Interview: Manon Carpenter - 2014 DH World Champion
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The Madison Saracen Factory Team has come a long way since its humble beginnings - borne from the British cycle brand which started out in the 1980s, it was then bought by the UK distributor, Madison in 2009, and after the team was created in 2011 it didn't take them long to make a mark on the international downhill mountain biking circuit. The team has a knack for spotting the brightest young talent at national series, nurturing their development and steadily taking them on to being some of the most competitive and respected riders on the World Cup circuit. One of those riders is Manon Carpenter, who has had an incredible rise to the top step, securing the overall and World Champ double wins, in both Juniors and Elites.
Manon started racing in 2002, and her first few races at the Dragon Downhill series landed her plum last. This clearly didn't put her off riding competitively, as she kept on going, even if there was no other female rider her own age to compete against. In 2008, Manon started racing on her first proper downhill bike and entered a number of national-level races in the UK. The following year, Manon started beating some of the Elite Women in the national series, and her family decided to make the most of the summer holidays by combining the summer sunshine in Whistler with Manon entering races during Crankworx in an effort to introduce her to bigger, international-styled racing, and she hasn't looked back since.
In 2010 Manon suffered a broken arm but that didn't deter Simon Wild from Madison approaching Manon and her father about riding for the new team - Madison Saracen Factory Racing - they were starting in 2011. It didn't take long for Manon to get points under her belt as proved by her eighth place in her second ever World Cup race. Within a year, Manon went on to secure the Junior World Cup Women and Junior World Champs titles - the first of her 'double' wins. Not resting on her laurels, in 2012, Manon secured her first Elite podium finish with a second place at the first round of the World Cup circuit in South Africa. After recovering from a broken collar bone later that year, Manon secured the bronze medal at the World Champs to cap off the season. The following year, Manon continued to make a name for herself on the circuit by securing several second place podium spots and by the end of the season, secured third overall in the World Cup. But the question on everyone's mind was when would it be Manon's time to again secure the double? With the highly competitive field of Ragot, Atherton, Hannah, Nicole and Seagrave hot on her heals, would she have enough points by the end of the 2014 season to take the overall, and would she have enough energy left to fight for the win at the Worlds? We all know what the history books now say: Manon Carpenter is the 2014 UCI Downhill World Cup overall champion and the proud owner of the coveted rainbow jersey.
So how did it all start for Manon, and how did she end up taking the much sought-after double in one of the most thrilling and highly competitive racing seasons to date for women riders? Pinkbike sits down with Manon to find out...
Congratulations on taking the overall win at this year's UCI DH World Cup and the UCI DH World Champs! What's the reception been like?Thank you! I didn't actually get home until well after Hafjell but I've definitely been celebrating. My parents came to watch in Norway so I had an great time with my mum on the dance floor! The last Shimano British Downhill Series race at Bike Park Wales was the last race of the season for me and only a week after the Worlds but luckily it was only half an hour from where I live in Cardiff, so I was really excited to take the Rainbow Jersey back home to show everyone.
What or who has been your biggest influence in getting you to where you are now?Mainly my dad. Well, both my parents. I'm so grateful for the upbringing I've had. It's made me who I am, how I am and I'm very happy where I'm at at the moment. Riding-wise my dad was the one who got me into bikes. Sometimes I resented getting dragged to the skatepark when I was younger whilst school friends were hanging out in the park but I'd always leave buzzing and I'd be excited the whole way home. Then in more recent years since being part of the Madison Saracen team, Will Longden has had a big influence in my approach to training and racing. Nothing gets shoved in your face but you can tell when he approves or disapproves of what you are doing and how your attitude has been during a race weekend say. I feel like I've matured a lot and I owe a lot of that to Will.
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How did you get into mountain biking and racing competitively?Bikes are a huge part of my dad's life, he used to ride to primary school with us up and over the hill by the house and we used to go on family holidays to the French Alps. Then he started running the Dragon Downhill race series in South Wales and we would help out. Eventually I got bored of doing the timing at the top of the hill and wanted to race myself. I was still only 12 or so, so I would often come dead last. It was only when we went to my first National aged 15 or 16 that we realised I was any good!
You were in the overall lead by the end of the penultimate round of the World Cup series, what sort of pressure did that put you under, and how did you manage dealing with it?I did get nervous, it definitely felt like it was my jersey to lose and I didn't want it getting taken away last minute. I couldn't sleep the night before and breakfast was a struggle in the morning. I was disappointed with my race in Meribel to be honest, I think I had potential to win on that track. I didn't plan on holding back but I think subconsciously I was playing it safe. I'd had a few big crashes in practice, one in my last practice run before the race so I knew how easily and quickly things could go wrong. In the final section everyone was quite quiet as I came past so I knew I hadn't gone faster than Emmeline [Ragot]. It was a bit anticlimactic when I came through the finish line into second, but then I saw my family and Will near the hot seat, knew I'd got the overall and that was pretty special.
