Hannah Payton dashing through the woods earlier this year at the QianSen Trophy in China. © Cyclocross Magazine
Hanna Payton has been a frequenter of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup stage, representing her home country of Great Britain for the last few years, and 2014 marked her first attempt at a world championship as she finished 35th in Hoogerheide. This season, Payton has been based in Belgium, and has been racking up top-20 finishes in the Superprestige series, and took seventh this year in the UCI C1 Race in China.
Last weekend, Cyclocross Magazine contributor Philip Ingham caught up with Payton after her race before a home crowd at the 2014 World Cup in Milton Keynes won by Sanne Cant. The full interview can be found in the video at the bottom.
Payton, ranked 66th in the world, has invested herself in cyclocross more than ever for the 2014-15 season. © Cyclocross Magazine
“It was absolutely amazing, the crowd is nothing like I’d ever ridden with,” Payton told us about the home course. “When you’re doing a run-up and you have time to think, you realize how loud, and how many people are cheering for you.”
@MiltonKeynesWCX @jacksplats @AmiraMellor @LittleSimo I'm ready
With mud from the course still splattered across her face, she was all smiles about her race, even though she had much better results in Belgium’s World Cups.
As far as expanding the World Cup to new stages, Payton seems all for it. She is an experienced cyclocross traveler, and sees a benefit in bringing the top-level competitions to China and North America. This is her first season with a coach and structured training sessions and her results show her development.
Microshift at the World Cup level? Payton does it. Sneak Peek of Payton’s bike, stay tuned for the full Pro Bike Profile. © Cyclocross Magazine
Her goals for the remainder of the season? Looking forward to the National Championships, which she is hoping to excel at. So far of the four positions open on the Women’s Worlds Team, three have already been filled by pro riders who have taken great results in the World Cup season. Payton looks to take the last remaining spot and book her trip to the Czech Republic for 2015.
Hannah Payton Rider Interview from Milton Keynes:
Stay tuned for our Pro Bike Profile of Hannah Payton’s race rig on cxmagazine.com.
