It takes a lot of physical and mental energy to ride your bike for 24 hours non stop. To some this would seem like total insanity, to others it may just be what keeps them sane and in the game. Australian James Williamson got hooked on mountain biking following the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Nine years on, the man from down under not only has a 24 hour solo national champion’s jersey safely in his palmarès (2006) but is the current 24 hours of Adrenalin World Solo Champion to boot. Impressive to say the least, but that’s as well as being Editor for Enduro magazine. I get the feeling ‘Wilo’ may have taken to night riding to fit everything in! Wanting to see if we could crack a tough Ozzy we landed 15 of the best on his desk just for good measure. Here’s what the man from Canberra had to say…

You can ride with anyone from past or present, who would it be?
I'd go riding with my mother and tell her all about my life. She passed away in '03 and I often wish for the chance to tell her about my life now.

You’re having a bad day on the bike what is the morale boosting item in the mussette bag?
Definitely Coke. If I'm feeling low a scan for the nearest convenience store is needed to get my fix!

What's the race you should have won - near misses or just dreaming?
I'd love to win the Otway Odyssey in Australia one day - it's a huge marathon race down under so I'm probably just dreaming.

Everyone likes going downhill fast - what's your favourite descent?
My favourite descent is at the You Yangs, about an hour from Melbourne in Australia. There is a descent there that goes for about 5 minutes. It isn't super steep but is really well built and has great sweeping berms that put a huge smile one your face!

Obviously the best bike you've ever ridden is the one you’re on now, what's the second best bike you've ridden?
My Giant Advanced SL roadie. I know it's not a mountain bike but it's super stiff and super fun to corner on and ride fast.

Do you have a golden moment when riding/racing that you always look back on with a smile?
Yeah, when I started out I did this 50km ride with a bunch of mates. I didn't know much about riding, I was wearing baggy shorts and didn't take any food! But I was riding with these guys who I thought were way better then me and by the end I was keeping up with them on the climbs and pedalling my heart out because I was so amped! It was the first day I actually started to believe in myself. I was so amped after that ride, I remember driving home with my crappy stereo pumping, singing at the top of my voice!

And the worst moment?
The day when I heard my mum had crashed her bike at a local club race and the sound of the ambulance screaming past me as I rode as hard as I could to get back to her.

What is your favourite après race beverage?
A local Australian Beer called Little Creatures Bright Ale.

You hit shuffle on your I-Pod, what’s the track you hope comes up top of the list?
Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter.

Who or what is your biggest inspiration in life?
People who get the most out of themselves because they love it and keep focusing on the positives.

What’s your favourite new product?
My Adidas Supernovas.

What does cycling mean to you?
It's a way to keep my life fresh and exciting. Riding is awesome fun and is the ultimate release after a stressful day. But it's not just about the riding. Cycling provides tons of life-long friendships, life-long memories and has given me bucket loads of smiles over the years.

Where is your favourite place to ride?
Majura Pines in Canberra, Australia. It's a tight network of trails which have seen lots of racing over the years. You can spend an hour in there and come out completely flogged...which is good because there is a pub (with awesome burgers) only about 10 minutes away.

If you could have one super power what would it be?
I'm not sure if it's a super power but I wish I could live off about four hours sleep!

And finally, the words/motto you live by?
Keep smackin' it!

On that note we could tell it was about time JW started 'smackin’ it' so all that was left to say is good luck for the season, the magazine, thanks for your time & hope to see you on the race track again soon James!

Photo by: Adam MacLeod/Freewheel Media