James Bailey

Road Racer and Cross-Country Mountain Biker

 

 

Objectives

Gain an expert cross-country license and get into road racing.

 

Background

James approached me keen to improve his mountain bike racing. He’d raced a season of cyclo-cross and a season of mountain biking cross-country. With a full-time job, time wasn’t freely available. We worked through all the demands of his racing and lifestyle and developed a training and racing plan that could make the difference to him. James progressed from Sport to the Expert category and competed strongly off-road.

 

However, throughout working with James, I had noticed that he was quite a fan of road racing and suspected it was something he’d like to try. I could see he had the physical ability from his off-road racing, but having not come from a traditional club cycling background, where road racing is part of the culture, it seemed to be a distant, inaccessible objective for him. I suggested a plan to prepare James for this new target. Deciding that this would be a goal worth pursuing, he made a successful debut on the road, in local circuit races and progressed to open-road events, such as the Brenig Road Race in North Wales.

 

James shows that ideas and ambitions can become a reality with a bit of planning and some consistent hard work.

 

 

James says...

 

'I began working with Charlie whilst racing MTB XC with ambition to race on the road. Charlie not only helped me improve physically to help with my racing ambitions, but also help my “race craft” line choice, pacing, technical ability and how to ride properly on the road giving me the confidence to race for the first time, I went from a 4th cat to 3rd in 3 races and won prize money for the first time! I’m an all round better cyclist because of Charlie, I’ve done many races and events I never thought possible, lined up against Olympians at National Championships, ridden the Tour of Flanders Sportive (full distance) and 70+ mile hilly road races, battled it out around muddy fields in winter’s cyclocross season and stood on the podium at a 12 hour race. I find it hard to believe there is another coach who cares as much for their riders as Charlie!'