In life, as in sport, there are different kinds of character. There are those happy to watch the world go by and those desperate to be a part of it, always looking for their next fix of adrenaline. There are conformists and non-conformists, those with the talent and those with the desire but few with both. The combinations are infinite but the characteristic that always separates the winners from the losers is a competitive edge. It is a characteristic that Bradley Smith has in abundance and the reason why when others choose to rest he cannot help himself but compete. “I am not the kind of person who likes to be relaxing at home or on the beach not doing anything.”
Instead the Bancaja Aspar Team rider gets his kicks from triathlon – a sport that forms the basis of his training schedule and his only passion away from motorcycles. “Racing bikes is my main passion, I live for it, but immediately behind it is triathlon. It is three sports in one and they all give me the physical and mental preparation I need to race bikes.” Ever since meeting his personal trainer, Mark, in 2007 he has honed his competitive edge in triathlon as part of a daily routine geared purely towards glory.
An alert, hyperactive person, Bradley couldn’t sit still for a minute even if he wanted to. Racing pumps through his veins to the point where he constantly seems to be cycling clear of the peloton. On the racetrack he battles with his rivals, in the triathlons he races against himself. “I compete in triathlons because I am a competitive person and it is my escape from the World Championship paddock. Whenever I compete in a triathlon I give it my best but it’s nice because I’m not under any pressure. I really enjoy myself.” More than a hobby, competing in triathlon is a way of life – swimming, cycling and running keep him in peak physical condition and mentally alert. “Triathlon helps me to control my training, nutrition and recovery.”
That said, the Oxfordshire teenager never loses sight of his main focus and the fact that the most important thing for him is to dedicate himself 110% to racing motorcycles, despite the passion for triathlon that pulses through his veins. He fits his seven races (3 duathlons and 4 triathlons) around his World Championship commitments and finds gaps in the MotoGP calendar to spend time with his family away from the track. “Triathlon gives me the opportunity to visit nice places, like this year I went to Alpe d’Huez. In the paddock everybody needs things from you but at the triathlons I’m just another person and I love that – it helps me keep my feet on the ground.”
As well as competing in the Alpe d’Huez this summer he also entered the famous London event between the races in Germany and Czech Republic. Instead of packing his bermuda shorts and towel, like the majority of his 125cc rivals, Bradley headed off with his swimsuit, bicycle and running shoes to contest one of the most demanding events in Europe. The French race featured a 1.2km swim, a 30km ride around the lung-busting slopes of the Alpe d´Huez followed by a 7km run at 2,000m altitude. The following weekend he was in his country’s capital for his next challenge. “When you go to a triathlon you experience a totally pure atmosphere, everybody is the same and there are no differences. Everybody suffers the same and there is a spirit of companionship that is hard to find anywhere else. Everybody is happy for each other, the people cheer you in the streets… I love it. It takes me to another dimension and I escape from everything else. This is the true meaning of a holiday and a break for me.”
Now he is back on track for Grand Prix glory and his triathlon exploits must wait for another day. The hardest part of the season is nigh, with trips to Japan, Malaysia and Australia on the horizon. The Bancaja Aspar rider is safe in the knowledge that he is physically prepared. “I think my triathlon training gives me an edge over the rest of the competition in the class, I never feel exhausted at the end of a race no matter how hard the conditions are.”
Bradley doesn’t seem to know if he is competing to live or living to compete. But somewhere amongst the wheels, handlebars, swimsuits, running shoes and mountains lies a balance that allows him to live life his way – on the move. That is why his relaxed, affable appearance is so at odds with the chaos of his profession.