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What do you think the UCI and British Cycling could do to encourage more female riders taking part in racing?It's a hard one. I'm not sure it's down to the UCI and British Cycling. Everyone always says it and there definitely are more women and girls riding these days. I love going to a bike park or uplift day and seeing girls on the bus having a great time. Downhill is getting more accessible now and it's a very recent thing in the UK having bike parks to go to where you can get to the top of the tracks easily.
Racing wise, I guess be patient. If more girls are riding then surely more girls will get into racing eventually. It is scary how much you notice it when one of two of the top female racers gets injured and suddenly half the field is gone. [I was especially worried after] hearing that Emmeline might retire if she can't find a team for 2015 - we need all the fast girls at the top! I love it when the racing is close, it shows that we are all pushing so close to our limits and it makes the racing exciting.
Do you think it's fair that women don't always get the same prize money as men in racing?Another difficult subject. Definitely have regular debates with team mate Sam Dale about it! We do get equal prize money at World Cups and World Champs now thanks to the UCI, so things have improved for sure, although most other race series still need to catch up. Yes there are less of us so in a way it's easier to come by the prize money, but I train and try just as hard as the guys and so does Rach and many of the other girls. So in my opinion me winning a World Cup is as much of a huge thing as a World Cup win in the men's. Also, we don't get paid anywhere near as much as the top guys do from sponsors, (and that's how it will be until women's sport gets as big as men's because you only get paid what you're worth as with any endorsement deal) so we should at least get paid as much in prize money as the guys by the organisers and governing bodies.
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Were you surprised that there weren't any GB Junior Women racing at Hafjell? Why do you think that is, given GB women are so dominant in the Elite category?I knew there weren't going to be any GB Junior Women going, there are quite a few Youths and Juniors racing in the UK now but they aren't ready for a World Cup track just yet. Maybe next year with a bit more experience. Hafjell is a gnarly track with gnarly jumps at the top and you have to be up to pace to ride there safely and have fun, especially in the wet. Hopefully the girls will make it to a few more Nationals next year and carry on developing their riding and we will see some in Andorra in 2015! I have spoken to Tracey Moseley recently and we would like to organise some days where younger girls can come and ride with us, and hopefully get inspired.
Have you got any tips for inspiring young riders, especially women?Ride your bike! A lot, not just at races. Have fun and enjoy it, get fit and get strong if you want to win races. You won't get results without the effort.
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With the dominance of 27.5"/650b bikes on the market now, has it made a difference to your riding, or are there instances when 26" bikes are better given women are generally a smaller build than men?Personally I don't find the bigger wheels a problem, but I'm 5'8" so I'm not that small. I can see that shorter riders may find it an issue, regardless of gender, and I do wonder about what happens in the future when younger riders want to progress onto downhill bikes and there are no decent 26" bikes to be found. But as I said I can't find many disadvantages to 27.5" wheeled bikes and I'm perfectly happy on mine.
Have you ever thought of trying out other cycling disciplines competitively?Not competitively...I love all cycling disciplines and I love that I can do all of them and kinda call it training for downhill. Riding BMX is good for downhill but I don't think riding downhill is of much benefit for BMX. I love being outdoors and doing different things, I imagine I'd get bored training for road every day or being in the gym for BMX. So I'm definitely in the right discipline as training for it can be so diverse.
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What's it like being part of probably one of the largest factory teams on the circuit?Really good. To be honest I couldn't be happier with the set up we have at Madison Saracen and it's going to get even better next year. Getting to ride with the top team number boards at World Cups this year was amazing as well, especially when everyone got to come on the team podium at Leogang! I've been with Madison Saracen since the start and I'm really proud of how far we've come.
What was the toughest course you rode this year (either national or international)?Llangollen for the Shimano British Downhill Series - hands down! That track through the woods caused the most carnage I've seen for a long time. It's been a while since I've been nervous to drop into a track, not knowing whether I'm gonna get down it or not. So fair play to everyone who raced. It was good to ride a track like that again, but after the flat out World Cup tracks I'd been training for it definitely took some adjusting.
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How important to you was competing in the Shimano British National Series? Do you think it gave you an edge over your British competitors when it came to the World Cup circuit?I think competing in the National Series is important, to support the scene and give other racers something to aim for, and I like having battles with some of the guys who race. All of my British competitors who race World Cups race the National Series so no advantage gained. It just means every National round is like a World Cup! Rach usually races so there's my toughest competitor, and I'm sure Tahnée Seagrave will be battling for the top spot next year as well.
Where's your favourite/most fun place to ride, either at home or abroad?There's a hill near my parents house that I always used to ride, and it's the first place I want to take a bike when I'm home. It's steep and loamy, covered by pine trees, with few roots or rocks to disturb the ride to the bottom and you can't get there without grinning.
