the tour divide guy martin

Guy Martin Exclusive: “I never said this publicly but I had finished racing”

By Rachael Clegg

Creator of crazy art-nude historic motorsport books and calendars, journalist and artist.

On the grueling Tour Divide cycle race: “Doing it made me realise I should have packed in the TT four years ago”

On the Honda deal: “I don’t have to do any press or anything like that I just get to ride the bike”

Guy tells us what his three most iconic motorcycles are

Racing plans for 2018 and 2019 revealed

Where do you start with Guy Martin? John McGuinness asked himself that question at the TT press launch last month. But where do you start?

Truck mechanic, mountain bike racer, Transit fan devotee, bobble hat tycoon, engineer, best-selling author and - last but not least, TT racer - Martin does it all. Today though, at Castle Combe for Honda and Dunlop’s pre TT test session, it’s all about the TT because this year, after missing TT 2016, Martin is back for TT 2017.

And he’s doing it in style - riding for Honda with teammate John McGuinness on the brand new Honda CBR1000RR , aka the new Fireblade.

But after a year out, Martin is somewhat more philosophical about the TT.  “I haven’t had time off,” he says “I’ve just been away doing something different.”

That ‘thing’ was the Tour Divide - an epic, gruelling cycle time trial across the borders of the United States of America. The Tour Divide route takes in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, the mountainous American states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and finally, New Mexico. At 2745 miles, it is the longest off-pavement cycle route in the world and the equivalent of summiting Everest at least seven times.

And as if that weren’t enough, competitors have to ride unsupported in between urban areas and self-supported in towns - whether that means camping in the woods or squatting in a cheap motel. Martin completed the Tour Divide in 18 days and six hours. The average competitive completion tim is 25 days.

So that sort of makes the TT look like a doddle. It also opened Martin’s eyes to another world. “Doing it made me realise I should have packed in the TT four years ago. The TAS team have been brilliant and that team was the best and but you just get into groundhog. You’d finish one TT and then next thing is that the ball would be rolling and you’re getting ready for the next one and you couldn’t break the cycle, you just couldn’t break the cycle.”

“TAS were the best team and it was great. But that was why I loved doing it. I liked being with the team and it took me to stop doing that. I just loved that whole thing of going to race your bike with the lads you knew - all that was always a good crack. And it was. But then I realised that there is more to life than racing motorbikes.”

But now he’s back. With a new mindset and on his terms.

“I’m back racing bikes and I can do what I want,” he says. There are other perks too…

“I get the ride the Honda Six,” he says. “It’s one of three iconic motorbikes in the world.”

The other two - in Martin’s view - are The Britten and Steve Burns’ Monster. “It was Steve Burns’ Monster that set the whole Fireblade thing off and that started the whole sports bike thing,” says Martin. “He was just a college lecturer but he used to build these mental bikes.”

But back to the TT…

“I initially came back and signed up because it was Honda. I’ve ridden a Honda but I have never rode for Honda - and on Dunlops! But that’s not to say there’s anything wrong with Pirellis. I was going into the team on my terms. I don’t have to do any press or anything like that I just get to ride the bike.”

So with the no-press deal, the factory package and the freedom to choose which races he wanted to compete in, it was a no-brainer for Martin.

He said: “I never said this publicly but I had finished racing but Neil Tuxworth kept coming and coming back. I like the man and he made it where I can’t say no.”

Riding for the Honda factory team also meant that, perhaps, this could be the ingredients for that long-anticipated TT win. He has, after all, the holy trinity of requirements: a great machine, Dunlop tyres and a speedy man in the saddle (let’s not forget that Martin is among the fastest around the Isle of Man).

“Obviously, this was my best chance of success at the TT,” he said. “Even though that didn’t bother me. People are saying ‘you could win a TT now’ and yes, I would like to win a TT but it’s not the be-all-and-end-all. It’s only a motorbike race.”

And here, Martin’s enlightened life-outlook kicks in: “It’s a motorbike race and it is great but you have to open your eyes.”

And it’s because he’s opened his eyes that he’s agreed to race this year. “That’s why I thought about racing now because I’m planning my next adventure, which I’m going to do next year.”

However, what he thought would be a pursuit of pure racing has become something of a technical adventure.

“Now I’m seeing it as a different thing. I’m probably more into it now than I was at the start because it’s all development.”

Indeed, McGuinness and Martin have been helping Honda develop the new Fireblade by feeding back their analysis to the marque’s research and development department in Japan.

But he’s quick to add that this development is far from revolutionary. This is not, he says, anything like the development of the Honda RC166 - the ‘Six’.

“That was groundbreaking. We’re just refining this bike. The thing is far from a heap of sh*t. It’s a fu*king good motorbike and what we’re trying to do is get the upmost out of it. We’re fine tuning. We’re not re-inventing 250cc machines.”

But technical innovation is really where Martin’s at. “That’s why I raced at Pike’s Peak,” he said. “Because no-one had ever done that before with a turbo bike and that made me realise that I should have stopped racing a long time ago because I enjoy building stuff more than I do riding stuff but to combine the two this year is great.

And as for next year’s adventure, he says: “I’ve got a couple of jobs on. I’m building a special pick-up truck car. I’m going to and race that next year and race it at Pike’s Peak the year after, which is a real revolutionary thing, it’s the oddest thing but it’s going to be trick as fu*k.”

But that’s a way off. With only a few weeks to go all focus is now on the TT, with the Northwest just before. “That’s a means to an end,” he says. “We’ll learn a bit more about the bike and make the bike better and then move onto the next race and make the bike a bit better. I’m going through that with a very pragmatic approach and I like that.”

“It’s a journey. That’s what it is,” he says, with the sort of wisdom you expect of a Buddhist monk. But then, with Martin, you never know: maybe ‘Buddhist monk’ will be on his list next year.

Share on social media:

You might also be interested in...

What is BikeSocial BikeClub?

2024 MT-09 Y-AMT debuts new Yamaha semi-auto gearbox

What’s the future of motorcycle transmissions?

This week's best biking deals | Discounts, offers, competitions...

Which party offers more to motorcyclists?

What does the low yen mean for UK bike prices?

