Adrian Sluman
What did you do before cycling - Football.
How did you get into cycling – Played a lot of football at school, then got a knee disease (check out the lumps on my knees!) and took up cycling because it helped the knees. Started going out for rides with mates, made it to Brent tor on a BMX one day! Lee Dinham ‘lived round the corner’ and encouraged me to join the corries and get a proper bike.
How long have you been riding – Racing since I was 15 (1989), with a few years of inactivity due to family commitments of late!
What’s your biggest achievement that you are most proud of – Can I have two?! Winning the biggest two races in the S/W division.
1) I won the Totnes vire 2 day stage race in 2000. Limited my losses in the TT and won virtually all the sprint time bonuses over the two days to take the ‘malliot jaune virtual’!, got in the break on the final day, held off the french and the like’s of former pro Neil Martin. My plan was to ride to my strengths, it was predictable but it worked a treat.
2) I won the S/W divisional Road race title in 2001. All the top local riders contended. The top guys forced a split with about 60 miles still to go, Greg Sandy, Andrew Parker, Myself, Jason Flukes all made the break and ultimately fought it out in a sprint. I took it from Greg and Jason both of who are fine finishers in their own right so that was well pleasing
What’s your most embarrassing moment – After about 90 miles on passing the finish line about 6th in the Divs one year I decided to pull a rear wheel skid, trouble was, I had recently changed my brake levers over so ended up ramming the front brake on, throwing myself over the bars and landing on my backside right in front of Colin Lewis! Impressive hey!
What do you do when not riding your bike – Spend time with the family and generally become more and more frustrated until I can get out on the bike again!
What’s your life’s ambition on the bike – Don’t really have one now, although would be nice to win a few more races, just because . Would be good to ride the Ventoux, L’Alpe Duez, Galibier etc I guess
Do you have a coach?? How do you plan your riding – No coach. These days riding fits in around everything else, hence less miles, less wins!
Whose your cycling hero and why – has to be Lance…hardly need to say why do I!
Your favourite holiday location – Cyprus, but want to do the alps.
Favourite TV program - Ultimate Force, The Bill, Grand designs, Any sport really.
What’s on your I Pod at present (favourite music) - Don’t have one, I guess that means I’m getting old!
What do you class yourself as, Roadie, Tester, Triathlete, Cross rider?? – Roadie
Other hobbies – Snooker
Your pet hates – Skinny bastards that climb hills fast!
Wine, women, or song – Women
Favourite food – Fettucine or Tortellini at the barbican pasta bar, can’t beat it
Anything else we should know about you - Nothing that I’m going to disclose here!
