At 22 years-old Rhianna Paris-Smith already has international titles under her belt. The Team Inspired rider is a Junior European Champion in both the time trial and team sprint, and last year came first in the National Track Championships. Rob Kemp caught up with the young rider as she looks ahead to a summer of racing.
What does a typical training day look like for you?
Right now, we're in our general preparation phase. Gym sessions start at 9am, but we try to get in a little earlier. It's about two hours of lifting, focusing on key movements and accessory work. Then we break for food before heading to the track around 2pm. We finish by 5pm unless we're prepping for an Olympic schedule, when sessions might run later. I'm loving the track work, but not the Bulgarian split squats!
How has your training evolved over the past few years?
The biggest change is just doing more of everything now I'm part of the GB cycling programme. The principles stay the same, but the volume increases. When cycling wasn't my full-time job, I had to juggle training with everything else. Now, I have the time and support to dedicate myself fully to it.
You participated in a fitness project with CW in 2021. What did you learn?
The biggest thing was working with a nutritionist [David Starr] - that was really useful. He helped me refine my diet, introduced me to creatine and caffeine gum, and emphasised meal timing. Those tweaks made a real difference.
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Was the creatine a strength booster?
It was mainly for performance, both in the gym and on the bike. I was doing a lot of plyometrics at the time, and after a few weeks on creatine, I felt stronger and more explosive.
Has becoming a national champion boosted your mental strength?
My confidence grew but my mentalityhas always been pretty steady. If things go badly I may need 24-48 hours to process it... sometimes a week [laughs]. I talk things through with my coaches, figure out what went wrong, and move forward. I don't dwell on mistakes.
Do you think about your influence as a Black cyclist?
I don't think of myself as someone people look up to, but I do hope that I can help inspire others. If I can encourage someone else to get into the sport, that's great. I was more motivated by people telling me I had potential, even when I wasn't sure myself. My motivation remains simply seeing how far I can go.
Quick-fire round
(Image credit: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix)
Favourite distraction on the turbo? Music - from Afrobeats to UK rap and grime to American hip-hop to pop.
Do you have a nickname? Yes, it's 'Rocky'. My initials are RPS, so I was called 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' and that's now become just 'Rocky'.
Other sports or hobbies? Badminton and squash.
Which celebrity would you most like to ride with? I'm not too bothered about celebrities. I'll say Kadeena Cox, who inspired me early on.
Post-race treat or guilty pleasure? Is my nutritionist reading this? Cadbury's Dairy Milk with Crunchie bar bits in it.
Dream race to win? Any race at the next Olympics
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Rob Kemp is a London-based freelance journalist with 30 years of experience covering health and fitness, nutrition and sports sciences for a range of cycling, running, football and fitness publications and websites. His work also appears in the national press and he's the author of six non-fiction books. His favourite cycling routes include anything along the Dorset coast, Wye Valley or the Thames, with a pub at the finish.
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