Adam Topham (High Wycombe cc) Interview.

After two punctures had stalled his early season plans Adam Topham finally got off the mark in the East Dorset Cycling Association 24. His course record winning ride of 52.47 on the lumpy Badbury Rings course laying down a marker for the first half of the season. Indeed no one had troubled the time keepers with a "53" never mind a "52". As he cooled down back at the HQ i spoke to Adam and it is clear he is very focussed with some challenging targets for the season ahead. "I always set myself very stiff targets and generally i hit around half of them, if i hit half of this years goals i will be very happy with my season."
Those goals are age group national champion in 10,25,50 & 100
Top 10 in National 10
Top 10 in National 25
Podium in the 50
Podium in the 100

Ambitous? perhaps, Topham admits "they will be very startsheet dependant"
Those of you who read the time trialling forums will know he puts in the hard training and is very specific in his approach and he has certainly generated a lot of debate.

"Competitive sport has been a big part of my life since i was 10 years old, i was a gymnast to national level till i was 13 and was a pretty ok runner at school, winning a lot of local races. I was a county level squash player for 25 years, i did do some club 10s and two open 25s in my late teens but cycling was never a main competitive sport. I have cycled on and off to keep fit for squash but never took it seriously till 4 years ago"
Topham joined High Wycombe cc, and has remained with the club despite relocating to the south coast "Gordon Wright is the President and a good coach who has helped me a lot, so i am loyal to the club. I moved down here (Poole) basically to get more space and bring up the kids in a nice area". Four year old Samuel will soon have a younger sibling, as a new arrival is due in two weeks."That might disrupt things a little" (You get the impression it won't disrupt things too much.)

His whole season is already mapped out with racing every week right into October. With this level of commitment support is vital and the words "Mum & Dad" frequently crop up on his list of proposed races.As we talk we are interrupted by other competitors keen to buy Tophams recently published book on Time Trialling "Fly through the Pain Barrier" He has come prepared, a box in the back of the car is nearly empty by the time we stop chatting.
Never arrogant, he is just putting his cards on the table and who is to say Topham will not reach the targets he has set. Ultimately it does not matter, as is always the case with cycling, rising to the challenge is the whole point of it really

"Fly Through the Pain Barrier" is available through Adams website www.timetrialling.com or from Adam in person at most races.