October was meant to mark the start of a solid winter block. New university year. Renewed motivation. Clear objectives. Instead, it became a repeated cycle of illness and interruption that tested both my patience and perspective.
The first setback came at the end of September, Freshers’ flu, perhaps. Whatever it was, it derailed my progression that I had planned through October and November. For an endurance athlete, particularly in track cycling where marginal gains decide outcomes, consistency is everything and I was getting everything but consistency. Aerobic base. Repeatability of high-end efforts. Tactical sharpness at race speed. All rely on uninterrupted load and progressive overload. That rhythm was repeatedly broken.
The focus had to shift from building performance to stabilising health. Huge thanks goes to my coach and nutritionist, whose guidance helped manage the disruption and restore some level of normality.
As the London 3 Day approached, I managed to string together a handful of quality sessions. Not perfect, but enough to line up motivated. Racing at Lee Valley Velopark, at ‘home’ always delivers: packed crowd, six-day atmosphere, world-class field.
I was riding alongside Navas Álvaro Marchel, the Spanish international with seriously strong European credentials. We were against some world class opposition, but we managed to hold our own. Navas took a superb win in the Points Race. I secured 4th in mine and we managed to finish 4th in the Team Elimination.
When the start list includes riders like Havik, Hoppezak, Kluge and Augenstein, those results matter. It wasn’t peak form, but it confirmed the engine was still there and I hoped it was the start of momentum.
It wasn’t.
I returned to Loughborough and picked up another virus. Another interrupted week. December quickly became a write-off in terms of structured training.
Despite that, I lined up at the National Madison Championships in Manchester with Frank Longstaff. Neither of us were in form, and we finished 9th. Teammates Maclean and Perrett deservedly took the title.
Madison racing at national level exposes any weakness in conditioning. There is no hiding place but we dug deep and gave it our best shot.
Christmas followed and more coughing …
The New Year finally brought some brightness and sun. A focused training week in Calpe provided exactly what was needed: volume, quality climbing, consistent riding, and no interruptions. The objectives were simple: Rebuild aerobic base, restore confidence in sustained efforts, re-establish rhythm.
It did exactly that. Thankfully! A huge thank you to Matt’s Auto Repairs for supporting the training camp. This backing makes a genuine difference and allows complete focus on preparation and with it, renewed motivation.
Whether Calpe came early enough for a full rebuild was uncertain. But I arrived in Manchester believing I could compete, aware the margins would be tight.
2026 National Track Championships
Back tho Manchester, where I had gained Bronze in the National Scratch. Hopes were high but tinged with the realism of my Winter. First up the Scratch qualifier. Averaging 53 km/h, it was relentless. Physically, for the first time in months, I felt good. The engine was back and with four laps to go, I committed and moved to the front, decisive, but perhaps half a lap too early. The field surged immediately. I was swamped, boxed in, and left without space to respond. At that speed, positioning is everything. Once the door closes, it stays closed.
It was a tactical lesson more than a physical limitation.
The Points qualifier was a different story.
This time I raced not just hard, but smart. When three riders slipped clear, I recognised the moment. I knew I needed to score, at least get one point and get on the board. I committed as I was bridging across, the three riders thankfully rejoined the bunch, I found myself alone at the head of the race. Three laps to the sprint. Head down. Commit. Five points secured. Back into the group. Stay attentive. Finish strong. Through to the final.
The final was that evening, so recovery became priority, a quick sleep on the velodrome floor, refuel, reset, and prepare to go again. Thanks Air Kitto for the Sleep Hoodie with built in neck pillow!
The Points Final was always going to be tough. I had never previously finished a National Points Final. That became the objective. From the gun it was attritional. Constant accelerations. No rhythm. Repeated pressure. The battle was survival, holding position, fighting to avoid conceding a lap.
Deep into the race, the lap eventually went. But I stayed in. I kept riding. I finished.It wasn’t spectacular. It wasn’t pretty. But it was progress.
Cooling down on the turbo afterwards gave me time to process it.
A disrupted winter. Fragmented training blocks. Illness after illness. Yet I had:
- Competed at London 3 Day against world-class riders
- Qualified for a National Points Final and finished!
What I found in Manchester wasn’t peak form. It was motivation. The ceiling hasn’t been reached and with uninterrupted training, consistent health, and sharper execution, there is another level to unlock. This winter certainly tested my resilience, hopefully the next block builds performance.
Massive thanks as ever to my sponsors. Highway Cycles, Matt’s Auto Repairs, Air Kitto and to Max and Bethan as well as to my Track team and teammates at One Life Cycle 👊
Gilbank Racing 