'Katie Archibald and Laura Kenny got me into cycling' – meet Madison world champion Maddie Leech

For each article in this long-running WATT WORKS FOR ME series from Cycling Weekly's print edition, we ask a pro rider about their favourite things in training: what has helped them most in getting to where they are today. The aim is to get to the heart of the beliefs and preferences they hold dear when it comes to building form, maximising fitness and ultimately achieving results. For this edition, we speak to Maddie Leech.

How did you get into cycling?

I started after watching the 2016 Rio Olympics. I wasn’t doing many sports at the time, and track cycling came on [the television]. I got my mum to find me a local club and she found Huddersfield Star Wheelers – I think it was the first one that came up on Google. I actually started with cyclo-cross and then road, but I quickly dropped cyclo-cross because I was terrible at it. I then did track and road as a youth rider.

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How do you find splitting track and road?

With GB, the track stuff takes preference. I do find the balance quite hard. A lot of the time, the track competitions are split in between a lot of the main road races. If I’m on track, it’s not much volume, just hard, intense riders. Then if I’m out road racing in Belgium, it’s four hours on the cobbles and in the wet. It’s quite a switch.

What are your favourite training sessions?

I quite like a three-hour session with some Zone 3 blocks of 15-20 minutes each, maybe three times in a ride. I’m a diesel rider, so I find it quite nice to sit at one power and just ride that.

What’s the best training advice you’ve ever received?

Sometimes less is actually more. I used to think I had to smash all of my rides and go as hard as I could, but actually, since I’ve started doing my easy rides easier and my hard efforts harder, I’ve made more of an improvement.

You won your first world title last year. What training went into that victory?

In the Madison, you need a lot of repeated efforts, so I was doing a lot of VO2 efforts, like two-minute efforts, or 30 seconds on and off. I also did a lot of strength stuff, like gym work and using big gears on the road for low cadence, high power.

What has that victory done for your career?

It’s given me a bit more confidence in myself. At that competition, I actually wasn’t feeling my best, and I struggled quite a lot in the team pursuit. The Madison win reminded me that, even if you don’t feel how you think you should, you can still perform well.

What are your long-term ambitions?

I’d like to get to the LA Olympics [in 2028]. I’d like to ride the Madison there, and the team pursuit and the omnium – I’ll take anything if there’s an opportunity.

Quick-fire round

What’s your nickname? Everyone calls me M-Dog.

If you could ride in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be? I quite like the Lake District.

Biggest inspiration? Katie Archibald and Laura Kenny – they’re who got me into cycling.

Cafe stop order? I don’t like coffee, so a smoothie or a Diet Coke, and chocolate cake.

Favourite hobby outside of cycling? Walking in the Peak District.

Best moment of your career so far? Winning the Madison world title.

Worst moment of your career so far? Crashing in the first year I did Paris-Roubaix in 2023. I was in agony.

Dream race to win? The Olympics, Madison.