Rider Interview: Because the 2024/25 cyclocross season will get into full swing, we glance again at Ed Hood’s interview with a British cross legend – Steve Douce. Seven occasions British Nationwide champion within the mud and a really skilled man on the highway. Steve’s profession was dropped at a untimely finish on account of crash in a mountain bike race. Right here is his story.
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It’s that point – mud, nobbly tyres, 1 x 11 transmission, burgers, frites, loopy followers and Wout versus Mathieu (perhaps). Sure, cyclo-cross. Over the past couple of winters we’ve tracked down and spoken to a number of the ‘greats’ of British cyclo-cross, John Atkins, Chris Wreghitt and Barry Davies to call however three.
However our Spanish mentor, Alastair Hamilton identified to us that we hadn’t spoken to the person who received the title seven occasions within the 80’s and 90’s – Steve Douce. Between 1983 and 1995 Douce completed on the rostrum no fewer than 11 occasions with two silvers and two bronzes to maintain his seven gold medals firm. Al is aware of Douce from the times the ‘cross man rode for the Raleigh highway workforce in the summertime in prestigious races similar to Gent-Wevelgem, the E3 GP and Circuit de la Sarthe – all races the place Al was mechanic for the Raleigh-Banana workforce.
Raleigh-Banana workforce 1989
We kicked off by asking Douce which of his seven titles was most memorable?
Steve Douce: The primary one, I caught and handed Chris Wreghitt on the final lap; he was out and out favorite on the day however I received as much as him and received – that must be my finest.
PEZ: You have been up in opposition to some useful boys again then?
Once I began it was nonetheless the interval of Atkins and Mernickle domination; then there have been David Baker, Chris Younger, Wreghitt, Roger Hammond . . . Baker was most likely the hardest rival however all of us had ‘up and down’ years – all of us educated on ‘really feel,’ there have been no energy meters or laptops again then to make your coaching ‘scientific’. I had my finest winter seasons once I rode a highway season with the Raleigh workforce, it gave me velocity and stamina – we have been using races just like the Milk Race, Kellogg’s Tour and the Nissan Tour of Eire.
PEZ: You have been professional for a decade and extra?
Sure, however I want it had been longer, my profession was taken away from me by a nasty crash I had in a mountain bike race once I was simply 31 years-old. I used to be using mountain bike races after the Raleigh workforce folded – I’d discovered it tough to get a contract just like the one I had with Raleigh as a result of the scene contracted and folks considered me as an ‘all rounder’ – highway, cross, crits, ‘cross. My time with Raleigh was positively the perfect for me, all of my different years I used to be a single sponsored rider.
With Saracen
PEZ: Which was your finest yr?
That might be once I rode for Saracen, I received nearly each ‘cross race I rode within the UK. However I made a mistake with my profession, after I received the British that first time I went to reside and race in Switzerland, with the good thing about hindsight I ought to have gone to Belgium. The racing there may be simply a lot sooner and brings you on.
PEZ: And also you had some good outcomes on the continent?
I rode in Belgium, France, Switzerland and Spain. Your contract cash was OK however you not often ever noticed your prize cash. I appreciated racing in Spain, up within the Basque nation – the place the separatist motion was nonetheless very a lot in proof – it was very totally different with an 11:00 am occasion begin, in contrast to Northern Europe the place it’s normally a 3:00 pm begin. I raced down there with the German rider, Mike Kluge it was good craic, after the occasion you’d all go to the native working man’s membership and have a couple of brandies – good occasions. They usually have been totally different occasions; there have been no cellphones or computer systems again then, you needed to make your individual sneakers, my first ones have been transformed soccer boots – however then I graduated to highway sneakers with bits of ‘cross tyres caught to the soles. No, you possibly can go and purchase all of it off the shelf – a able to race ‘cross bike, sneakers. . .
PEZ: How did you do on the ‘cross Worlds?
I rode each Worlds up till my accident, off the highest of my head my finest end was round twelfth or thirteenth however whenever you look again at who was taking what stuff it’s onerous to say to say what that was actually value – fifth? sixth? You’ll by no means know.
Worlds’86, Querfeldein
PEZ: Have been you a person for stats – wins, podiums?
No, probably not, I raced each weekend for 3 months over the winter so I assume I will need to have netted maybe 20 wins in that point throughout my finest seasons?
