James Curry on his way to a very impressive ride in a UCI-ranked race in Belgium (Photo: Kristel Van Gilst)
The reigning national junior champion at cyclocross and XMTB, James Curry stepped onto the international stage last weekend and emerged with a very tidy result.
The Banbridge CC teenager travelled to Belgium to ride the Benelux Cup in Èrezee.
As a UCI ranked cat 2 race, the competition was much tougher than Curry would face at home, despite some real quality emerging on the Irish off road scene in recent years.
The size of the challenge facing him in Belgium was made tougher by the fact he was gridded 43rd of the 55 starters.
And while that starting scenario gave him a mountain to climb to even get into the middle of the field, Curry set about his task with great focus; using his power to constantly pick off those he found in his path.
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In the end, he ran out 14th; an impressive result considering his gridding and the quality of the opposition.
As well as being national junior XMTB champion, Curry also took the junior cyclocross crown in Swords, Dublin, in January. Pictured here by Toby Watson changing bikes in the pits in Swords with the support of the equally impressive Banbridge CC back-up crew.
“I wanted to use the race to gain experience and get a handle on the standard of racing on the European scene,” he said.
“I had a lot of support going out there and without those people around me it wouldn’t have been possible.
“And when I got there I caught up with some of the riders I’d met at the European Championships before.
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“But definitely the gridding position meant I was facing a tough task even before you consider the level of riders I was racing against."
Curry said the racing went straight into a fast rocky fire road from the start which left no room for error in overtaking.
Curry said he would have liked the race a bit longer in Belgium, feeling he could have passed a few more riders if it had been one more lap (Photo: Kristel Van Gilst)
“Then a few gaps opened and I made moves to gain a few positions before the forest single track,” he said.
“Once we were into the forest it was congested and really the only way to gain ground was to dismount and run.
“There was plenty of hills; some of them were short and very steep and then you had others that were more gradual but involved a few minutes of climbing.”
While relatively happy with his 14th place in the international field, he said he would have liked a slightly longer contest and felt he may have picked off a few more ahead.
“I felt strong towards the end and we’d have had maybe an extra lap I could have gained a few more positions because I think the others tired towards the end. But overall I was pleased.”
Curry said he was looking forward to the next three rounds of the British National Points Series and after that would look to the National Championships and hopefully a ride at the World Championships.
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