Jono Jones on Saracen, MAVRIX, returning to racing (ft. Matt Jones)

Jono Jones is back for the first Ride Companion episode of 2026 and, Matt Jones joins the chat too! On this episode Jono talks about his return to Saracen Bikes, his early World Cup years, racing as a junior, learning to manage pressure and why stepping away from results chasing has changed how he rides. Jono also shares insights on his role at MAVRIX, what he actually does, why he left banking to work with Matt, how realistic physics shape the gameplay, and why gaming skills are starting to translate into real world riding. There are also stories from A Slice Of British Pie, North vs South, early career mistakes, kite surfing in South Africa, and Matt Jones joins the episode for some classic stories and brotherly banter! We hope you enjoy the episode. Don't forget to hit like, subscribe and leave a comment! Learn about MAVRIX: https://mavrix.game Episode Sponsors:- Mudhugger: Get 10% off with code ridecompanion10 at https://www.themudhugger.co.uk Want an easy way to tick your daily nutritional needs? Support the show and get 15% OFF HUEL products with code ‘RIDE’ at https://huel.com/. Unlock a healthier, easier way to eat with Huel — nutritionally complete meals in minutes, so you can focus on what really matters… biking. -- Manta Sleep: Get 10% off with code theridecompanion at https://tinyurl.com/theridecompanion Get early access & ad-free episodes →   / theridecompanion   LIKE THIS EPISODE? Hit subscribe, checkout the back catalogue and follow us on Instagram:   / theridecompanion   LISTEN TO THE PODCAST & MORE Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/66evYll... Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast... All episodes, merch & more → https://theridecompanion.co.uk 00:00:00 Jono Jones returns for the first episode of 2026 00:02:44 Racing Junior World Champs and learning the hard way 00:12:10 The Slice of British Pie era and early MTB filming 00:14:33 Peaty, North vs South, and hilarious moments 00:18:10 Why Jono signed with Saracen again 00:23:10 Mudhugger 00:27:30 A calmer, smarter approach to racing 00:30:26 Why arm pump really happens 00:32:45 How MTB sponsorships are actually negotiated 00:35:18 What Jono really does at MAVRIX 00:42:30 Can gaming make you a better rider? 00:47:00 What it’s like working with Matt Jones 00:51:00 The detail people miss about MAVRIX 00:55:12 Huel 00:58:13 Manta Sleep 01:03:59 Finding new hobbies outside of riding 01:11:17 “Gambling with the land” and slowing life down 01:20:00 Listener questions 01:26:20 Matt Jones joins the conversation 01:27:30 Brothers, bikes, careers, and listener questions 01:55:11 Final thoughts and thanks for listening LONG-TERM PARTNERS & CODES Marin Bikes → https://www.marinbikes.com/gb Focus Bikes → https://www.focus-bikes.com SRAM: https://www.sram.com/en/sram adidas FiveTen: https://www.adidas.co.uk/five_ten invisiFrame: 15% off with code REFRESHANDRIDE at https://www.invisiframe.co.uk Troy Lee Designs → 10% off with code theridecompanion at https://saddleback.avln.me/c/OzduCWvj... Manta Sleep → 10% off with code theridecompanion https://tinyurl.com/theridecompanion HUEL → 15% off with code RIDE: https://huel.com/ Mudhugger → Get 10% off with code ridecompanion10 at https://www.themudhugger.co.uk Compex → 20% off with code THERIDECOMPANION: https://www.compex.com/uk/ Igloo: https://www.igloocoolers.com/ Feedback Sports: https://feedbacksports.com WORX → 15% off with code THERIDECOMPANION at https://uk.worx.com HKT Products → 10% off with code PODCAST Contact Us → https://theridecompanion.co.uk/pages/... #theridecompanion #mtb #mountainbike