Greg Minnaar is one of the greatest downhill mountain bikers of all time. From winning his first UCI World Cup at 19 to becoming World Champion just weeks before his 40th birthday, he spent more than two decades at the top of the sport. In this episode, Greg looks back on the defining moments of his career, from growing up racing motocross in South Africa to helping build Honda's iconic downhill MTB program.
We dive into the Sam Hill era, how Aaron Gwin changed downhill racing, the development of Honda's legendary bike, and what it really took to stay at the top for over 20 years. Greg also opens up about nearly quitting at 20, living with ADHD as a professional athlete, the sacrifices required to keep winning, and the pressure of racing in front of a home crowd.
If you're a fan of downhill mountain biking, motocross, or high-performance athletes, this is an inside look at the mindset, rivalries, and legacy of one of the sport's true GOATs.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
4:23 Welcome Greg Minnaar
11:54 Greg's Motocross Background
18:46 From Motocross to Downhill MTB
21:11 Jack Miller Has No Fear
26:31 Competing Against Sam Hill
35:17 How Aaron Gwin Changed Downhill MTB
43:52 The Loic Bruni Era
47:57 Greg's First World Cup Win
51:44 AG1 Ad
52:47 The Path to the World Cup
58:51 Greg Minnaar Almost Quit
1:09:54 Team Orange Circa
1:18:04 Living With ADHD
1:33:51 Dislocated Shoulder
1:40:21 When Honda Took Over Downhill
1:45:22 How Good Was the Honda MTB?
1:47:07 The 2027 Honda CRF 450R
1:50:06 Riding for Syndicate
1:56:00 Being Teammates with Steve Peat
1:58:27 Running the Norco Adidas MTB Team
2:05:45 Destination Yamaha Ad
2:07:03 The Selfishness of Winning
2:10:10 Managing Your Ego
2:13:11 How to Enjoy the Wins
2:21:13 Greg Minnaar's Greatest Career Wins
2:26:03 The Pressure of Racing at Home
2:33:50 Closing
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