• off.road.cc
• Dealclincher
• Fantasy Cycling

Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

• Sportive and endurance bikes
• Gravel and adventure bikes
• Urban and hybrid bikes
• Touring bikes
• Cyclocross bikes
• Electric bikes
• Folding bikes
• Fixed & singlespeed bikes
• Children's bikes
• Time trial bikes
• Accessories - misc
• Computer mounts
• Bike bags & cases
• Bottle cages
• Child seats
• Lights - front
• Lights - rear
• Lights - sets
• Pumps & CO2 inflators
• Puncture kits
• Reflectives
• Smart watches
• Stands and racks
• Arm & leg warmers
• Base layers
• Gloves - full finger
• Gloves - mitts
• Jerseys - casual
• Jerseys - long sleeve
• Jerseys - short sleeve
• Shorts & 3/4s
• Tights & longs
• Bar tape & grips
• Bottom brackets
• Brake & gear cables
• Brake & STI levers
• Brake pads & spares
• Cassettes & freewheels
• Chainsets & chainrings
• Derailleurs - front
• Derailleurs - rear
• Gear levers & shifters
• Handlebars & extensions
• Inner tubes
• Quick releases & skewers
• Energy & recovery bars
• Energy & recovery drinks
• Energy & recovery gels
• Heart rate monitors
• Hydration products
• Hydration systems
• Indoor trainers
• Power measurement
• Skincare & embrocation
• Training - misc
• Cleaning products
• Lubrication
• Tools - multitools
• Tools - Portable
• Tools - workshop
• Books, Maps & DVDs
• Camping and outdoor equipment
• Gifts & misc

Guy Martin to take on the Tour Divide – a two week unsupported bike race along the Rocky Mountains

Guy Martin confirms he is ‘not done with motorbikes’ but says that for the time being his priority is The Tour Divide, an unsupported 2,745 mile mountain bike race from Canada to the Mexican border along the Rocky Mountains.

Writing on Facebook, Martin says he fancies a change of scene. “I’ve been on about the Tour Divide, the toughest pushbike race in the world, for three years and I thought I’ll blink and next thing I’ll be 45, so I’m going to do it this year.”

It usually starts in the second weekend in June, but can also be completed at any time as an individual time trial.

Mike Hall completes Tour Divide in record time - but misses out on the official title

The race makes use of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, an off-road trail from Banff in Alberta, Canada, down through the United States, to Antelope Wells in New Mexico. The clock runs non-stop and the winner is generally the person who rests the least.

There are no entry fees, no sponsorship, and no prizes. The Tour Divide website mentions bears as being just one of the many challenges competitors could potentially face.

In his latest book, When You Dead, You Dead , Martin writes about his motivation to take part:

“It’ll take two weeks of cycling 20 hours a day. Anyone attempting it is going to be completely broken day after day, but it’s how you come back from it. And that’s what I’m interested in. It fascinates me that the injuries and bones I broke at Ulster will mend and I’ll come back stronger than I ever have been, then I’ll go to the Tour Divide and break myself again and repair from that. I like breaking myself. Even lying here, broken sternum, broken back, broken hand …”

There’s a bit more information about the Tour Divide in the video below. The award for stating the blindingly obvious goes to the guy who says “that’s a whole lot of climbing,” immediately after stating that the cumulative height gain of the route is equivalent to climbing Mount Everest seven times.

Ride the Divide from Mike Dion on Vimeo .

Help us to fund our site

We’ve noticed you’re using an ad blocker. If you like road.cc, but you don’t like ads, please consider subscribing to the site to support us directly. As a subscriber you can read road.cc ad-free, from as little as £1.99. 

If you don’t want to subscribe, please turn your ad blocker off. The revenue from adverts helps to fund our site.

Help us to bring you the best cycling content

If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £1.99. Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help us to do more.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

Add new comment

Jealous. It's been on my bucket list for a few years too and plan is to do it in 2017. For anyone interested, there's a documentary called Ride the Divide that followed a few riders taking on the challenge.

• Log in or register to post comments

I think this guy great. 

Whatever he does it is always with so much enthusiasm and and always wears his heart on his shirt.

Good man. It would make a great documentary if it could be done in a way that leaves him alone. Which is obviously contradictory. Something like Mark Beaumont's globe circumnavigation doc?

He has been talking about this for more than three years. The problem has been it clashes with the IOM TT. Great to see him doing it though. Determined character not always as approachable as he seems on TV though

I really hope there is some way somebody can persuade him to let them film this, it would make amazing TV. 

If Strathpuffer is anything to go by he'll probably do really well. Ever growing respect for this man!

Latest Comments

Actually, they _are_ the same country - just... with 2 different regimes claiming authority over the _same_ country. One in Beijing and Taipei. One...

Never mind the social niceties of the music, given the amount of dings, spray, and other insults my bottles suffer, I don't think I'd want to be...

cheap chain checkers are a bit naff, not all actually work, get a shimano one or measure with a ruler (not across the quick link if your chain has...

So are they saying that any time a faster vehicle comes up behind, the slower one in front must move out of the way rather than the faster one...

He looks like Jabba the Hutt wearing a Michael Gove cosplay.

What happened to Poole a couple of days ago? He was comfortably in the break whilst I was watching stage 15...until I went out to the shops then...

Hideous Trek gets equally hideous paint job

Another one gone.

I used mine yesterday in a massive thunderstorm that lasted a good 40 mins. No issues. I then washed my bike down with the light on bike, hosed...

When we recently visited a glacier in Norway, I joked that I was bringing back a piece for my friend that studied geology. My follow up was that I...

Most Popular News

Guy Martin is racing Tour Divide under false name

• Benjamin Haworth
• June 28, 2016

Guy is racing as 'Terry Smith' in the epic 2,745 mile Canada-to-Mexico race

Last October we ran with the story that Guy Martin was racing the epic bicycle endurance race – the Tour Divide – instead of competing in this year’s Isle Of Man TT motorbike racing.

Then it all went a bit quiet and there were rumours that Guy wouldn’t be racing the Tour Divide after all.

But now a photo has appeared on Instagram – as has a story on MCN’s website – that reveals that Martin is indeed competing in the 2,745 mile Canada-to-Mexico race known as the Tour Divide after all – but he is racing under a false name!

Terry Smith, AKA Guy Martin, passed through Sargents, CO this evening at mile 1,825 of the #tourdivide. #bikepacking #colorado #TD16 #guymartin window._taboolaSlots=window._taboolaSlots||[];window._taboolaSlots.push({"mode":"thumbnails-a-mid","container":"taboola-mid-article","placement":"Mid Article","target_type":"mix"}); A post shared by Bikepacker (@bikepackermag) on Jun 19, 2016 at 9:56pm PDT

The pseudonym Martin has opted for is Terry Smith. You can see Guy’s progress in real time on the Track Leaders website .

As we write he has currently ridden 2,712 miles so he’s almost done! He’s averaged 148 miles per day. Blimey.

