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Cameron Mason is hoping for a ultimate peak of winter type and one other spectacular consequence on the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Tabor. A medal or prime 5 would verify the 23-year-old Scot as a fully-fledged Belgian-based skilled cross rider.
Within the final 4 months, Mason has proved he’s a part of the subsequent technology of cyclocross racers rising on the highest stage alongside Thibau Nys and Pim Ronhaar. He watched on with admiration as Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock raced the Kerstperiode Christmas races however battled with Eli Iserbyt, Michael Vanthourenhout, Lars van der Haar and Joris Nieuwenhuis each week.
Van der Poel is the stand-out favourite to win the world title in Sunday’s elite males’s race however Mason has earned a spot amongst the choose group of medal contenders. He may even trip for Nice Britain in Friday’s Crew Relay occasion.
“The purpose has at all times been the Worlds,” he tells Cyclingnews throughout an unique interview earlier than travelling to Tabor.
“I am fairly drained and feeling the results of all of the racing however I’ve obtained to belief within the course of. I do know that I simply want a number of days of restoration to get the freshness again and I will be prepared for Sunday.”
“I would prefer to put myself on that stage with these 5 – 6 different guys. That is lots of people in a struggle for the medals however that was the case on the European Championships and the opposite large race,” Mason says, not directly highlighting how he gained the silver medal in France in November and so turned the primary non-Dutch or Belgian elite male rider to medal within the UEC European Cyclocross Championships.
“There’s all these guys who’ve the potential to trip for the win and to trip for podiums. Then within the race issues grow to be easy, so I’ll simply focus by myself race and see what occurs.”
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Mason has the outcomes to justify that declare and the respect of his fellow riders after dwelling in Belgium for the cyclocross season and racing for the Cyclocross Reds group.
A significant victory in Europe has escaped him however he has seven top-five outcomes that embrace second within the Superprestige Increase race. Excessive-speed begins have generally been a weak spot and compelled him to chase via the pack however his energy and method are world class.
Mason first turned a number of heads at elite stage final winter, ending his marketing campaign with ninth on the World Championships.
He then raced for Trinity Racing final summer season, with a concentrate on mountain biking and gravel racing however jumped on the probability to signal for the Cyclocross Reds group managed by the Roodhooft brothers and moved to Belgium for the winter.
Homesickness will not be a difficulty as he focuses on his profession, along with his Belgian soigneur offering very important help, peace of thoughts and friendship. Mason has by no means had the help of British Biking aside from main championships and doesn’t seem to want it. Former Scottish professional racer James McCallum is his coach and mentor, offering the science and recommendation as he races from his base in Increase close to Antwerp.
“It simply seems like such a privilege to have the ability to race so near my very own mattress, to return again to my new residence, really feel at dwelling and swap off,” Mason explains.
“I am studying learn how to separate the racing from being me. I need to have the ability to go away it on the racecourse and switch the web page and luxuriate in life even throughout the season.
An intense winter cyclocross marketing campaign
This winter Mason has competed in 27 cyclocross races and plans 4 extra after the World Championships. He’ll take a break and luxuriate in a well-deserved low season in March, with plans for some snowboarding and a street journey at dwelling with pals in Scotland.
The final 4 months of racing have been a steep and sometimes testing studying curve however vastly profitable and satisfying in so some ways. His in style YouTube channel has taken a again seat to the calls for of his fixed racing.
“I’ve uncovered myself to a full season of cyclocross and I’ve realised that comes the low and the highs,” Mason explains.
“Each time you begin a race you may crash, have a puncture or have an damage however equally, being within the recreation each week, you are able to take benefit you probably have actually good legs and people are actually good rides. I believe that is what I’ve performed this season.
“The European Championships was a superb instance of being in the fitting place on the proper time, after which benefiting from my very own potential and different folks’s mishaps.
“This season has been a form of breakthrough second, realising my potential. Subsequent season will probably be about figuring out the place I can actually maximise issues and get that additional 5 %, to make the distinction and win at this stage.
“My low season will probably be about realising what this ‘cross season meant for me, what was good about it, what was dangerous about it, what can we do in another way.”
A summer season of street and gravel
Mason’s apparent maturity and outcomes have earned him a spot within the Alpecin-Deceuninck improvement group for 2024.
He may even have a chance to race on the street as a visitor within the Alpecin-Deceuninck WorldTour group as he takes the subsequent step in his profession. Gravel racing will probably be a part of his summer season fairly than mountain biking, with the whole lot laying the inspiration for subsequent winter and cyclocross.
The Roodhooft brothers take a practical method to managing their groups and riders, which inserts with Mason’s personal method to first concentrate on the cyclocross season earlier than interested by his street and gravel plans.
“I wish to profit from the chance however I do not know my particular calendar but. I have never even had that dialog with the group,” he reveals.
“They’ve an thought of what they wish to do for me but it surely’s not related to me for the time being. I’ll cross that bridge in February and March after I’m again on the bike. In fact, I am actually excited for it.
“I do know that any street racing programme goes to be about studying and many exhausting work but it surely needs to be enjoyable as nicely. With the upper stage I’ve now introduced all my biking, it needs to be fairly manageable. It would not scare me.
“Canyon are actually eager for me to do gravel racing too. I believe I can trip for podiums and wins in a few of the large occasions, so gravel will probably be my off-road enjoyable in the summertime as I develop on the street.
“Changing into profitable on the street may take years or I may instantly begin doing nicely. Till we get going I do not know but.”
His 2024 street racing programme will probably be explorative and extra about understanding his long-term future.
Mason attended the Alpecin-Deceuninck coaching camp in December in Spain and will probably be totally supported by the event group.
“I wish to optimise the method on the street as a result of I believe there’s nonetheless a lot of headroom there and many progress to be made. I believe it is fairly easy: simply get caught into all of it and see how issues change,” he says.
Mason has noticed how Tom Pidcock has developed his profession and is now centered extra on street racing with Ineos Grenadiers. He has additionally witnessed close-up how Wout Van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel have mixed WorldTour street racing with a restricted cross marketing campaign.
Mason may finally comply with them however first, he desires to completely discover his cyclocross potential.
“It is pure that I give cyclocross a very good shot, as I am doing so nicely and I’ve the physique for it,” he says.
“I desire a summer season that is going to assist my ‘cross season. This 12 months I’ve raced the cross season off the again of an up and down mountain bike and gravel calendar. I solely had three weeks of coaching for Gravel Worlds and the cyclocross season.
“This summer season it is going to be structured and in blocks in order that once we get to August and September, we’re interested by the cyclocross season. Hopefully, there’s nonetheless one other stage of conditioning to return.
“I’ve obtained a reasonably good thought now of learn how to carry out nicely in cyclocross each weekend, now it is about getting these peaks on the proper time, and pushing for these large ends in World Cups and the World Championships. That’s the subsequent stage for me.”
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