The new #Ride2Unite podcast features our inquisitive host Anna Glowinski, who caught up with Alex Dowsett, a British professional UCI road racing cyclist (Israel Start-Up Nation), a former holder of the 2015 world hour record in track cycling and an all-round pleasant guy to chat with. 

Alex Edward Albert Dowsett from Maldon, Essex, England, devoted the last 16 years of his life to road cycling – and his stats tell us it’s paying off. His talent was recognized early on and the medals, wins and contract offers soon started raining down.

Thanks to many years in the field and cycling successes under his belt, Alex is in the perfect position to offer advice to younger British riders on his team and young riders in general. He shared with us something that seems to be on his mind a lot: “I think my biggest message was to not ignore your national team. Obviously, it’s very exciting turning pro and going to a World Tour team. [But] I think, in the last few years, there’s been a bit of a too-good-to-race-for-GB mentality sometimes, and the focus is very much on the Tour and obviously the World Tour circuit. Riding for your country has kind of played second fiddle to some athletes and I wanted to say it to these youngsters.”

Anna took the liberty towards the end of the interview to run Alex through a career-path quiz should he retire from cycling on the spot. After two fairly sensible options, the third came as a kicker: a bingo caller. Alex recalled his bingo-loving nan and the one single time he partook in this adrenalin activity himself. “I played bingo once. Just once. I came out 60 quid up so I quit,” he admitted. Anna remarked that’s not something you normally do after a win but Alex was clear: “No, I just figured that’s it.”

Find out what were the other two alternative career choices for Alex Dowsett and much more in the full video above!