Alex Yee
The Sigma Sports Cafe Ride
Video is unable to play due to Privacy Settings.
Adjust your Cookie Preferences to Opt-in "YES" to "Functional Cookies".
Matt Stephens joins Olympic and World Champion Alex Yee on a training day in this triathlon themed episode of the Sigma Sports Café Ride.
The University town of Loughborough has all the sporting facilities a professional athlete could want, as well as some fantastic lanes for quiet country riding. Triathletes are made of some pretty tough stuff, so when Matt turns up on a cold wet morning in January, the stage is set to test his mettle. Alex won pretty much everything in the world of standard triathlon by utilising his incredibly strong run, which he calls his ‘weapon’.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that when he set his sights on competing in marathons, he recorded the second fastest time ever set by a Briton. Keen to experience that weapon in real life, Matt asks Alex for a demonstration of his marathon pace… but when it’s unleashed, how long can Matt keep up for… if at all?
Enjoy the episode? Never miss a new Café Ride episode. Subscribe to the Sigma Sports Newsletter and get the drop straight to your inbox.
The Route
A sporting hub, Loughborough and the surrounding area is the perfect location whether you are a cyclist, swimmer, runner or partake in all three sports! Alex Yee's home of Loughborough was the starting point for his ride out with Matt and a rolling 37km route provided plenty of quiet lanes and short and testing hills to keep the pair warm on the wet and wintry day that greeted them.
A real highlight on the route has to be the fantastic Bom Bom Patisserie. Located in the picturesque village of Rothley, this small but charming stop off is perfect for grabbing a bite to eat or warming up with a good cup of coffee.
The Bike
Not to be outdone in the style scoring by Alex Yee and his gold Trek Madone, Matt clipped in on a Trek Madone SLR Gen 8 – Project One ICON Serpentine Road Bike for this episode. A custom Serpentine paint scheme really sets the bike apart from stock colourways and is a fantastic option for those looking for a truly unique ride.
To continue that premium feel, this build came with a top-level SRAM RED AXS groupset with a power meter, Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 carbon wheels, a Trek Aero RSL one-piece carbon bar/stem and RSL Aero Bottles and Cages.
Staying seen on this gloomy day was a must, so Matt opted for Trek Ion 200 RT Front Light and a Trek CarBack Radar Rear Light.
The Tech
With this being a multi-sport focused edition of the Cafe Ride, it was important to ensure Matt was on track with his pace and his vital data. This is where Coros came in. As a partner of Alex Yee's the brand know a thing or two about helping individuals get the most out of their performance whatever the sport.
Equipping Matt for his spin, the Coros Dura Solar GPS Bike Computer was a welcome addition, providing Matt with all the data and navigational assistance he needed. Switching to the run and the Coros Pace 4 GPS Watch provided him with up to the second data, especially important when you are trying to hang onto the coat tails of a flying Mr Alex Yee!
The Kit
Cold, wet and very wintry, this was not a Cafe Ride spin for the faint hearted but luckily Matt was taking a ride with one of the toughest athletes on the triathlon circuit.
Keeping warm and dry was the name of the game and a carefully chosen selection of Universal Colours clothing was ideal for these less than ideal conditions. In addition to the clothing, Alba Optics sunglasses and Trek's Velocis Road Shoes and Velocis MIPS Road Helmet all played their part in keeping Matt both safe and looking good out on the Leicestershire lanes.
Want to explore the series? Find out about the other Sigma Sports Cafe Ride guests and watch all the episodes.