A strong riding style, an enduro champion, a coach, a pianist… have you ever met Jess? Jess Stone coming an English native living in Scotland is a rare breed in the world of MTB, a jack of all trades if you will. We took the opportunity to visit her at home to share some moments on the bike and to talk about her passion, her hobbies outside of bikes and her role as a coach.
Can you introduce yourself?
I am Jess Stone, predominantly now an Enduro MTB rider/racer but I have previously raced on the DH World Cup circuit between 2008 and 2014. I really try not to take life too seriously and have a good time. Music and bikes are my two biggest passions for sure.
What races were you the most proud to partake in this year?
A few races spring to mind, the National Downhill round at Llangollen being one of them, however I think actually I’m most proud of my World Cup Enduro race in Loudenville. I had a pretty awful journey to the race when our flights got cancelled in London. I had set off at 4am Monday and didn’t get to Loudenville till 1pm Wednesday and we were practicing on Thursday and racing Friday. I had to sleep in the airport on my bike bag so I had barely slept in 3 days. I was most proud of this race because I was so unbelievably tired, I genuinely didn’t think I had the energy or concentration to complete and I had to sleep right before dropping into some of the stages but I did it and got an ok result in the end.
What are your plans for next year? Are there any special events on the calendar for you?
Next year I have a few exciting plans for sure, I will do some of the World Cup Enduros of course but perhaps get involved in some of the more alternative races too and I’d like to do some more filming projects. The scene in the US looks to be huge too so I potentially might head out on the enduro or DH bike to some events out there.
What is one race you'd love to win, and why?
Of course winning a World Cup is pretty high on the list of races to win! Having almost won one I am pretty hungry to get there again.
Do you have any rituals or specific preparation before a race?
I don’t have any rituals but my preparations usually involve playing cheesy music like Spice Girls or Backstreet Boys. Reason for this is I find it keeps things fun for me and the more I smile the better I do.
What bikes do you ride during training and competition? What do you like about them?
During competition over the last few years, I have been on the Ransom but this season I have been on the new Genius which is a phenomenal bike. I’ve done a few DH races obviously on the Gambler. When I’m training however, I spend a great deal of time on my Contessa Speedster gravel bike and on my road bike. I especially love the gravel bike because I love being able to go anywhere and cover big miles quickly. I spend a fair amount of time around Aberfoyle, riding from my home on the road then diverting onto the gravel paths round the lochs. It really is an incredible do it all bike.
Is there a destination you would dream to go with your mountain bike?
I would actually really love to get to Whistler one day - I’ve never been able to afford or had the opportunity to go so I’d love to experience that place one day.
What would be your tips for a young girl wishing to start competing?
My main advice is that there should be only two things you achieve in the race - 1: do your best and 2: have fun. The result at the end of the day is a bonus. Obviously, you’ll want to do well and win races but in competition you ‘fail’ more than you win so don’t get too hung up on the results.
What is your motivation behind coaching young girls like Katy?
I think my motivation largely comes from the support I received when I started out. I had so much help and guidance from the MTB community it was overwhelming. I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today without the support from my friends and I don’t feel I could return what I’ve been given sufficiently back to them. I think the best way to give back is to pass it on to someone else, just like being in a family I guess. Which is what the MTB community is for me, a family. I know how inspiring and warming it feels to have support when you’re young, and it’s great to be in a position (with thanks to all my partners SCOTT, Mudhugger, Ohlins, Hopetech) where I am able to give back to the Future Pros of the sport and my only wish is that I could have more time to do more and support more youngsters.
We saw in the video that you excel at piano, do you have any other hobbies?
Haha I wouldn’t say I excel at Piano, I’m self taught and can’t read music but I love it! I used to do boxing for training and competition a few years ago but I love hiking now and taking my two Border Collies for adventures. There’s something so special on the Munros in Scotland, I love being in the mountains. I still love playing football when I get the chance to do so. So, my hobbies for sure largely involve being active because I can’t sit still long enough to do anything else!
One last question: Any good tips to share with someone wishing to come to Scotland to do mtb?
Make sure you pack waterproofs!!! And a camera, it's so beautiful and the trails are so good, you'll want to capture every moment.
Video credits: Chris Seager Photo credits: Pete Scullion
