Tara Murray
Six-time Tour de France rider Matteo Bono has made the most of the local riding paths since moving to Hillside.
The Italian, who moved to the area two years ago to be with his fiance, said he has enjoyed exploring his new home on the bike.
He has been pleasantly surprised to see many other locals out on their bikes since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
“It’s actually really interesting what has happened during COVID-19,” he said.
“I was surprised to see the participation of a lot more people cycling. It’s been people of all ages from five years old to people who are 70 to 80 years old.
“You could really see a boom of cycling… I hope it will continue.”
Mr Bono said bike riding was good for both your physical and mental health, and good for the community.
He said Hillside provided the perfect backdrop for a ride with a number of cycling paths in the area and he was still finding new paths all the time.
With the lockdown over, Mr Bono said he hoped that people would stick with bike riding.
“It’s good for everyone and it’s nice to see more people on the bike,” he said.
“I say to others just keep going and it’s important to follow the rules and be safe.
“Be confident on the bike and to keep going and learning. You might get problems but be confident and the problems will pass.”
As well as continuing to ride, Mr Bono has set up a new business, Bike Hotels, which is an online platform connecting cyclists with bike-friendly accommodation and services.
He said he had started working on the project before lockdown and was hoping that it was something that would help the local community.
