TOUR: Lachlan, why don't you start by telling us what cycling is all about for you?
LACHLAN MORTON: For me, it's the best thing I can do - I've discovered that over the course of my life. I just want to spend a lot of time cycling. And it's also the best way to see the world.
They say the most beautiful thing - but pain is a constant companion in cycling...
Yes, of course, that's part of the whole thing. You have to learn to deal with the difficulties - it's through the hardships that you learn the most about yourself. Pain is a big part of the whole thing. If you learn to deal with it, to react to it - then you can look forward to it.
You recently won the GBDuro. This is a bikepacking race that follows the classic route from Land's End to John O'Groats - from the most south-westerly tip of Great Britain all the way north to Scotland - what have you learnt along the way?
I probably learnt more about myself in those six days than in the rest of my life put together. Most importantly, I learnt how much I can control through my mind - my body definitely follows my brain. If you really focus on doing something and stay positive, then you control the situation with your head - and you can do a lot more than seemed possible before. In the end, you come out and are much better than before. I now feel much better equipped to deal with difficulties.
Take us on your journey again - almost 112 hours of cycling across Great Britain. That's around 30 hours more than the professionals cycled in the Tour de France. What were the most difficult moments on the road?
The hardest moment was on the second stage: the course was incredibly challenging, there were a lot of pushing sections, a lot of very slow, very technical sections, which made the distance so much longer than it looked on paper. There were still ten kilometres to go on this stage when I probably hit rock bottom: I cried for about ten minutes. I was just frustrated. I was tired and felt like I just physically couldn't do it anymore. So I cried for quite a while. I felt like I was completely empty. And when I hit rock bottom - all of a sudden I felt like I could do it. I was full of energy again. I started running, cycling - it was a very difficult moment. But I wanted to know what happens when you hit rock bottom. Now I know. (laughs)
What images have stayed in your head?
It's more the experience as a whole. Starting with the experience of riding through the night, then this incredible route - it's almost impossible to single out one moment. But certainly the last day through Scotland was special: I felt physically wonderful. My body had finally figured out what was happening - I had gained a lot of experience from the previous three days. I felt really mentally equipped to deal with the situation. I just rode alone over these wonderful gravel roads through Scotland - I was happier than I'd ever been in my life. It's a very special feeling - I'll have to do something similar again soon.
It must have been particularly special for you to ride a bikepacking race like this, where no support is allowed. If you are a professional cyclist riding for your EF Education First team, all you have to do is raise your hand during the race - then you will be handed everything you need from the support vehicle...
That's right. The situation was quite new to me. I tried to prepare myself, think about what I needed, what I had to bring with me. That was pretty stressful. But it's a good feeling when you set off and you know that you have everything you need on the road. Everything is on the bike! Sure, I've run out of food or water a few times - that's a challenge I've never faced before. Or sleeping outside: just pull over to the side of the road and roll out your sleeping bag. That's so far removed from what I normally do in road races as a pro! Everything there is very sober and well thought out. That's what makes this type of race like the GBDuro so special: you have to look after yourself completely. It's a real challenge - but it makes it particularly rewarding in hindsight.
Was there a reason why you wanted to gain this experience at GBDuro of all places?
There was the opportunity to take real sleep breaks - that makes it a nice format. The stages are incredibly long - over 24 hours! I enjoyed having breaks to rest. That was a big plus. And another argument was the race route, which was so well researched and so well put together - pretty unique! And the participants were also a really good mix: there were guys on fat bikes and some with 35-millimetre tyres - and everything in between. Overall, it was a really complete bike race, where you really have to get to grips with everything.
How long were you in the saddle each day?
On the first day, the exercise time was 28, 29 hours. That included a few stops - so another hour more. I tried to limit how often I stopped. The shortest day was the last day - I was able to push myself. That was 17 hours. Basically, it usually went like this: drive for seven or eight hours, stop, refuel and have lunch or dinner - depending on what time of day it was. And then I always made a stop after the night to get breakfast. After two stages, I slept at the side of the road for a few hours.
With a tent?
With a bivouac sack, a small inflatable mattress and a sleeping bag. I didn't sleep at all on the first night - I cycled through the whole thing on the first stage. I usually felt fine for the first ten to twelve hours. Then it often started to get really tough, around the eleven to twelve hour mark. I usually hadn't even completed half the stage. Then it became physically very hard, it became a mental thing. The last twelve to 13 hours - that's when you fight with yourself. That was the part that was the most challenging. But it was also the most valuable experience.
Quite different from professional races...
Completely different. Practically incomparable.
We published a photo of you in TOUR 8 / 2019 - you're standing packed in front of a chiller cabinet. Which supermarket was that in?
Well, I stopped at many supermarkets along the way. It was just one where the photographer happened to be there. I usually left my bike outside, went in quickly, bought everything I could carry - then back out again, on my bike alone and onto the road... It really is a crazy experience - because you're so tired, so exhausted! For many hours you're just in your own head. And then you come across a supermarket or a petrol station - and then you're back in the real world for a few moments. It's a bit unsettling. Then you suddenly have to think: What do I actually need? What am I hungry for? The processes in your head are then much slower than usual. Your senses are somehow clouded.
What did your diet look like during the journey?
Firstly, I ate everything I could get my hands on. Even though we were in the UK (Great Britain; editor's note) were travelling - the routes were often quite remote. It was often 200 kilometres between two places where you could get food and water. So it was all about getting incredibly high-energy food. I ate a lot of flapjacks (sweet oat bar; editor's note) I had never eaten them before. I then became very aware of what I was craving. Your body is pretty good at telling you what it needs - if you're prepared to listen to it. Sometimes you need something savoury, sometimes something fresh. I stopped for a proper meal during each stage: a sandwich or a burger and a pint of Guinness in a pub. And afterwards I tried to sleep as quickly as possible.
A pint - a good half litre?
Yes, that was standard. It felt like the right thing to do.
This raises the question: did you discuss your diet with the sports management beforehand?
(laughs) Normally we have a whole range of great sponsors who give us sports nutrition. But the reality was different - it was all there was. I had no gels, no bars. And you eat a lot! It's crazy how much! I can't remember ever having eaten so much in a week. And I hope that never happens again. Eating became a chore.
How much did you sleep on the way?
Time was stopped between the stages - you could take as much time as you wanted. But I had to be back in Spain on 1 July because I had to catch a flight to Vietnam in time. Otherwise I would have taken a whole day off on the way. I slept for around two hours twice during the stages. And between the stages I slept for eight to twelve hours. So sleep deprivation was not an issue.
After this special experience, what goals do you have in your normal professional life as a professional cyclist?
Next I drive the Leadville (100-mile MTB marathon on 10 August in the USA; editor's note) and the Tour of Utah - I want to win both. And then I want to make it into our team's Vuelta squad.
