6 minute read
The Danny Hart Interview
MEET THE
danny hart
Advertisement
Interview by michael Henderson
“I’ve been on bikes my whole life, I’ve never had a ‘normal’ job,” says Danny Hart. It’s March here in the Portes du Soleil when Danny and I sit down for this interview, but his mind is fixed firmly on the approaching downhill season.
This season is all change for Danny. The 29-year-old from Redcar on the North-East coast of England joins the CUBE Factory Racing Team with high hopes moving back to the top of the world circuit rankings. It’s also his first full season as a dad while the potential for further COVID-chaos looms large on the horizon. These are indeed complicated times for a professional athlete.
Danny has been competing on the international circuit since the age of 16. He was World Champion in both 2011 and 2016 and is perhaps most famous for his performance on ridiculously steep and muddy trails. During the 2019 season he finished on the podium in every round of the MTB World Cup before welcoming daughter Sadie with wife Sophia.
I wonder how the move to CUBE came amount? “I was told by Jordi (Cortes, global race department manager at Fox Racing) that CUBE were looking for a top five rider, so I reached out. The CUBE Factory Racing Team are a very professional outfit with big ambitions. We made it happen and I couldn’t be happier with how it’s all started!” Cube Team Manager Matthias Ascherl clearly agrees. “After we had permanently developed at CUBE over the last 4 years on the TWO15, it was the next step for us to sign a top rider. With Danny we have really made a lucky strike. The collaboration has worked excellently from day one. We have already been testing several times and it looks very promising for the new season. Danny is one of the most consistent riders and we would be happy about one or two podium finishes.”
This certainly seems like a fresh start for all involved, especially as CUBE have strengthened their partnership with Les Gets bike park. “I would love to spend more time in the Portes du Soleil and I really like the idea of basing myself out there throughout the summer at some point,” Danny explains. “I am hoping that being member of the CUBE team will open new windows in Les Gets for sure, but what with COVID and Brexit at the moment, it’s not so easy.”
We haven’t had an uninterrupted MTB season since 2019 and Danny is the first to admit that his 2020 season didn’t go to plan. So what are his goals and objectives >>
Our speciality is your perfect getaway!
www.morzineskichalets.com
for this season? “I want to get back to the top,” he explains. “Last year was not good for me, I had a lot going on. Moving forward, everything with my team and the people around me is really good, so I’m well up for racing, my new bike is awesome and that really excites me,” Danny continues. And of course that new team now includes wife Sophie and daughter Sadie. Has fatherhood changed things for Danny? “For the most part my life has not really changed,” Danny tells me. “My wife Sophia is brilliant and is doing a superb job with Sadie. She really doesn’t rely on me, so this enables me to be travelling around, riding and training,” he explains. It certainly sounds like business as usual then?! “I think maybe my rest days aren’t as restful as before! We use these days to get out and do family stuff, which I really enjoy. It takes my head away from racing and training, which is a good thing.”
As I write, it’s perhaps inevitable that COVID-19 will cause some alternations, cancellations and postponements to the UCI MTB race calendar this summer. The Fort William round in late May has just been cancelled, while Les Gets’ steps up to host both the downhill and cross country World Cup in early July. But if Danny could score just one win this season, which would it be? “Before Fort William was cancelled, I would have said Fort William!” he tells me. “So now I will have to say Les Gets for the World Cup because of its legendary status in downhill racing. But I’d also love to win the World Champs in Val di Sole." (They’re currently scheduled for the end of August 2021).
Aspiring riders, both young and old, are justified in their admiration of Danny Hart. He’s an unquestionably successful British rider and he’s used his influence to create opportunities for others. In his hometown of Redcar for example, Danny joined forces with other professional athletes to push forward a £31million leisure centre project for the benefit of the town. And then there’s Danny Hart’s Descend Bike Park in nearby Bishop Auckland, which is widely regarded as the North East of England’s top downhill bike park. I wonder how that came about? “The previous owner had been there for a long time. My family and I thought it would be a good idea to take it over when the opportunity arose,” Danny explains. “My parents run it mainly, one day I hope to get up there to help them! But for now, racing is my main priority.” And returning to the subject of admiration, who did Danny look up to whilst growing up? “Lots of people! Stefan Everts, Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, Steve Peat, Valentine Rossi… I’m a big fan of motocross racing!”
Those who love the sport of downhill mountain biking will remember Danny’s huge tail whip near the end of his 2011 winning run in Champery. And in a career that’s included so many notable podiums, it can’t be easy to name a standout highlight. But I asked him to try… “Winning the World Championships in Champery in 2011 was definitely my biggest achievement so far. Yet winning the same comp five years later, this time in Val di Sole on conditions that were totally opposite to 2011 was also pretty huge!”
I think it’s fair to say that Danny Hart is expecting big things from 2021. “More World Cups and more race wins,” he hopes. Should the continuing global health crisis make that difficult, you might find Danny sitting on the chairlift next to you in the Portes du Soleil this summer.
Personal Trainer, Coach Sportif, Fitness Instructor
Hiit | CoreBall | Spartan OCR | BoxFit HiitStep | MetaFit | HiitCardio | HiitCircuits Boot Camps | Low Impact | Strength & Conditioning
All classes available outdoors, in gyms, studios and online Personal Training is available at your choice of location
@morzinefitness Morzine Fitness morzinefitness@gmail.com Sue +33 (0)7 71 12 92 39
Follow Danny's season:
