Martha Gates is fastest woman at Etape Loch Ness 2025
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00:00One more time, please show your appreciation for Una, for Holly, and for the winner of the Atap Lock Ness 2025, Martha Gates.
00:10Martha, congratulations on being the fastest woman at the Atap Lock Ness.
00:15Thank you very much.
00:16And to boot a new course record. Did you expect that?
00:19No, well, I guess I had a bit of an idea coming towards the end that I might be close to it, but no, I didn't expect it.
00:28I didn't expect to go as quick as I did today, but all the times today have been super fast.
00:34How was conditions?
00:36Well, probably, yeah, quite good. It was windy on the way out, headwind, but you're not really as aware of it when you're tucked into the group.
00:46And then, yeah, good tailwind on the way back.
00:51Did you have a feeling that you were the fastest woman on the course?
00:55I thought I maybe would be in for a podium, but I never like to expect that I would be the fastest.
01:05I've come second two years in a row, so last year and the year before.
01:10And obviously there's always, there's loads of strong girls, even in the Highlands.
01:15And I knew Kat was doing it, Kat Lockie, who's won in previous years.
01:20So she's a very good climber and yes, I didn't know, I didn't expect it.
01:26Being second twice in a row was a real determination to come up this year.
01:30Oh, definitely. Yeah, for sure.
01:32Was that a target, was it?
01:33Oh, yeah, absolutely. I don't think I was shy in telling anyone that. I wanted to come first. So, yeah, I was delighted.
01:40What was your favourite part of the course?
01:42Probably, you know, actually, weirdly, the climb.
01:49Really?
01:50I'm not, you know, the best climber out there, but I, it's, you can just get into your own rhythm with it.
01:57So, you know, when you're cycling out in the group, before you get to the climb, it's, you're just trying to hang on.
02:03And all the little surges and things, it's, when you get to the climb, you can just, you get into your own little world of pain.
02:11Yeah.
02:12How many times have you done this again?
02:14This is my fifth time.
02:15Fifth time.
02:16Yeah, it was the reason that I started cycling. So, I signed up to do the 2020 edition and then lockdown happened.
02:27Of course, yeah.
02:28And so, I did, the first year I did it was in August in 2021. But yeah, it's like the reason that I started cycling. So, it's nice to have one in now.
02:37And I take it you're coming back then. You've got a record to defend after all.
02:41Probably. I mean, it's like, it's such a good thing to have on our doorstep, a good event to have, like, at home. So, I would imagine I will come back.
02:52But I don't know if I will race it again.
02:55Really?
02:56Maybe. I love racing, so.
02:58Yeah. So, you'll probably will race it again.
03:00I probably will, yes.
03:02Marfa, congratulations. It's fantastic to you.
03:04Thank you very much.