Cameron Mason (Cyclocross Reds) edged nearer to an elite cyclocross victory this season on Saturday. In eight begins at races simply in Belgium to date, he has completed within the prime 10 seven occasions. On Saturday, he completed simply 10 seconds behind Joris Nieuwenhuis (Baloise Trek Lions) for second at Superprestige Increase.
The Scottish-born rider just lately moved to Belgium, and it may have been magical to win in Increase, his new hometown.
“I walked to the race at the moment. I may nearly see my residence from right here,” stated a smiling Mason as he ready to take the rostrum close to his house. “I attempted my finest to shut on Joris, however I used to be sort of at my most. Which is cool. It’s good to have the ability to do one other podium at a race this massive. It was a pleasant race, a sort of lonely race. And it’s one step nearer to a win.”
The 23-year-old labored laborious within the chase of Nieuwenhaus for eight of 9 laps to seek out the highest step of the rostrum, nonetheless searching for a primary victory this 12 months on the ‘cross circuit. Despite the fact that he lives in Increase, he was not in a position to acquire a bonus with a pre-ride of the course. He stated he arrived simply the night time earlier than the race.
“I didn’t truly experience on the course, however I run round right here on my coaching runs, and it’s cool to see the course simply so near me,” Mason stated in a post-race interview.
Nieuwenhuis stated he heard the gang cheering for Mason on every lap, and knew he may very well be caught, so he simply stored his head down and rode his personal race. However he admitted he had no concept that Mason had moved to Increase, so was thought-about a house favorite.
“Ah, OK, he had loads of cheering, in order that’s most likely why,” Nieuwenhuis stated on the end. “I hear the spectators [cheer] for him. It was at all times on the identical spot – first they cheer for me and some seconds later I heard them cheer for him, so I had the sensation he was shut.”
Mason wears the British champion’s jersey after his victory at nationals final season and so he’s straightforward to identify within the mud. His race in Overijse in October was his first cyclocross race on Belgian soil, and he completed fifth.
“I do know I can compete for prime leads to crosses like Overijse, Baal and the Koppenberg. However I’m formidable: I need to hold growing as a bicycle owner,” he advised Wielerflits.
To date this season Mason has additionally completed fourth place in Koppenbergcross and third at City Cross in Kortrijk. Because of a stable haul of UCI factors, Mason began on the second row on the UEC Continental Championships, and he battled to a silver medal within the mud at Pontchäteau.
The Scotsman combines mountain biking and gravel with cyclocross, and this previous season he gained the British Marathon Mountain Bike championship and had two podiums at UCI Gravel World Collection occasions – a second at Gravel Fondo Limburg and third at La Indomable.
He moved from Trinity Racing this season and joined Cyclocross Reds, a Belgian workforce which is a part of the Alpecin-Deceuninck organisation. A street programme has not been disclosed for 2024, as his foremost focus remains to be a quest for a cyclocross victory this season.
He plans to compete in a block of racing for Christmas week, then defend his elite title at British Nationals, race Worlds and observe with a stint of February cyclocross occasions for the primary time.
“It appears like my time is coming and this outcome has been knocking on the door for a number of years,” he advised Cyclingnews on the Continental Championships.
After one other runner-up at Superprestige on Saturday, he stated, “I do know that it solely takes one mistake, so I understand how shut the racing is on the entrance. I didn’t cease believing. In the long run, second [today]. I’ll strive once more subsequent time.”