I had some good outcomes on the continent too, I raced in Belgium, France, Spain, Luxembourg and Switzerland – I used to go effectively and was on the rostrum with Liboton occasionally (Roland Liboton, 5 occasions world and 10 occasions Belgian champion, ed.) As I stated, the prize cash over there wasn’t superb however the contract price coated your bills.
On the rostrum in Spain
PEZ: What was your favorite parcours?
I appreciated quick and technical, I’m not a runner – I’ve little quick arse legs! I believe at the moment’s races would swimsuit me, again then there have been lots of actual ‘mud plugs’ – the Worlds have been in Lembeek in Belgium in 1986 and other than the beginning/end straight which was tarmac you needed to run the entire course. The tall skinny Italian man with the lengthy legs, Vito Di Tano received the amateurs and the Swiss a number of world champion Albert Zweifel received the professional race – the professional race got here after the juniors and beginner races by which occasions the course had simply been churned into a complete mud tub.
PEZ: Have been you an ‘gear man’ or did you simply trip what you got?
I simply rode what I used to be given; once I turned professional I used to be sponsored by T-Shirt Gross sales, Dauphin Sport, Nico Sport. It was whereas I used to be using the Kellogg’s Tour for them in a composite workforce that I received head hunted by Raleigh. I rode for George Shaw after which Paul Sherwen – when the highway workforce folded I went to their mountain bike workforce however I didn’t actually like that aspect of the game. If it was on a circuit like a ‘cross race they have been OK however whenever you began having to trip over nice huge mountains. . .
I wasn’t an gear fanatic; once I rode the Milk Race in a composite workforce it was on an ‘off the peg’ Dawes – it was OK however didn’t have the perfect of package on it. I nonetheless received two second locations on phases on it – Paul Kimmage pipped me on the road for one and I used to be so mad I lobbed the bike, the distinction between first and second prize was £1,000 then about 50 pence! I used to be quantity 13 in that race and at one stage was thirteenth on GC, factors and within the king of the mountains.
Off the entrance within the Tour of Lancs
PEZ: Have been you a full time professional?
I primarily survived from what I produced from the bike however I did do a little bit of constructing work serving to out an in depth household good friend, from time to time. However not once I was with Raleigh, we rode a full programme and I used to be 100% on the bike, we have been using issues like Gent-Wevelgem, the GP E3 and the Circuit de la Sarthe.
PEZ: How did you get into the bike within the first place?
To chop a protracted story quick, my dad was a footballer and so have been my brothers; however once I noticed Merckx successful the Tour de France on the TV I used to be hooked – and my dad and brothers ended up taking to the bike too.
PEZ: Who have been your boyhood idols?
Merckx, Thevenet, Hinault; who I really raced in opposition to in a ‘cross at Lanarvily, Finistere – he was a Breton in order that was his patch. Johnny Morris used to chuck a bunch of us into his automotive and we’d go down there and race – it was good craic. However there have been extra races again then, all of it appears to be about elite racing now.
PEZ: It was crash which ended your profession, wasn’t it?
Yeah, I’d simply received one other sponsor and I used to be using an occasion in a mountain bike sequence up at Catterick. I crashed in a river and was put into an induced coma for 5 days a results of my accidents. I used to be nonetheless younger, simply 31 years-old and I had good years left in me however head accidents are severe issues. I’m a very totally different individual now because of that crash – mentally and bodily.
PEZ: Do you continue to observe the game?
I nonetheless observe it, sure and exit on the bike once more – I had 5 – 6 years off. I attempted to come back again too shortly after my accident however I’m out each weekend now; I’d do extra however you must maintain the cash coming into the home – you want these beans and toast on the desk!
PEZ: Regrets?
I want I hadn’t gone to Switzerland and gone to Belgium as a substitute and I additionally want I’d by no means ridden any mountain bike races! I’d nonetheless prefer to be concerned with ‘cross and for years I labored with BCCA (British Cyclo Cross Affiliation) on a voluntary foundation, there was no cash round. Not lengthy after I gave that up the BCCA amalgamated with the British Biking Federation so there could have been a bit more cash out there then. . .
I nonetheless love using my bike – however I don’t wish to be concerned in any of the politics of which there appears a lot now.
Steve Douce – Nonetheless using
# Because of Steve and to all of the unknown photographers. #
GB Nationwide Cyclocross Championship, Sutton Park 1988
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