Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Paul Double – from the Zappolino to Dartmoor

"I was ready for the off-season but the form was good and I thought I’d give the National Hill Climb a go..."

-

HomeInterviewsPaul Double - from the Zappolino to Dartmoor

It’s a long way from the climb up to the Santuario di Madonna di San Lucca in Bologna and the Zappolino climb near Monteveglio – both in la Bella Italia to Haytor on stark Dartmoor in Devon – but what have these three jousts with gravity all got in common?

Let me first take you back to Sunday afternoon when I was trying to get the result of the CTT Hill Climb Championship.

Ben Lane, on the ‘Real 80’s Cycling’ page on Facebook kindly clued me in; ‘Laverack, Double, Bussell.’

The winner, Ed Laverack, a 25 year-old SwiftCarbon professional who hails from Llanelli wasn’t a surprise victor; he’d won the Bristol South Hill Climb at Burrington in Somerset the weekend before slicing the old course record and made no secret of his designs on the title.

And Richard Bussell (Aerocoach) wasn’t too much of a surprise either, VeloVeritas interviewed him back in 2015 when he won the CTT 10 mile and Hill Climb Championships.

But the ‘Double’ name did surprise me; ‘Paul Double?’ I enquired.

The answer came back in the affirmative and there you have the link with those famous Italian climbs…

Mr. Double has raced both climbs with his Italian Colpack team – one of Italy’s strongest continental teams (Filippo Ganna [Team Ineos, World Pursuit Champion] and Simone Consonni [UAE, London Six Day winner] are both are Colpack ‘old boys’). The San Luca climb features in the Giro dell’Emilia and the Zappolino bends the legs in the Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli – and yet, here Double was on Dartmoor.

Our curiosity was piqued…

Paul Double
Paul Double racing for Colpack in Italy. Photo©supplied

Did you have problems finding your way round a CTT entry form, Paul?

“I just told them I had the record for the three-mile climb in 12 mins 36 secs which was eight seconds faster than Jeff Williams (Manchester Wheelers) had done to win the National Hill Climb Championships back in 1979.

“I did that back in 2018 in the Totnes Vire stage race.

“That seemed to do the trick.

“But in the championship we must have a good wind because both Laverack and I annihilated my old best time.”

We were surprised to see your name in an English hill climb after all those Italian semi-classics...

“I was ready for the off-season but the form was good and I thought I’d give it a go – but when I got back from Italy it rained all the time and then I was ill, so I didn’t do much on the bike.

“But the week before the race I felt better, my numbers were OK and I recce-ed the climb.”

Paul Double
Paul Double digs deep at the CTT Hill Climb championship. Photo©supplied

You rode an Argon 18 in the race.

“Yes, my Cinelli team bike stayed in Italy so I had to borrow a friend’s.

“It’s a climb where you really use the gears; I was on the inside ring then up on the big ring when it flattens near the top, then back on the inside ring for the final kick.”

Nine seconds?

“Laverack is a specialist climber and he was on a super-light bike – I think if my preparation had been better then perhaps it might have been closer.”

From the tifosi to a CTT hill climb, wee bit different atmosphere?

“To be fair there were a lot of spectators out on Sunday and the atmosphere was good.

“But in the Giro Dell’Emilia you climb that San Luca climb – the one where this year’s Giro opening time trial finished – five times, I’d been going well but ‘popped’ in a big way with two laps to go, the race officials said I could finish but I simply couldn’t get up the climb to the finish for the last time due to the sheer volume of fans flooding back down the hill.”

Paul Double
Paul Double enjoyed his time with Colpack. Photo©supplied

How was the Colpack experience?

“It’s a top team, really good organisation and a step up for me – I’ve done a massive amount of learning in my time there. I learned Italian and could see myself living there.

“But unfortunately I had a few crashes and injuries so missed races, one was a real bad one where I landed on my face and lost teeth – that took a while to sort out.

“The time off the bike is hard on the head and then when you come back the team are perhaps a little reluctant to put you in the biggest races because they’re not sure how you’ll be in the finales.

“But on the occasions I came back from injury and crashes I surprised the team because I was going well – but they still have you in a team role rather than giving you opportunities.”

Paul Double
Paul Double has raced against World Tour opposition this season. Photo©supplied

You seem to have coped with the jump from competing against u23 riders to men who are riding World Tour?

