Alex Paton admits that his Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes team are in a “great position” after two rounds of the HSBC UK | National Road Series, but says that nothing is taken for granted due to the standard of competition.
Paton’s team-mates, Rory Townsend and Tom Stewart, have won the opening two rounds of the series – the East Cleveland Klondike and the Chestnut Homes Lincoln Grand Prix – giving the team a commanding lead at the top of the standings.
Paton has played his part in both victories, and says that the confidence within the team is high.
“We’ve had a good start to the season,” he said. “We went into Lincoln with two previous winners in the team, and that’s a great position to be in, not to mention the other guys in the team who are all in a good place.
Both Townsend and Stewart have been made to work hard for their wins: Townsend outsprinted Scott Thwaites and national champion Connor Swift to win the Klondike, while Stewart edged out Tom Pidcock over the final Michaelgate climb to triumph in Lincoln.
29-year-old Paton believes that the standard of British domestic racing remains high, and that he and his team-mates will have to well and truly earn the overall series victory that they are targeting.
He continued:
“There are a lot of strong guys in various teams, so it’s never a walk in the park by any means. As years go by, there are always changes to teams, new riders and new teams appearing, but ultimately there is that core of riders.
“Certain guys have good years, and add their names to the list of riders you have to keep an eye on as potential race winners. It adds another dynamic every year – you’re always trying to learn and get better as an individual and as a team.
“Our aim is always to win, and we’ve got a strong team with a number of riders who on their given day can win us a lot of bike races. However, it’s obviously very tough and there are a lot of other teams in a similar position, which leads to great racing, which is what it’s all about really.”
Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes will be looking to extend their perfect start to the series when it moves on to round three – the Lancaster Grand Prix – on June 9.
