10 for 10 - #7 Greg Minnaar
 |
Age: 33
Nationality: South Africa
2014 rank: 7th
Experience: 14 years elite
Current Team: Santa Cruz Syndicate
104 World Cup races and as many wins as he's had hot dinners, it's hard to imagine how Greg Minnaar finds the space for home cooking among what is presumably a sea of overflowing trophy cabinets and infuriating tangles of medal ribbons. Described by Steve Peat as a 'great friend and a fast b*stard' and by your average man in the street as a 'very tall guy in Oakleys with a South African accent', to the young bike racer Minnaar is undoubtedly nothing short of an inspiration and the ultimate role model. Dipping outside the top ten by just one place for the stop in America and once more through an Aussie disqualification you can count on seeing the legendary 3 time World Champ ride into battle for yet another season of cut-throat top-step contention. Time to check in with the living legend to find out more...
 |
PB: 1: Where and how have you been spending your off-season?
 | I've spent most of my off season at home in South Africa. After 4 years of off-season injury it's been great to get out lots on my MX bike and have a good few sessions down in the surf. I've been pretty busy so my days have been super regimented, but I feel it's been one of my most balanced off seasons - Greg |
PB: 2. What was the highlight of your 2014 season and why was it so significant to you?
| I didn't have much to write home about in 2014, the only decent result I had was second in Leogang - Greg |
 |
PB: 3. Was there a moment or period you considered to be your season ‘low’ and for what reason?
| Windham, that was rock bottom for me. When you think you're riding okay, but your result is way off. That's pretty heart breaking haha... I have no idea what it is about that place, but we don't see eye to eye - Greg |
PB: 4. Are there changes you are looking to make to your approach mentally or physically for 2015?
| I haven't made too many changes, but the changes I have made have been in my training. It's been so long I haven't been injured through the off-season, so it's been awesome to focus on training and not recovering - Greg |
 |
PB: 5. How have you split your time between ‘on’ and ‘off’ the big bike training?
| Very unevenly... I've been running a lot this year, it's been super good for my knee, building up all the muscles around it. This year has all been about quality, not quantity. But with the season about to kick off, my V10 is going to get a lot of attention now - Greg |
PB: 6. When inspiration has run low lately, to whom or what have you turned to kick your motivation levels up a gear?
| Racing inspires me, I kick my own ass - Greg |
 |
PB: 7. What bit of kit are you looking forward to using most at the races?
| The whole package, I have a new Kabuto Helmet, Oneal gear, Oakley goggles, 5.10 shoes all on a new XXL Santa Cruz V10... I'm excited to be using it all - Greg |
PB: 8. Which rider do you see as the biggest threat to the 2015 title?
| There's the Rat, Gee, Hill and Gwin... And a bunch of Wild Cards - Greg |
 |
PB: 9. Which race or single moment of the coming season are you most excited for?
| The first World Cup in Lourdes - Greg |
PB:10. Complete the sentence: ‘I won’t be racing a single World Cup without....'
| Marshy & Kathy... This is a combination of two individuals that makes racing and being on the road, a hell of a lot easier... and more fun. I can't thank these two enough for all they do for me - Greg |
 |
MENTIONS: @onealmtb / @FiveTen / @shimano / @foxracingshox / @gamutusa
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
right… that was the "only decent" one...