Ryan Gibbons

The African road race and TT champ on versatility, positivity and Vuelta preparation

- Chris Marshall-Bell

Why do you value making big changes? When you’re familiar and comfortable with a place, you can become stagnant. Your personal growth slows down, you stay in a mold and it’s hard to break out of that. Making a big change can help redefine you and what you want. It helps push you to impress that little bit more. Don’t wait for problems before moving on.

What are the advantages of being a ‘jack of all trades, master of none?

It opens more doors, more opportunities. It’s genuinely exciting because you’re never going to stagnate; there’s always something to improve on. In some races, I might be the sprinter or the lead-out rider; some days I’ll be the GC guy, and others I’ll be in the breakaway. To become the best in one field is very hard – but being good at everything takes that pressure off you and it helps you become more consistent.

How do you stay positive in training?

The mind is everything. ‘Balance’ means something different to everyone, and for me, it’s prioritizing the training but also spending time with my mates and having a few glasses of wine. Maybe you’ll miss a three-hour session, but you’ll see your mates and you’ll be happy. You have to realize that happiness and your state of mind are worth more than anything. If you don’t, you’ll dig deeper holes.