Ross Edgar: Sprinting for his first World Championship medal

 

Interview by British Cycling's Larry Hickmott

 

2005 UCI World Track Championships

 

 

Above: Ross Edgar chases the motorbike around the banking of the velodrome at speeds of over 80kph (50mph)

Whilst the likes of Chris Hoy, Jason Queally and Craig Maclean have been racing for Great Britain for almost 10 years, Ross Edgar is youngster in the group and the rider from Newmarket is looking for his first medal at this level after coming close with 5th place in the Athens Olympic Sprint event. Ross started representing Great Britain as a senior in 2002 and last year won a European Under 23 title along with a couple of national titles but it's a World Championship medal he wants in LA.

Ross is travelling to the US today (Friday) and says that his training has been going better now than it was before the Olympics which is hopefully a good sign that his time to step onto the podium is getting ever closer. "In the gym, I have been setting personal bests and on the track its coming together more and more as I get in some speed work" he explained. And what speed work he's doing! During the session I was attending, Iain Dyer remarked to Ross that the effort they had just done was a bit of a wild ride as Ross chased Iain on the motorbike crossing the line doing more than 80kph? I can only imagine the buzz these speed merchants get from doing that!

In Los Angeles, Ross is expecting to do the Keirin and the Sprint events although nothing will be certain until after the trials the sprint squad will have in Los Angeles prior to the UCI deadline of March 14. Asked which event is the most fun, Ross replied "the most enjoyable one out of the two is the Keirin. Its all over in one day so there is less stress involved and anything can happen. In the sprint man on man, there is a lot more to think about and you have to focus a lot harder so the Keirin is definitely the most enjoyable."

After returning from the World Cycling School in Switzerland where he was based, Ross has settled into life in Manchester and has bought himself a flat there. The push for him is now on to work up the international ladder with the long term goal being an Olympic medal in the 2008 Olympics. Now that he has returned from his Swiss 'finishing' school with Frederick Magne, Ross explained that his coaching is a two way effort between himself and National Sprint coach Iain Dyer. The two discuss his training and then Iain gives it a structure and tells him how hard he needs to be working and when.

Part of that 'training' came in the Revolution series where Ross managed to get in some valuable race experience which he more than anyone in the sprint squad needs to learn the tactical side of things. He says it also helped keep him 'sharp' and his victory coming around Chris Hoy in the Revolution 8 Invitation Keirin showed he has plenty of speed. Lets hope he has even more at the Worlds so that he can surpass that Olympics performance. Athens was, he says, "my best ride to date and it was the most prestigious competition as well" but in the lead up to Beijing, Ross wants to join the ranks of the medal winners in the sprint squad and LA just may be the time and place for him.

And after the Worlds? When asked what he intends to do once the Worlds are out of the way, Ross says "I'll have a bit of a break, and then get back into training properly after April." Its then that Ross will set his sights on the Commonwealth Games where he'll be proudly pulling on the Blue and White of Scotland in Australia. He medaled of course in Manchester with the help of Chris Hoy and Craig Maclean but with four more years under his wheels, Ross may go one step further and win an individual medal. We certainly wish him lots of luck in LA!

 

Photos of Ross in training this week prior to heading for LA today (Friday).

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