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What's your training regime like? Given there's not much of an off season these days, do you get time off, and if so, what do you get up to?During the winter, training is full on. I put a lot into training last winter and it definitely tests you. It's a 24/7 job, you want to put 100% of your energy into training and riding but then there's all the normal daily jobs to do, as well as making sure you still have a social life and aren't getting run down. That said, it's paid off and has been so worth it. I wouldn't change anything!
As for off-season, I've got so many plans. We get a month or so to do whatever we want and it's awesome. It usually involves lots of bikes, just for fun. Then parties and travelling, I want to learn to surf, skateboard properly and now I have to conquer wake-boarding as well, as I failed last time I tried. I'm not very good at getting stuff done while I'm away racing so it's good to get some time to sort my life out a bit. I just brought a 'learning Welsh' book as well, so we'll see how that goes.
Is there anyone you'd like to thank whilst we're here?Everyone involved with Madison Saracen for supporting me from the start and giving me the opportunity to race full time. My family and friends for putting up with me being away so much then turning up unannounced! FOX suspension for working so hard to translate my thoughts into suspension settings, along with all of our team sponsors who are so supportive. The girls on the World Cup circuit for making racing so fun. And everyone for watching and enjoying! Thank you!
Photos by Nathan Hughes and Laurence Crossman-Emms
Follow Manon via her Facebook page or Twitter account.
Author Info:
London, United Kingdom 
As soon as you're 30 seconds or a minute or 90 seconds off the top men, I'd love to hear what your thoughts are on 'capability' then.
Generally there are slightly more women than men - something in the order of 103-105 women for every 100 men. Except in those countries where they want boys (lookin' at you China and India). But that's not really a subject for a bike website.
You're spot on when you say that if we keep pushing the content and keep sharing edits, etc, it will slowly work. As women see more women, the more women will want to get involved. Thanks for the positivity and the support; it can mean all the difference sometimes.
Also I quite enjoy watching the womens race, it's just as tense as mans racing and these girls would kick your ass!
If you think women should be treated worse than men, because they are weaker and slower than some men, then you haven't arrived in this century and are a huge dick!!
You're also ignorantly claiming that women are less valuable than men because we're not on the same speed levels as the men when in all reality, women are just as marketable and engaging as men and we often are the influencers of female consumer spending. We are different, but equal.
THAT is a fact. Learn the difference.
Tried to think of a nice pun to kick us off but not sure anything wood work?
I can't comment on how the UCI should pay, but based on effort, men and women should be payed equally for fairness.
Also, all the sponsors want is publicity, which is made by men in particular.
I'm not saying it should be this way though.
I would agree that the Women's DH races aren't always as exciting as the mens, but this is largely due to a lack of depth in the field. In real terms there are only 3 riders who can win each race, and before this season there were only 2. But if sponsors don't put their cash behind female teams then that's how it will stay. You have to spend money to make money, or something like that.
But with that being said, I feel that downhill, and other facets of MTBing, will always be favored towards men due to raw talent, the fact that male athletes primarily popularized the sport and because the rider base is mostly male (CG, Steve Peat, Brandon Semenuk, Cam Zink, the Coastal Crew, etc.)
When you think of MTBing, people who aren't too in-to the sport, so to say, will think of that video they saw online like Kelly McGarry at Rampage "13 hitting a backflip (21.6M views) or the Valparaiso Urban DH video (5.3M views.) What this goes to show, with women being absent from big video hits like these, is that when you think of MTBing, you think of men doing death-defying biking, not women.
Whether or not this will change, I can't know. With racers like Ragot, Rachel Atherton and Manon and even more talented riders yet to arise, to show that not only men can perform in the sport, the female rider base will only grow. Especially when female racers, Moseley (EWS) for instance, racing the exact same race and under the same conditions as the men, it proves that females in the sport really are capable.
But, I still maintain my belief that men will always dominate the sport, with the female rider base still to rise.
Does anyone wonder if a woman was competing in slopestyle and freeride events (like Gee and Fairclough, etc) how much her sponsorship value would go up? I for one would watch a web series following a top woman rider. Some sponsor should make it happen next year.
Great team and a great rider.
Big respect. Loved watching the races this year. Thanks.
Really good to see she's already thinking about how to give back to the sport so early in her career.
Hope the T-Mo thing works out Manon - but don't let up on the training this winter!
To my knowledge, no other female rider is featured in their own web-shows (for lack of a better term), like CG, Steve Peat and Curtis Keane do, either.
So while I think it's a bummer, the reality is that more people want to watch the men race, which is what sponsors go for.
Personally, I found that watching the men's was far more exciting for me. Eg: Ratboy's ankle, Gwin's tire incident and the generally masterful riding by the guys up top
If anyone disagrees, I'd love to hear your response.
Great to see the top three, all Brits