In September it was announced that Ben King would be riding for Dimension Data in 2017, after three years with Cannondale-Drapac. The 27-year-old got to meet his new team for the first time when they met up in Cape Town, South Africa for a team training camp at the end of last month.
Cyclingnews took the opportunity to catch up with King, who explains why he has to keep reminding himself that he’s the new boy, discusses what he’s been up to in his off-season, and what his ambitions are for 2017.
Cyclingnews: How have you settled in with your new teammates?
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Ben King: Really, it has been the most natural, easy transition imaginable. Probably because the atmosphere on the team is great and, I think, because I’m already really close with some of the riders from living in Lucca over the past year since the team has progressed through the ranks. I’ve also been teammates with some of the riders in the past and I’ve had relationships with others since I was an under 23 so I feel like I’m coming to a place where I already have a really strong connection.
CN: You don’t feel like the new kid on the block then?
BK: Not at all, and I never really expected to. There have been a few things that have come up and I’ve been like ‘oh yeah, it’s my first year on the team and I don’t know how this works yet'. Whether it’s the way they schedule things or how they communicate information, there are little things that I need to adapt to. That stuff has almost caught me off guard because I already feel like I’m on the team, even though I’m not on the team yet. I’m still a member of team Cannondale but it’s important to lay the groundwork now so that I can make the transition in January.
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