UPDATE:- Guy Martin completes the Tour Divide

The Rohloff AG were approached back in March to support a well-known TT motorcyclist in a bicycle race. That race turned out to be one of the harshest solo endurance races in the world. That rider turned out to be none other than Mr. Guy Martin himself!

Together with the UKs " Louth Cycle Centre ", a killer bike was built for the purpose. Based around a Salsa Fargo frame and built using all the finest components from Rohloff, Hope Tech, Apidura, Foy etc.

For those who don't know, the Tour Divide is a 4418km self-supported MTB race from Alberta, Canada, straight through the American Rockies to the Mexican border town of Antelope Wells. A race that will force participants to cover not only such a distance, but also a total of 61,000 meters of elevation change.

Guy set himself a target time of 20 days for the race and 4 days ago (30th of June), successfully completed the race within his schedule. Guy finished the 2016 Tour Divide in 18 days & 6 hours. A great accomplishment when you break that down - 240km a day, for 18 days straight, regardless of weather conditions! Even more impressive still when you consider winners of previous years, professional racers included, all finished between 16 and 19 days.

So how did Guy describe this experience?... "It was brutal" .

A great in-depth report on Guy and his experience can be read in an article featured in the current (July 2016) MCN (Motorcycle News) magazine. This magazine (pictured right) is available in all good newsagents, alterenatively you can read smaller articles online by 'clicking' on the link below.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/

Congratulations Guy, from all of the team here at the Rohloff AG.

guymartinracing.co.uk

Since '02 xBhp is different things to different people. From a close knit national community of bikers to India's only motorcycling lifestyle magazine and a place to make like-minded biker friends. Join us

Always keep the chain well lubricated.

Our Partners

• News From India
• News From Abroad
• 100 Motorcycles
• XBHP OFFICIAL REVIEWS
• OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCES
• Who Are You
• TRAVELOGUES
• MOTORCYCLE OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCES
• Do It Yourself
• XBHP CLASSIFIEDS
• xBhp Past Issues
• Submit an Article
• Print Magazine
• Axor Helmet
• #JKSmartRides
• I, THE BIKER

• Search in titles only Search in News only Search
• Advanced Search
• If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Announcement

Guy martin races a cycle in america, instead of the iom tt.

• Latest Activity
• Time All Time Today Last Week Last Month
• Show All Discussions only Photos only Videos only Links only Polls only Events only

• Join Date: Apr 2011
• Posts: 9987

• Join Date: Jan 2009

• Join Date: Jan 2012
• Posts: 2505

Since '02 xBhp is different things to different people. From a close knit national community of bikers to India's only motorcycling lifestyle magazine and a place to make like minded biker friends. We have one common religion - Bikeism.

Guy Martin to miss Isle of Man TT for epic mountain bike race

• James Smurthwaite
• October 30, 2015

Motorbike superstar to ride Tour Divide

Motorbike racer and TV personality Guy Martin has claimed he will miss next year’s Isle of Man TT race to compete in the Tour Divide mountain biking endurance event.

The Tour Divide is the world’s longest off road mountain bike race with the route stretching 2,745 miles from Banff in Canada to Antelope Wells in New Mexico and taking in over 200,000 feet of climbing (the equivalent of seven Mount Everests). Riders have to be self supported and are racing against a clock that carries on through the night making this an ultra-endurance event.

In his new book,  When You Dead, You Dead, Martin said, “I’m hoping to sort it that I can do all the races I normally do except the North West [in Northern Ireland] and TT.

“I want to enter the Tour Divide then maybe go back to the TT the year after [2017].”

This revelation comes in the same year that he broke his back racing the Ulster Grand Prix.

How to ride technical climbs with Kenta Gallagher

The Grand Divide runs through the summer but there is an unofficial Grand Depart in the second week of June, which would clash with the TT race.

The current record for the Tour Divide was set this year by Josh Kato with a time of  14 days, 11 hours, 37 minutes (roughly 190 miles per day) a competitive time for men is estimated at 25 days (110 miles per day).

When You Dead, You Dead  is out now.

Update on Guy’s around Britain cycle ride

Well, it’s not gone quite to plan. 

I’ve cycled over 11000 miles this year, including the Tour Divide in America, to and from work most days and I spent three weeks in China in October, back for a few days at work, straight to New Zealand for ten days racing motorbikes, back for a few days at work and then off.

I badly pulled my Achilles  tendon on the left side after a day or so but thought Id just get my head down and work through it. I kept good miles up and got to John O’Groats from Grimsby in 4 days and 8 hours, about 800 miles. But my leg was getting worse and I thought I could keep going and maybe do the whole lot in 30 days but I knew Id be jiggered for a long time after and maybe even have serious long-term damage, which would mean I couldn’t do the serious cycle trip I’ve got in my head for next year.

So I’ve put my push bike back in the shed for the rest of the year, giving my leg a chance to recover. I’m back at work and I realise I need to listen to my body more. By just manning up I was papering over the cracks. Thanks very much for the support, loads of folk wishing me well and that was mega.

It is what it is and like I said ‘Ive got to stop it before it stops me’ and it did stop me.

© 2024 Guy Martin - Official Website Site by Buchanan Drive Digital

• Privacy Policy

Guy Martin racing under false name in super-tough cycling event

This picture proves that Guy Martin is battling in the 2079-mile Tour Divide endurance race from Alaska to Mexico. But the elusive truck mechanic turned TV star has attempted to duck attention by entering under the name ‘Terry Smith’.

Terry Smith, AKA Guy Martin, passed through Sargents, CO this evening at mile 1,825 of the #tourdivide. #bikepacking #colorado #TD16 #guymartin A photo posted by Bikepackers Magazine (@bikepackersmag) on Jun 19, 2016 at 9:56pm PDT

Guy… or is that Terry… revealed in January that he would miss the TT in favour of the Tour Divide, but then the story went cold. This picture, taken by Bikepackers magazine on the Tour Divide route proves that he is indeed taking part.

He is currently 1857 miles into the 2709 mile race and leading the individual time trial class. Yorkshireman Mike Hall is the overall leader, 57 miles ahead of Guy and on course to break the record of 14 days, 11 hours and 37 minutes

You can track Martin’s progress in the closing stages of the Tour Divide here.

