Interview by Gary Millings Intro/fotos: jon_e

Nigel Page or "Pagey" as he's known, stormed onto the downhill scene back in 1996 after taking his first ever NPS win at Innerleithen at one of his first ever downhill races, riding then on a trusty GT LTS with Judy's. Since then he has been a cornerstone of the UK downhilling faternity. A prodigy of the BMX generation, if he wasn't riding something with 2 wheels he wasn't happy. He has ridden in all four corners of the planet, not bad for a kidda from St.Helens and he has commentated on national telly.

So what's next for this fella...

DW: Ello Nige...Rumours are rife at the moment, whats the team situation? Dirt or Intense?

NP: Not sure yet? will let you know as soon as I know what to do, What do you guys think would be best?

DW: I also heard you're now part of the team bringing the Intense stuff into the UK. Will the racing be taking a back seat?

NP: Yes, myself and Andy Kyffin are now the importers of Intense into the UK. I have wanted to be involved more with Intense in the UK apart from riding them for a while, because they haven’t been promoted well enough in the UK, as I believe they are such an amazing product, by far the best Mountain Bike frames out there!
No, I will still be racing, but I have had a rough past 2 years with Injuries etc, and I have lost my drive to win at the moment! but hopefully that will change with time over the winter. But if not I will always be out there riding as its what I love to do!

DW: Tell us a bit more about your situation with Andy Kyffin and North West MTB.

NP: Well, I have been riding and promoting Intense since 1999 and have worked as hard as I can to promote the brand over here in the UK with the help of Jeff at Intense USA. He has been so good to me since I first met him back in 99. He is the coolest and most genuine guy I have met since I started in the sport and I can't thank him enough for all he has done for me!

Dealing with the previous Intense Importers has been hard in the UK as a racer and I haven’t had the greatest support in promoting the product over here. Any tests in magazines on Intense bikes etc I have sorted out myself in the past with my own bikes. Jeff has noticed all this I have done and I put a proposal to him to do the Importing over here together with Andy Kyffin who is a really successful professional guy and a great friend.

Intense thought this would be great for there company and for me and Andy so that is what has happened and we are running Intense UK through the The North West Mountain Bike Centre. We aim to bring Intense up to the level it should be in the UK with frames being available to customers as soon as possible, a good customer serive and great promotion of the bikes in all the key magazines!

At THE NORTH WEST MOUNTAIN BIKE CENTRE, we are going to have a full range of Intense bikes in a cool show room so that people can come and see them, and we will offer pro race builds on all the bikes from Andy who is probably the best bike mechanic in the world! We together with our top dealer network who include Leisure Lakes and Cycle Surgery just want to have a friendly and professional set up for Intense customers.

Chris Kovarik and Nige (Les Gets 2002)

DW: Is the M1 still in production?

NP: The M1 is no longer in production.

DW: Have you ridden the M3 and what’s it like compared to the M1?

NP: I haven’t ridden the latest variation of the M3, I only rode the first prototype a while ago and it was no where near what the production bike will be like. But straight away I noticed the bike carried speed over rocks and rough terrain better than the M1, it didn't pack down on square edge hits it just kept moving forward.

I have spoken to Jeff about it and he assured me it will be better than the M1, he knows what he is doing and as the M1 has such a good reputation, he is not going to lose that with the bike that is to replace the M1.

A few of the riders Intense sponsor in the U.S. will test the bike for any faults or improvements that need making then, Jeff will make some early production models and will get one to try before production starts early next year. So as soon as I get mine I will let you guys know. Don't worry it will be the best DH race bike ever made!

DW: Ever been in the States and raced a trailer trash guy in his junked out car whilst you were on a 20" along with Superfly. Did anyone tamper with his car, what did they do and who won the bet?

NP: Yeah that was so funny! we were staying in this shady youth hostel in Venice beach, me, Si, Chris Whitfield and his mate Bear. There was this drunk dude that lived in the garage for low rent and one night after a couple of cans (probably half a larger and lime in Si's case) Si starts mouthing off about being able to beat this guy in his big old caddy in a sprint race over 50m on his 20" so the bet was on, I think it was $20. Now knowing Si's high level of Brummy cockiness and weakness when it comes to putting the power down on the BMX track I thought I would help him out on the race on my PK Ripper and the guy fairly pissed agreed!

Bear was a bit of a dab hand on the old mechanics and I think he took out a spark plug or something in the caddys engine. We lined up on the start line the 50m was estimated in lamp posts but I'm sure we got it wrong the finish line looked fuckin miles away. The Drunk was revving his V8 caddy like a drag car and it sounded like a bag of shit banging and popping, we where pissing it sat on the start line as Bear had ensured us the caddy would not make it to the finish line.

Anyway the gate dropped (well some ones hand) I got the snap on the PK as always, I think Si was asleep and I sprinted off as fast as possible, now I'm now Dale Holmes on the power front but pride was at stake and I was going like fuck, I could here the noise of the caddy take off banging and wheel spinning behind me and a bit worried that the pissed c**t might take me out I kept it pretty close to the curb. With only one lamppost to go I had a good lead and then about a bikes length from the finish line the V8 came hauling past and the drunk dude took the win!

So we lost $20 on a tight budget, but it was so worth it to see the Drunks face after, he was a total drunk looser with no life, but that night he was more stoked than Prokop when he won the 4X worlds this year in front of 15000 people. It was cool to see him so happy after his achievement! But kids if there’s! a lot at stake never listen to a Brummy or a bloody Yorkshireman!

Pagey - Innerleithen in the dust!

DW: Who throws the best parties......I'm guessing Palmer here

NP: Palmer for sure! I’ve only been to one but he's off his head. Top bloke though!

DW: How much did riding with Kovarik improve your own riding?

NP: Tons! we had a lot of fun and he’s so talented, I miss riding with him and haven’t rode half as good since I got hurt and didn't ride with him!

DW: Do you and Vanessa race each other to the shops for a pint of milk?

NP: No I just fake an Injury and see goes, nearly always works!

DW: What’s the going rate for second hand car audio?

NP: What do you want?

DW: How did you feel commentating at the Worlds instead of riding for the second year

NP: I wasn't as gutted this year as I was hurt again and a bit over it! But I always want to race when the track looks good, but I enjoy doing the BBC thing, we have a laugh.

DW: Did you share a room with Hugh Porter and is he wilder than Warner?

NP: I didn't share with Hugh, we have the our own room, bit bigger budget than the DIRT team! He's deffo on a par with Warner, Hes a great laugh.

DW: You've had a pretty shitty couple of years with various things, what drives you to get back on the bike again?

NP: I just like riding my bike, It’s just what I do! But I am struggling with confidence at the moment and have lost the real drive to want to win this year! It doesn’t mean as much to me since my dad died, he was really why I wanted to do well I think! But I will try and get it back by just trying to have fun on my bike.

DW: Training? Structured or just how you feel at the time?

NP: Just how I feel at the time.

DW: Cross Country in the Lakes on DH tyres??

NP: Jesus, I thought you were super fit and I was in bad shape till we swapped bikes, but better on your elbows?

DW: Are we likely to see you at the Innerleithen Winter Races again?

NP: Yeah I might come and do a couple when I'm all healed for fun and just to ride.

DW: Can you recommend things to do in LA the week before Interbike??

NP: Visit your mates, hang out at Intense and then go home because you booked your flight for the wrong dates!

DW: Thanks Mate and good luck, you deserve it

NP: Cheers Gaz, thanks for the Interview and hope to see you soon, I still want a Scooby ye bastard!