Matt working hard in training.

Matt Brown from Penally started cycling when he was 13, training for a triathlon, and now, four years later, he is the Pembrokeshire Velo Cycling Club junior time trial champion of 2007.

He spent a few years competing with the Pembrokeshire Triathlon Club before concentrating more on cycling in 2007. Not content with his efforts there, Matt still swims for Tenby Dolphins and Pembrokeshire Aces when he's not studying for his A-levels at Pembrokeshire College.

He has been taking part in cycling time trials since 2005, but in 2007 he started taking part in long distance cyclosportives. These are usually set over challenging courses but are not strictly races, although standards are awarded for the finishing time.

Along with 200 other riders, he completed the 87-mile Trans-Cambrian Challenge in Rhayader and the 90-mile Autumn Epic in Knighton, with 600 riders, completing both in gold standard time and being first in his age group in both events.

Matt told Pembrokeshire Sports Monthly: "This year I want to concentrate on cyclosportives and I'm already in training for a 100-mile charity cycle from Cardiff to Tenby in May and the 116-mile Tour of Pembrokeshire ride in June. These rides are going to take anything between six to eight hours in the saddle, so the correct training is very important.

"A typical week could involve around six to 12 hours of training, mainly cycling but with recovery, core strength and cross-training sessions of swimming, jogging, gym sessions and circuit training.

"Weekend training rides can be anything up to 100 miles and at this time of year it's difficult to get the hours in on the road so I spends many of my evenings on an indoor turbo trainer which I've set up in the garage.

"This means I can play my collection of thrash metal music without annoying mum and dad."

Matt was 18 last December and for his birthday he had a new carbon fibre road bike. He is convinced that is going to improve his cycling so much that he will be able to beat his dad, Nick, who is also his coach.

Nick, however, has other ideas, so it could be an interesting season.

Nick's his best moment in cycling came in unusual circumstances after a punishing ride when he was lying down on the ground, gasping for breath at the end of a mountainous 90-mile run and thinking: "I'm never going to do that again."

His worst moment came about an hour after his best moment when he realised: "I have just said that I will do it again!"

And he has done it again, many times over.

His biggest disappointment was easier to answer: "It came in the 2004 Championships when I was given a two-minute penalty because I unclipped my bike helmet before I racked my bike, otherwise I would have been Welsh champion.

"A close second is the fact that I still haven't beaten my father in a race."

But Nick is aiming to put both right in the course of time and although the Welsh champion tag is an elusive one because there are so many participants he has high hopes for his new campaign.

9:59am Tuesday 18th March 2008

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