By Ped Baker

Former MCN Managing Editor (Digital & Events)

• Latest News
• Latest Reviews
• Brand New Bikes
• Accessories
• Base Layers
• Communication
• Learn To Ride A Motorbike
• Group Tests
• Used Bike Guides
• Bike Type Buying Guides
• Riding Tips
• Buying and Selling
• Inspiration
• Travelling and Touring
• London Motorcycle Show
• Motorcycle Live

• the Route (description)
• The Challenge
• Grand Départ
• Rider Resources
• News & Notes (blog)
• News & Notes
• `11 Race Updates
• `11 Rider Call-Ins
• `11 ITTD Updates
• `10 Race Updates
• `10 ITTD Updates
• `09 Race Updates
• `09 ITTD Updates
• `08 Race Updates
• About Start List
• `11 TD Start List
• `11 ITT-D Start List
• `11 Letters of Intent
• `10 TD Start List
• `10 Letters of Intent
• Start List & LOI Archive

Tour Divide challenges a fixed course annually called the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route . Not only is the Great Divide Route a true classic, its 'primary track' is pursued with consistency by TD athletes so that year to year, finish times may always be compared directly to the record books .

The Great Divide Route is the world's longest off-pavement cycling route. It was tirelessly mapped over a 4 year span, and published in 1998 by Adventure Cycling Association, North America's premiere bicycle travel organization. The route is highlighted by long dirt roads and jeep trails that wend their way through forgotten passes of the Continental Divide . It travels through Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the United States of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico ( map ). By route's end a thru-rider will climb nearly 200,000 feet of vertical (equivalent to summiting Mount Everest from sea-level 7 times). 

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.   –Ernest Hemingway

‘Tour Divide’ Champ’s Secrets To Conquer A Mountain Range

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

[leadin] Unassuming cyclist Josh Kato crushed last year’s Great Tour Divide, a self-supported race that crosses the United States north to south over the Rocky Mountains.[/leadin]

Imagine your longest day in the saddle. Let’s go with 100 miles….that’s a typical long distance endurance ride. Now double it. Then, repeat…for 14 days, 11 hours, and 37 minutes straight. And for good measure, do it over the most rugged mountain range in America and entirely off-pavement.

That’s precisely what the 40-year-old Washington nurse and endurance cyclist did at last year’s Great Tour Divide (GTD). His time not only won the 2,745-mile event, but it set the course record.

We caught up with Kato to discuss the highs and lows of endurance cycling, and his secret training weapons, including patience, a fat bike, and donuts!

GearJunkie: Two years ago, your GTD didn’t go as planned. Can you tell us more about that?

Josh Kato:  2014 was supposed to be the year I was going to accomplish a dream of competing in the Tour Divide. I was riding much stronger than I had anticipated and on day three of the race, in Montana (around mile 300), I ended up crashing in the mud and snow. It was a bit of a worst-case scenario type of wreck. I landed wrong, fractured my fibula, tore my hamstring, and gashed the back of my leg which subsequently got infected. I rode until around mile 1,100 before I called it quits.

That hurt. Dropping out of something I had poured so much time, money, and energy into. It was as if I had let myself down. I was rather depressed. I figured I wouldn’t ever be able to get time off of work again to give it another go.

So that’s 800 miles with a broken leg! How did you push through that sort of pain? Did you underestimate the injury?

Ha! I said I was a nurse. Never said I was a good one.

Yeah, after my wreck, I realized fairly quickly that something was very wrong with my leg, but denial is a powerful tool. I truly never thought I’d be able to get the time off from work to do the race again so I was committed to pushing on as long as I could turn the pedals. When it got to the point that it was no longer physically possible, I called it on the race.

I’m 40 and my body has been around the block a few times. It’s pretty commonplace to have aches and pains that don’t go away very quickly. In my head, I was pretty sure what I’d done, but also realized I probably wouldn’t incur any permanent disability from it. Of course, had I completely torn my hamstring rather than just a partial tear that would have taken a huge amount of recovery time. It got to the point that I had to lift my leg to the pedal by pulling with my hand a length of strap wrapped around my foot, like a lasso.

On the GTD, everyone hurts. Some things can be overcome and some things can’t. Perhaps being in healthcare, it’s easy to minimize suffering. Acute pain isn’t a permanent ailment. It’s just something that needs to be worked through.

So last year–you decided to give it another go! You must have felt you had unfinished business.

When I found out I was going to get the vacation time from work, I trained like a madman. I wanted to finish what I had started and made every effort to make sure I could.

I never trained with the goal of winning. I trained to finish. I’m not a very competitive guy. Except with myself. I guess I was able to achieve a level of conditioning that allowed me to compete with the amazing field of competitors we had last year.

“I think one of the most important things I did was train with a heavier bike than I used in the Divide.”

What kind of mileage are you churning through to train for the GTD? 

In my lead up to the Divide in 2015, I rode about 3,000 miles with an unusual amount of climbing — round 450,000 feet. We have a lot of hills in Washington. Almost all of my riding was on very poor gravel roads, trails, and abandoned logging roads. Very Divide-like terrain.

I think one of the most important things I did was train with a heavier bike than I used in the divide. I purposely go out and try to find the most challenging rides I can do. For a race like the Divide, a rider has to get used to going slow uphill with a heavy bike. It’s a mental thing.

Of course, we had a very mild winter last year in Washington so I was able to churn out some good rides early in the season. This year is making me get a bit more creative with training. Fat bikes are a great invention for training. This amount of training and having a job means I have to sacrifice a fair bit of other items in life. When I’m not at work, I’m riding, running, or prepping in some way for the Divide. It’s a huge time commitment.

You work as a nurse – does shift work lend itself to training and pulling in long days in the saddle?

I work the night shift. So yes, I guess it helps to know what keeps your mind going at 3am .

I think one thing that nursing lends itself to more than anything is seeing the struggles of other people. The body can overcome some pretty astonishing things. Some people have an amazing amount of will to keep going when the odds are stacked against them. It’s a good reminder to hear people tell me that they just wished they could be well enough to be outside roaming through the hills. People remind me every day to not take health for granted.

Obviously, you love to ride – do you cross-train to keep it fresh? 

The best rides are the ones that are not about the ride at all. I only wish that fly-fishing was a better workout. That’s my main passion. Nothing like standing in a river with a bit of graphite. Sadly, it doesn’t work the cardio system too well.

You rode in the Smoke’n Fire 400 last year. Do you use these ‘middle distance’ bikepacking rides as training rides? How many do you take on each year?

The Smoke’n Fire is a super fun event! Excellent scenery and awesome trail sections. My first bikepacking race was the 2014 Tour Divide. My second was the 2015 Divide. My third was the Smoke’n Fire 400. I finished the Divide in June. The SNF 400 was in September. I barely rode after the Divide. I had to go fishing! I used the SNF 400 as a test for myself to see how I’d do “off the couch”. I was very happy with my result.

