riding 2 eccentrically British races the year before.

ST: The GBDuro; 1,200 miles alone offroad and self-supported, that must have been a culture shock. How did you approach it?

LM; I was very nervous. I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t have any time to prepare anything specific for it. A lot of the equipment I used I only say a day before.

There was so much about it that was daunting. Ultimately the most comforting thing was that when the race started we just got pedalling, and I knew that I could do that; it was just bike riding. 

Everything else about it was just so different to any other cycling I’ve ever done, self-supported, camping, the durations, the mix of terrain, and the hike a bike. There was so much that was new to me. It was definitely a steep learning curve for a couple of days.

In the first couple of days I learned so much about how to approach an event like that, and just about myself. The limitations you thought you had but maybe didn’t. Little corners of your brain that you’d never quite been to before – you went in there and sort of saw what was going on.

Once I got past that initial phase I had the most amazing cycling experience of my life. I can’t say enough about that event in particular, and what it did for my mind-set.

ST; The Three Peaks Cyclo Cross is a uniquely tough and quirky race; you managed to get 4th in your first attempt, behind some very old hands. What was that like?

LM; That event, it’s so unique. What is it? It’s kind of a bike race, but you spend half of your time on your feet, and you’re never on the right bike, it’s just such a challenge on so many levels.

The thing I like most is that you have to know it; you have to learn it. It’s not like you can look at profile and say I get this. There are so many intricacies; like bike setup, which way to go on the course and where the running, walking and riding sections are. 

There’s so much to put together, and it requires local knowledge – which I think is so cool. You can’t be a World Tour guy and just turn up and win that, not without doing your homework and doing it a few times.

I just had a blast being involved in it. It’s just so absurd from my perspective; but for the people who do it year in year out, it’s an institution. And, from doing it one time I totally get it. I’m just itching to go back, you start thinking about little things you could do better; about bike setup, the course and how you’re going to approach it.

With the course, I don’t think you could ever have a perfect day there. To be honest, I don’t think I knew what I was doing. I was trying to run with Jebby (Rob Jebb, multiple winner of the race and former Sky Running World Champ), and you know how that ended up – I was just blown. 

Then it was super foggy on top and I had to wait for people just to see where I was going. Nick (Craig, former Peaks winner and ex pro) gave me the best advice; “just keep chipping away and chipping away – because the last clime you’ll be able to ride”. That’s what kept my head in it, and I picked up a lot of guys on that last hill.