Making the switch from road racing to ultra riding has ignited a new love of… road racing, says Lachlan Morton.
The Australian ultra racing star, who is currently racing in Kenya's Masai Mara in the Migration Gravel Race, was speaking to a gathering of cycling fans at the launch of the latest Sigma Sports Cafe Ride film, which stars Morton and Matt Stephens.
Matt Stephens The Sigma Sports Cafe Ride - Lachlan Morton - YouTube
"I actually really enjoy watching road racing now," he said. "When I was actually road racing, I didn't watch a lot – I saw enough.
"But I think the current generation of road racing is incredibly entertaining. You used to have to wait for the Tour de France for the fireworks, but all the racing now is very entertaining," said the 2024 Unbound winner, who continues to race under the banner of the EF Education-EasyPost team. "So I do actually watch a lot of road racing."
Asked what his favourite race is, he replied: "Lombardia is a very special one. I always used to enjoy going to do it, and for me the bike rider who could win that is a very complete racer.
"The other one… I never miss Strade Bianche, it's crazy."
Morton also revealed that he had rediscovered his love of F1 racing – "my dad was really into it when I was a kid" – and liked to watch major trail running events such as Ultra-Trail Mont Blanc too.
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Morton fielded a series of other questions as part of an onstage Q&A, revealing, among other things, that his favourite on-bike food are Payday peanut and caramel bars.
"It's the perfect ride food," he said, "because you can get them anywhere and they don't melt. And it's salty and sweet… every day that's my go-to."
On the subject of foodstuffs, he was also asked – rather bizarrely – whether he would rather eat 17 worms once, or have ketchup with every meal for the rest of his life.
"I wouldn't mind the worms," he deadpanned. "Though if they're straight out of the ground it's a closer race."
This latest edition of the Sigma Sport Cafe Ride – available to view on YouTube – follows Stephens and Morton as the Aussie shows off some of his local roads, and the pair spend a night on a remote campsite, hiding from bears and chatting about the Morton's life as a bike rider..
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After cutting his teeth on local and national newspapers, James began at Cycling Weekly as a sub-editor in 2000 when the current office was literally all fields.
Eventually becoming chief sub-editor, in 2016 he switched to the job of full-time writer, and covers news, racing and features.
He has worked at a variety of races, from the Classics to the Giro d'Italia – and this year will be his seventh Tour de France.
A lifelong cyclist and cycling fan, James's racing days (and most of his fitness) are now behind him. But he still rides regularly, both on the road and on the gravelly stuff.
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