It was also interesting doing the full sleep deprivation thing. In the Tour Divide, I slept every night. It’s a long race. These shorter races seem to be much more about sleep deprivation. On some of the last climbs in the SNF 400 I was hallucinating pretty well. I remember seeing Jay Petervary (who wasn’t in the race) sitting alongside the road petting a capybara. Also, when I rode into Boise at the end of that race I heard someone shout my name. I thought that might be a hallucination as well.

You weren’t hallucinating. I was following the leader board and cheering finishers at the end of the race–I gave a shout out to you.

Funny! Good to know now I wasn’t that bad off. I guess I’m not cut out for the full sleep deprivation thing. I’d enjoy doing more races but the work schedule interferes quite a bit.

“You gotta find a way to keep going. Donuts help a lot.”

Pulling in mile after mile … I’m sure it can be incredibly emotional, but on both sides. You must hit both extreme highs and lows. How do you monitor your emotional state?

The Tour Divide is so long that yes, you go through every single emotion possible, as well as some that you didn’t realize were in you. Riding mostly alone, pushing yourself to unfamiliar physical limits, that’s the easy part. The emotional aspect is the hard part. You gotta find a way to keep going. Donuts help a lot. In reality, I always try to remind myself that no matter how bad I feel, how down in the dumps my mind is, that things will get better at some point. All bleeding stops, eventually. Ultra-racing is very much like that.

So you’re 40. That’s venturing into middle age. But you’re at the top of the game. Jay P. is even older. Does endurance riding get better with age?

JK: Yup, 40. I’ll hit 41 before this years Divide. Guys like Jay P. and Jefe Branham are very inspirational to me. They keep going and going. I’d like to say I’ve solved the mystery of the 40ish racer and ultra-endurance but I haven’t got “the” answer. One of the only things that I can determine is that we keep realizing our gig might be up at any time. So we gotta get done with a few things as fast as we can. I know that I can ride much longer than I could when I was younger. Perhaps it’s an impatience thing with youth. Perhaps we’ve just learned through life experience to endure more. Or maybe we are just more determined to show up the youngsters. I do know I focus on the journey far more than the speed. Oh, I wanna go fast, but the journey means a lot more to me now than it did when I was younger.

You’re quite a photographer. (All photos in this post are taken by Josh Kato). How do you balance pushing so hard, so long, yet taking time to smell the proverbial roses?

The main difference between my touring speed and racing speed are the number of photos I take during a ride. Landscape photography is a hobby of mine and I do love getting a shot of a fleeting moment in a beautiful place. My wife can attest that my camera is rarely out of hand during a tour. Nonetheless, even when racing the best of the best ultra-guys I’m not going to pass up a landscape that creates an emotional response in me.

What kind of camera do you take with you on the bike?

During races, I carry a small point and shoot that takes decent images. During the Divide, I carried a Canon S110. It does great while shooting on the go. While touring I use either a Sony RX100 or Fuji XE-1.

Any advice on how to keep the camera readily available while riding?

I almost always ride with a hydration pack. The packs with a small pocket on the shoulder strap are very nice to be able to tuck a small camera into. I then use a carabiner to clip the lanyard to my sternum strap so I can drop the camera should I need to brake quickly. Of course this only works well if it’s dry outside. I have yet to try a waterproof camera that has the image quality I want. When it rains, Ziploc bags are my friend.

So what’s your ride schedule look like this year?

I don’t have a huge agenda other than having another go at the Tour Divide. The race just kind of sticks in your head. Amazingly, I got the time off of work to go again, so I’m not going to pass it up. Not sure I’ll be able to train as much as last year but I’m certain I’m still going to have a blast. Other than the Divide, we’ll just have to see. I do know I need to get some more fly fishing trips in this year.

Thanks Josh and good luck this year!

This year’s GTD will roll out of Banff, Alberta on June 10th. The website hosts some good background information, but for the latest check out the  Tour Divide on Facebook . To follow Josh and all the cyclists in real time, head on over to the Tour Divide’s leaderboard at  Trackleaders.com .

Steve Graepel is a Contributing Editor and Gear Tester at GearJunkie. He has been writing about trail running, camping, skiing, and general dirtbagging for 10+ years. When not testing gear with GearJunkie, he is a Senior Medical Illustrator on the Neurosurgery Team at Mayo Clinic. Based in Boise, Idaho, Graepel is an avid trail runner, camper, angler, cyclist, skier, and loves to introduce his children to the Idaho outdoors.

Follow Us On

Subscribe Now

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!

Join Our GearJunkie Newsletter

Gear Top Stories Deals

• This topic has 192 replies, 93 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by lostboysaint .
• Guy Martin doing Great Divide race?

He’s not doing next years TT as it clashes with the Great Divide race.. http://www.morebikes.co.uk/guy-martin-to-miss-2016-tt-race-for-mountain-bike-event-instead/

that would be very cool. hope he does, the publicity would be good UK-side and having ridden the route I’d be interested in seeing what he thinks.

Please enable JavaScript

Is his biking partner in crime from these here parts in too ?

(pedantmoment)

Great Divide (GDMBR) starts at the US border.

Tour Divide (TD) starts in Banff, Canada.

(/pedantmoment)

Will see him there, and A another from this parish. Assuming timelines cross. ITT pre Grand Depart planned for June for me.

What Orange for TDR? Clockwork 100 or will they rustle up something Strange?

Great quote from Guy

100% these things are not happening, because these things are happening.

He did the cat and Fiddle ride a few weeks ago in Stoke. We only got a glimpse of him, he set off with the very first riders and didn’t stick around long. I think in typical Guy style he has no interest in being a public figure or celebrity which is why we all like him so much.

Ohh, I like that idea.

As ever it’ll be supported by Tea. Can you get Tea over there?

Wasn’t he nearly dead a few weeks ago? Bonkers.

What Orange for TDR?

Rourke in Stoke have just built him a custom 29er.

Granted, probably not for that, mind..

I wonder how many hope stickers he will have on his bike and kit this time?

we’ve been making a plan.

he might reveal more on the On Show tonight or on the R2 brekky show tomorrow.

So it looks like Guy has confirmed he is going to be riding the tour divide, several cycling websites and news sites have confirmed. Terrahawk, your use of the word ‘we’re’ suggests you’ll be alongside him? with TV camera’s filming? I only know Guy from his spots on TV but I’m guessing just winning won’t be enough, going for the record?

how many tea bags can you get in a revelate vischacha…..

