Wise Words is our interview series talking to some of mountain biking’s most switched on people.
We’ll ask our short list of questions to a heap of influential, inspiring and outspoken people that we feel are driving the direction of mountain biking today. Some will make you think, some will make you laugh, some will be plain dumb, some will inspire you to better yourself and your riding. We hope!
Wise Words this week come at you from none other than Anna Cipullo.
You might well recognise Anna’s face from her time as a GMBN presenter who decided to make a break for it and now has her own channel, Anna on the Bike. Not shy of a race or ten and certainly not shy of a podium or more, if she’s not showing you a clean pair of heels, she’ll be howling encouragement at you whether you like it or not.
Photos by Paul Box.
How would your closest riding buddies describe you to someone who has never met you?
Silly but not stupid, competitive yet playful, banter-filled but always encouraging, and absolutely the noisiest creature on the trail.
What thing or things have you bought in the last year that had the biggest effect on your life as a mountain biker / cyclist / person that works in the bike industry?
I’ve actually enjoyed going “backwards.” I’ve ridden a base-spec Trek Fuel with a Shimano Deore groupset all year and I love not having the flashiest bike in a group, but still showing I can keep up. I’ve also worn less kit this summer and—controversial opinion—I love riding with no knee pads and no gloves. Call me wild.
What unusual habits do you have as a bike rider?
Squawking like a crow on the way down. If I’m quiet… that’s when you should worry.
What piece of advice do you think every mountain bike rider should hear? And what piece should they ignore?
Stop aiming for perfection and aim for fun. You can’t fail at having fun, and usually fun is fast anyway. People often think they will be more accepted if they are fast or strong or skillful, but really, we all want to ride with fun, happy people, not pros.
If you could go back and re-ride one day from your life so far, where/what/when/who would it be? Would you change anything?
Repeat Offender at Golfie last Autumn, top to bottom, in a train of mates on dry dirt. Or maybe the mix of rock and eucalyptus forest on Santo António in Madeira, when I rode it flat-out earlier this year. Or perhaps that hidden gem of a trail in Sospel that a local showed me a few years back. Of course I’d love to relive racing Trans Costa Rica, with parrots and monkeys flying overhead in the jungle. Ahhh. Honestly… I can’t pick just one favourite.
What have you wasted the most time on in your life as a rider or bike industry career that you wished you’d given up years ago?
Honestly, nothing feels wasted when it’s time spent on a bike.
How do you motivate yourself when you’re struggling or lacking inspiration?
I don’t force it. I take a break because I know it’ll pass, and it always does. The urge to ride and grin ear to ear is too strong. Motivation always comes back, so I think it’s ok to let it go sometimes.
What single and specific thing about riding bicycles do you gain the most happiness from?
That sweet spot where the adrenaline’s up, the brain switches off, and I’m riding just faster than I can think. I love it when my brain switches off and instinct takes over. To me, it’s like a moving meditation. I find quietness in my mind and there’s a certain amount of peace among this controlled chaos.
What single thing would you like to erase from cycling history from the last year?
I want to say social media… but then I’d be out of a job!
What single thing would you like to make happen in the cycling world in the next year?
High-end frames to stop being wireless-only. Give people the option, dammit, cables aren’t dead yet!
Who else should we ask these questions to?
Tracy Moseley, if you haven’t already.
You can keep tabs on Anna’s adventures on her Instagram feed here.
You can catch all our previous Wise Words interviews with the likes of Sven Martin, Manon Carpenter, Neko Mulally and plenty more here.