“I wasn’t fazed by it and in the Giro de Sicilia and Tour of the Alps I was riding well, the Giro Dell’Appennino too – but I crashed out of that one.

“In the Gran Premio Citta di Lugano I was in the group with Aru and Nibali and really thought I was heading for a top 10 finish but on the penultimate climb the lights went out.

“It’s that last hour where you notice the difference between u23 and World Tour guys most – you’re going from four hour races to five hour races.”

Overall, are you happy with the season?

“Results-wise, it’s been a disaster but I was happy the form I was getting back to in the likes of Emilia.”

The Colpack squad is focusing on u23 for the season 2020. Photo©Colpack

Are you back with Colpack for 2020?

“Unfortunately not, the team will be exclusively u23 next year and I’ll be 24 in June.

“I’m not sure about next year yet, I’d obviously like to return to Italy – Flavio Zappi of Zappi Racing – who I used to ride for – is networking opportunities at continental level for me.

“I also have an avenue in the UK but they can’t afford to pay me, which makes life difficult.

“The fact is though that if this was last year or the year before I would call it quits – but the form I’ve had when recovered from injury makes me believe I can make it, I think I’m very close to the level you need to be at…”

VeloVeritas wishes the man well, and whatever happens he’s ridden the races most of us just dream about…

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Sean Flynn – “The Games Road Race is almost a home race for us”

Continuing our series of interviews with Scottish Commonwealth Games cycling team selections we speak to a man who’s been producing quality results in the colours of the Fabian Cancellara-backed, Swiss continental level Tudor Pro Cycling Team, Sean Flynn.

Life and La Vuelta ’08 – According to Fabian Jeker

Every year I write a route preview of the up and coming Vuelta a España, normally I talk to the locals in my village and last year I had the input of Alex Coutts (Babes Only-Flanders) and David Harrigan (DFL). This year I managed to enlist the help of ex-pro, Fabian Jeker, and we spoke about next year's Vuelta - but as these things often go, we spoke at length on many other topics: life; cycling; Festina; and the future.

Joshua Cunningham – “I just need to get my arms in the air”

With our Flatlands boys Douglas Dewey and Llewellyn Kinch heading south to race in France for 2013 we decided we’d best have a word with Rayner Fund rider Joshua Cunningham to see what’s happening in Belgium?

George Berwick – Scottish Ultra-Distance Legend Still Going Strong at 80

A cold Friday night during the winter of 1971/72. My Kirkcaldy & District CC club mate, Rab Speirs and I are walking up the A93 near the infamous ‘Devil’s Elbow’ hairpin en route the Braemar youth hostel. Behind us we hear the sound of bike tyre on tarmac, two figures totting enormous saddle bags heave past us; Mr. George Berwick, who was reigning Scottish 12 Hour Champion at the time....

At Random

Evan Oliphant’s Tour of the Med, Part Two

Tour of the Med Stages one and two were a whirlwind of snow, wind, attacks from the gun, echelons and pain - but the inner chain rings enjoyed the rest! Were days three, four and five any easier? VeloVeritas' man in the peloton, Endura Racing's Evan Oliphant was there 'til the bitter end.

Graeme Nisbet – Scottish International Roadman of the ’70s

We’ve opened the ‘whatever happened to’ file again, this time it’s a man who many will remember dominating Meadowbank Track League in Edinburgh back in the 70’s, winning a rare (in that era) British Track Championship medal and scoring numerous, notable successes on the road; Graeme Nisbet of Dunedin CC and Roiseal Cycle Racing Team.

Chris Lawless – Proud to turn Pro with Team Sky

Chris Lawless admits the feeling of pulling on a Team Sky kit will be a special one ahead of his pro debut at Tour Down Under. The young Brit is part of an influx of under-23 talent to join the team during the off-season, and he heads to Australia as part of an exciting youthful lineup.

Commonwealth Games 2014 – Track, Day Two

Highlight of the day at the Commonwealth Games 2014 velodrome was without doubt the gold medal won by Neil Fachie and Craig MacLean in the Para B2 Tandem Kilo Time Trial. Going off last and fastest at every check, the pair were carried along by the enormous, ear-splitting roar from the full-capacity crowd, with lots of Scots but also a fair percentage of other nations too all voicing their support for the effort and spectacle.