Nevermind Guy, minipips is doing it.

there wont be any cyclists left in england……

It’s OK, I’ll stay…

tomhoward – Member there wont be any cyclists left in england……

I’m happy to take one for the team as well Obviously I would much rather be joining everyone else on the TD but needs must

is it going to be a two horse tandem race…..

guy and jase vs tom and rich…….

this could be painful….

a two horse tandem race

OOoh, fancy dress.

Look at the tail, a disaster in waiting is that.

a disaster in waiting is that.

I’m sure they could splice on a new one – Guy likes a bit of a graft

Does anyone think he can win?

^ Why not. I doubt many would have had a tenner on Josh Kato this year. Good things can happen in the time between now and June if he works hard.

(edit to add, I doubt that’s his aim but who knows)

I’d be surprised and impressed if he could become an ultra endurance winner in 6 months. Ok so he’s a handy rider, but these people are more than just good riders.

there speaks the voice of experiance i guess molly ?

Guy is driven – he also has more than an inclin of what it takes to be an endurance rider with a number of 24 hour rides under his belt – although this is a totally different kettle of fish- i do believe he is unhinged enough that if he decided he wanted to he would give it a good shot.

It wouldnt surprise me.

24 hour racing is nothing like the TDR though I think.

I’d expect a podium, but not a win. Then again it depends who else turns up as it’s not exactly a big field at the top.

And equally it’s not really a pro field either, so he’s probably got more free time for training than most.

edited, just speculation and punditry : )

I’d question their ability to podium if on a tandem (if indeed that is the plan) don’t you think? would cycling as a pair on a tandem increase or decrease your chances of winning? I can see arguments for both, marginally less weight than 2 bikes, can share a tent and supplies but then you might be dragging round someone more tired than you or if one person falls ill.

Guy Martin is aleardy one hell of an endurance rider. He’ll be absolutely fine and it wouldn’t surprise me if he does really well in it.

One thing that has popped up in this thread that is of questionable wisdom is a young boy doing it. Hopefully he’s taking the entire summer holiday and not trying to do silly mileage in a day.

Who said we’re riding a tandem?

Nobody did Jase, wasnotwas was guessing. Now you’re here, what’s the plan? spill it. :-)

Not necessarily aimed at this thread but it always amazes me just how big a hard on straight men get for Guy Martin! :lol:

I’ve had a few messages on Facebook from motorbikerist friends asking me “WTF would Guy want to race a silly bike race instead of do the TT?” (I must be the only cyclist they know……)

I heard he was doing it solo on a unicycle, powered only by a packet of Haribo and aiming not to stop at all and that he can only afford a one-way ticket to the States on a tramp steamer. Will no-one thing of the children – apart from you obviously. :wink:

Then again I didn’t say we’re not riding a tandem either… …..

But you are riding?

Multi day to 24 hour is so much different. 24 hour is about sleep deprivation and decent speed. Multi day is about sleep deprivation and recovery, speed is not that important. I spend a fair part of june racing a mtb across southern africa its the old men who feature cos they can just keep going. Takes a special kind of idiot to sleep only 2-3 hours a day for 10 days. I had nice long sleeps thats why my youg bones trailed the winner by over a week.

Then again I didn’t say we’re not riding a tandem either…

Pedal car! ;)

The topic ‘Guy Martin doing Great Divide race?’ is closed to new replies.

 Why register?

• It's how the magic happens
• It's FREE

User account menu

Clarkson, hammond and may explain why they're leaving the grand tour.

We’re less than two weeks away from saying an emotional farewell to nearly 22 years of automotive TV hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, as the final episode of The Grand Tour (or the final episode hosted by them , at least), One For The Road, is launching on 13 September.

Now, in preparation for the episode, the trio, as well as long-time producer Andy Wilman, have gone into a bit more detail on why they felt the time was right to bring the show to a close.

Earlier this year, Clarkson spoke to The Times , explaining that filming the show is “immensely physical… when you’re unfit and fat and old, which I am.” He specifically mentioned camping in the Sahara Desert during the production of recent episode Sand Job as a particularly brutal experience:  “If you’re Bear Grylls you go to a hotel – there aren’t any hotels in the Sahara.”

Clarkson has now doubled down on that ahead of One For The Road, calling the show’s production “a young man’s game.” He also explains that the show is running out of new places to visit and things to do:

“We’ve done everything you can realistically do with a car, and the world has shrunk and that’s the tragedy. Years ago, we drove from Iraq into eastern Turkey into Syria, Damascus and Israel. We did the Crimea to Ukraine. You couldn’t do any of that now.”

Hammond, meanwhile, reflected on the process of bringing this iteration of the show, and the trio’s working relationship, to an end: “The way in which [Top Gear and The Grand Tour] took off was kind of beyond all of us. The only thing we could control was how and when and where we landed it.

“We wanted to say ‘thank you’ to the audience. This is the biggest thing to happen in my life ever. It changed my life, it affected my daughters’ lives, my whole family, everything. And that’s down to the audience.”

May chimed in on why the time felt right to end things: “I’ve always said that if it ends tomorrow, which it nearly did at one point, that I should just be grateful that I had the opportunity… But it didn’t end, it kept going. In the end, we got to the point where we said, ‘No, we must stop while we’re still vaguely ahead. We mustn't keep going until we embarrass ourselves.’”

Andy Wilman, who has acted as producer alongside the trio ever since Top Gear’s 2002 reboot, also reflected on why they’ve decided to end things now, explaining that things were nearly brought to an end after the three studio-based series of The Grand Tour:

“We came to an agreement with Prime Video where we’d just do the specials as we knew that the big cinematic adventures were what our fans loved… We could keep some kind of quality control in place by doing fewer things.

“We’re lucky that we’ve been able to control our destiny. We are now calling it a day on our own terms, and not many shows get to do that. Most of the time, you want to carry on, and you get told, ‘We don’t want you anymore.’”

No comments found.

Sponsored Posts

Money blog: Liam Gallagher's 2017 tweet comes back to haunt him

The Money blog is your place for consumer and personal finance news and tips. Today's posts include Expedia data showing the cheapest dates to go on holiday and an old Liam Gallagher tweet about ticket pricing. Leave a comment on any of the stories we're covering in the box below.

