In 2017, Alex Edmondson's season will be based solely around the road. A new challenge for the 22-year-old who has balanced track and road ambitions in recent seasons with World, Commonwealth, and Olympic Games success in the velodrome.
Edmondson, who signed with Orica-BikeExchange from the 2016 season, built his season around the Olympic Games in Rio with the intention of making up for his London disappointment. The result was a repeat of 2012 with Great Britain beating the Australians in the team pursuit final. The race will be Edmondson's last race in the velodrome for some time, committing 100 percent to the road from 2017 as he explained to Cyclingnews at the team's Winery Ride event.
"At the moment, it is all about giving this road business a crack," Edmondson said. "Ever since I really started I have done road and track so I am really looking forward to just focusing on the road. To this date, I haven't really had a full road season because it has been interrupted by Commonwealth Games, or the Olympics, or injury. I am, touching wood, hoping I can get a solid road season in my legs and really get as much experience as I can from the team. I really want to start by putting my right foot forward and showing that maybe if I do have a future on the road it is not only about doing my job for my teammates but if there is a chance, to take it."
ADVERTISEMENT
Although gold was the target in Rio and Australia ultimately fell short, Edmondson isn't leaving the track with any regrets, explaining there was nothing more the team could have done in the final.
"When you are at the Olympics, and you work for something so hard when you get there and come so close and you don't quite finish what your dreams are, what you have been planning for I don't even know how many years that's been the goal. Especially with London 2012 and the experience I happened to have," said Edmondson who didn't ride in London. "I think now, I look back and I can really sit there and think we did everything possible we could do. We came away with the silver medal and did everything we thought we could do. I am still pretty happy with the silver medal."
While the 2016 season was based around the track, Edmondson's race days on the road added up to 36 with the Tour of Britain and Eneco Tour post-Rio helping to boost his tally. Edmondson then brought the curtain down on his season at the World Championships in Doha, helping Orica-BikeExchange claim the bronze medal in the team time trial.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/2gy9wLu
No comments:
Post a Comment