My last part of the season was geared to selection to the World Championships, so l needed to perform well at the National Championships.
I had a strong start leading the first laps then Tom Pidcock attacked and gained around 10 seconds, the gaped stayed around this for most of the race, l came second but l rode strongly and felt confident going into the last two big races.
Hoogerheide (World Cup) was a race I did well in last year finishing second, so I was looking forward to this, however I had a poor start and was around 30th I moved up during the race making good lap times and eventually finished in 8th, this was my strongest World Cup of the season and I felt good.
The GB World Championships Team was announced after this race, only one week before, l had been selected for the U23 GB World Championships Team.
The World Championship, was held in Valkenburg, Netherlands and is always a special and different race and due to the conditions and tough parcour would be one to remember. This was my first Worlds as an U23 and last year year l finished 3rd in the Juniors with Tom Pidcock taking the title. As the race started it was crazy with such a technical, muddy and hilly course, I felt good for the first laps but then l didn’t feel good and didn’t have the World Championships I had hoped for finishing around the mid twenties with Tom Pidcock a few places ahead.
Thanks for the support.
Ben Turner