Tuesday 3 September 2024 11:35, UK

• High-street bank trumps rivals with cheapest five-year mortgage
• Pay-per-mile tax scheme proposed for electric vehicles
• Liam Gallagher's 2017 tweet about £350 tickets comes back to haunt him
• Millions to get cost of living payments this winter as scheme extended

Essential reads

• Basically... Free school meals
• 'This job has saved lives': What's it like selling the Big Issue?
• Best of the Money blog

Tips and advice

• Cheapest holidays dates before Christmas
• Money Problem : 'My dog died but my insurance is still demanding whole year's policy payment'
• How else to eat Greggs on cheap as O2 Priority scraps freebies

Ask a question or make a comment

NatWest has launched the cheapest five-year fixed mortgage deal on the market. 

The 3.71% rate comes with a £1,495 product fee and is available to customers who have a 40% deposit. 

Other lenders have also announced cuts this week, including Barclays and Halifax. 

Yesterday, Barclays reduced its five-year fixed 60% LTV remortgage deal from 4.06% to 3.93%. 

It also announced cuts across its purchase product range, with a five-year fixed 75% LTV deal coming with a 3.95% rate and a £899 product fee. 

Halifax also launched a 3.81% five-year deal to new borrowers yesterday. 

Brokers have welcomed the cuts as "hugely positive" news, and suggested more lenders could follow suit. 

"NatWest's latest rate cut is another clear signal that mortgage lenders are pulling out all the stops to reignite the housing market," Ranald Mitchell, director of Charwin Mortgages, told Newspage.

"This flurry of rate reductions is a positive step towards finding that sweet spot where consumer confidence rebounds, and the property market gets back on track. 

"It's an exciting time for potential buyers, affordability is improving, and the window of opportunity is wide open." 

Justin Moy, the managing director at EHF Mortgages, said: "Lenders are looking to grab some market share by the end of the year.

"Other lenders will likely want to make a similar move over the coming days to remain competitive." 

By James Sillars , business reporter

It's a fairly muted start to the day's trading, again, on financial markets.

The FTSE 100 has opened 10 points higher at 8,373.

Rolls-Royce, the civil aerospace-to-defence firm (not to be confused with the luxury motor car manufacturer), is leading the gainers.

Its shares rallied by 4% early this morning after a 6.5% decline the previous day.

That tumbled was in reaction to the apparent mid-air failure of one of its engines on a Cathay Pacific flight .

Analysts said that the share price recovery was down to an update from  the airline that the fleet affected should be back to full operation by the weekend.

A tweet Liam Gallagher wrote seven years ago criticising the eye-watering price of gig tickets has come back to haunt him.

His message, written in September 2017 about his older brother Noel, who was touring America with his band High Flying Birds at the time, read: "350 dollars to go and see rkid in USA what a c*** when will it all stop as you were LG x"

The tweet has resurfaced after dynamic pricing for Oasis's much-hyped reunion next year left fans - many of whom had spent hours queueing online - stunned after some standard tickets more than doubled in price from £148 to £355 on Ticketmaster due to demand.

X users pointed out the irony upon seeing the 2017 tweet, posting comments including, "Well this is evergreen", "What's your excuse for charging over 368 quid then?" and "Not ageing well, Liam".

Tap here to follow the Daily podcast - 20 minutes on the biggest stories every day

Using a phrase Liam adopts in his own social media comments, another fan wrote simply "BIBLICAL".

Hundreds of people have complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over "misleading claims about availability and pricing".

In response, Sir Keir Starmer has said the government will get a "grip" on the issue of surge pricing, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy promising a consultation over the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, and the technology around queuing systems, to ensure fans don't get ripped off.

Yesterday we revealed that official reseller Twickets had lowered its fees after criticism from Oasis fans.

Scroll through today's Money blog for: Cheapest dates to go on holiday this year (6.42 post); how do you get free school meals (7.58 post); pay-per-mile tax proposed (7.38 post)

Basically, free school meals are aimed at making sure the country's more vulnerable youngsters don't go hungry while they're learning in their earlier years.

Children of certain ages automatically qualify without having to apply, but the rules differ across the four nations.

Children whose parents claim certain benefits or asylum support may also be eligible - though an application may be needed.

Free school meals without having to apply

In England, outside of London , all state school children in reception to year two automatically qualify for infant free school meals, while in the capital , all state primary school children up to age 11 qualify for the benefit in the 2024-25 academic year.

In Scotland , all state school children up to primary five (around four to nine years old) get the meals automatically. There are plans for this to be extended to pupils in receipt of the Scottish child payment in primary six and seven from February.

In Wales  all primary school children in state schools can get free meals from September.

Families who claim benefits

If your child falls outside the eligibility criteria for automatic free school meals, they'll still be able to benefit in certain circumstances.

Wherever you are in the UK, your child may be able to get free school meals if you get one or more of the following:

• Income support
• Universal credit
• Income-based jobseeker's allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of pension credit
• Child tax credit
• Working tax credit (Scotland and Northern Ireland)
• Working tax credit run-on England and Wales) – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for working tax credit

There's some specific criteria for families by devolved nation, which we'll break down below...

England and Wales

If you're claiming universal credit, your net household income must be less than £7,400 after tax, and not including any benefits.

Those receiving child tax credit must not also be entitled to working tax credit and must have an annual income of less than £16,190.

If you're classed as having no recourse to public funds - a type of condition placed on temporary visas in the UK - and the parents are able to work, they must have a household income of no more than:

• £22,700 for families outside of London with one child
• £26,300 for families outside of London with two or more children
• £31,200 for families within London with one child
• £34,800 for families within London with two or more children

People claiming universal credit in Scotland must have a household monthly income of no more than £796 (£9,552 per year) to qualify for free school meals. 

Families on child tax credit, but not working tax credit, can get the meals if they earn less than £19,995. For those on both benefits, their income must be no more than £9,552.

Northern Ireland

You may be able to claim free school meals in Northern Ireland if you receive universal credit and your post-tax earnings are £15,000 or less per year.

If you get child tax credit or working tax credit, you can still get free school meals on an annual income of up to £16,190.

How can I claim the meals?

In England, Wales and Scotland, you apply to your local council.

The UK government website has a local authority postcode checker here , which directs you to the council running services in your area. There are similar tools on the Scottish and Welsh government websites.

In Northern Ireland, you can use this form to apply directly to the government.

How many children are eligible - and how much does it cost? 

According to the latest data from the Department for Education, 2.1 million pupils were eligible for free school meals in the 2023-24 academic year - 24.6% of pupils. This was a rise from 23.8% the year before.

According to the London mayor's office, it's estimated that school meals cost £13.25 per week - or £2.65 meal - on average.

It says its free school meals offer for all state-educated primary school children in the capital saves parents around £500 per year.

According to a 2023 report from the IFS, the current system of free school meals in England – both means-tested and universal provision – costs the government around £1.4bn a year.

But separate research from the Food Foundation found that expanding free school meal eligibility to all primary school students could generate around £41bn in direct benefits to students and a further £58bn to the wider economy over 20 years.

Read other entries in our Basically series.. .

Tax receipts from petrol and diesel duty bring in £25bn for the Treasury each year - and questions have been raised about what happens as more drivers go electric.

Today, the public transport charity Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) is proposing that drivers of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), such as electric cars, should be charged based on how far they travel.

They are asking Chancellor Rachel Reeves to impose the pay-per-mile scheme, saying it's the solution to a "black hole" that will be created by the loss of fuel duty.

The scheme would not apply to drivers of traditionally fuelled cars.

Under the plan, drivers with a ZEV before the implementation date would be exempt, incentivising the switch to electric vehicles.

Previous governments have found the prospect of introducing per-mile charges - known as road pricing - to be too politically toxic.

But CBT claims it would have public support.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments box - and read more on this story here ...

Summer may be edging towards the rear-view mirror, but that doesn't mean Britons are turning their back on sunshine. 

With many looking to sort an autumn holiday, Expedia has taken a look at the best times to fly and book hotels - with savings of up to £120 if you are savvy. 

Its data is based on average daily rates for lodging and flight prices between 22 September and 21 December this year.

When to book flights for

• Cheapest : 22, 23 or 24 September
• Least busy : 10 or 17 December
• Most expensive : 19, 20 or 21 December
• Busiest : 20 and 21 October

"For the best deals, travellers should look to book their flights 14 to 20 days before travel, saving them on average £120 compared to booking 91 days or more out, or saving £60 compared to booking 60-90 days out," Expedia says. 

"Target the 22-29 September for travel, when average ticket prices (ATPs) for flights are shaping up to be nearly £100 cheaper than the autumn average, and £50 cheaper than summer ATPs."

When to  book a hotel

• Cheapest : 20 November or 11 December
• Most expensive : 14 or 21 October
• Busiest : 23 October or 25 September

"For hotel stays, target the 3-9 November, when average daily rates are £15 cheaper per night than the seasonal average and summer stays," Expedia says. 

The holiday booking site says the most popular autumn destinations have remained largely the same as last year based on the largest number of hotel searches...

• New York, USA
• Paris, France
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Manchester, UK
• Tenerife, Spain
• Birmingham, UK
• Rome, Italy

Despite this, Expedia says savvy Britons are searching out "under the radar" getaway spots.

"Flight searches have surged for Brits looking to discover new, under-the-radar European cities this autumn, such as Tirana (+95%) in Albania and Bucharest (+70%) in Romania, as Brits look to stretch their budgets further by looking outside the popular city break hotspots."

The top 10 destinations with the biggest search increases are:

• Saint Malo, France
• Didim, Turkey
• Syracuse, Italy
• Beijing, China 
• Palermo, Italy
• Tromso, Norway 
• Brescia, Italy 
• Poznan, Poland
• Tangier, Morocco
• Ischia, Italy

The Money blog will return shortly - meantime, why not scroll through some of our best and most popular features below...

Despite traditionally being an affordable staple of British cuisine, the average price for a portion of fish and chips has risen by more than 50% in the past five years to nearly £10, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Sonny and Shane "the codfather" Lee told Sky News of the challenges that owning J-Henry's Fish and Chip Shop brings and why prices have skyrocketed. 

"Potatoes, fish, utilities, cooking oil - so many things [are going up]," he said. 

Shane also said that he is used to one thing at a time increasing in price, but the outlook today sees multiple costs going up all at once.  

"Potatoes [were] priced right up to about £25 a bag - the previous year it was about £10 a bag," Sonny said, noting a bad harvest last year. 

He said the business had tried hake as a cheaper fish option, but that consumers continued to prefer the more traditional, but expensive, cod and haddock. 

"It's hard and we can we can absorb the cost to a certain extent, but some of it has to be passed on," Shane added. 

After a long Saturday for millions of Oasis fans in online queues, the culture secretary says surge pricing - which pushed the price of some tickets up by three times their original advertised value to nearly £400 - will be part of the government's review of the ticket market. 

On today's episode of the Daily podcast, host Niall Paterson speaks to secondary ticketing site Viagogo. While it wasn’t part of dynamic pricing, it has offered resale tickets for thousands of pounds since Saturday. 

Matt Drew from the company accepts the industry needs a full review, while Adam Webb, from the campaign group FanFair Alliance, explains the changes it would like to see.

We've covered the fallout of the Oasis sale extensively in the Money blog today - see the culture secretary's comments on the "utterly depressing" inflated pricing in our post at 6.37am, and Twickets, the official Oasis resale site, slammed by angry fans for its "ridiculous" added fees at 10.10am.

The growing backlash culminated in action from Twickets - the company said it would lower its charges after some fans had to pay more than £100 in extra fees for resale tickets (see post at 15.47).

Last week we reported that employers will have to offer flexible working hours - including a four-day week - to all workers under new government plans.

To receive their full pay, employees would still have to work their full hours but compressed into a shorter working week - something some workplaces already do.

Currently, employees can request flexible hours as soon as they start at a company but employers are not legally obliged to agree.

The Labour government now wants to make it so employers have to offer flexible hours from day one, except where it is "not reasonably feasible".

You can read more of the details in this report by our politics team:

But what does the public think about this? We asked our followers on LinkedIn to give their thoughts in an unofficial poll.

It revealed that the overwhelming majority of people support the idea to compress the normal week's hours into fewer days - some 83% of followers said they'd choose this option over a standard five-day week.

But despite the poll showing a clear preference for a compressed week, our followers appeared divided in the comments.

"There's going to be a huge brain-drain as people move away from companies who refuse to adapt with the times and implement a 4 working week. This will be a HUGE carrot for many orgs," said Paul Burrows, principal software solutions manager at Reality Capture.

Louise McCudden, head of external affairs at MSI Reproductive Choices, said she wasn't surprised at the amount of people choosing longer hours over fewer days as "a lot of people" are working extra hours on a regular basis anyway.

But illustrator and administrative professional Leslie McGregor noted the plan wouldn't be possible in "quite a few industries and quite a few roles, especially jobs that are customer centric and require 'round the clock service' and are heavily reliant upon people in trades, maintenance, supply and transport". 

"Very wishful thinking," she said.

Paul Williamson had a similar view. He said: "I'd love to know how any customer first service business is going to manage this."

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free