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Hayley Jones returns to British Cycling Academy to
continue development |
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May 13th 2016 |
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2013 junior team pursuit world champion Hayley Jones has
returned to Great Britain with a spot on British Cycling's
Senior Academy as she hopes to continue her development on the
track.
Jones who will turn 21 in September, started cycling nearly 15
years ago following encouragement from her mother Louise. Now
a UCI commissaire who can be found officiating at some of the
biggest events in the sport across the globe, but is best known
as the first woman to win cycling gold at the Commonwealth
Games, taking the sprint title in 1990.
"My mother Louise has been a big influence on my career,"
Jones said. "She got me and my brother on our first road and
track bikes when I was only six years old and I will always
strive to being as good as she was."
Following in her mothers footsteps from a young age, Jones
first shot to prominence on the international stage claiming
team pursuit gold at the UCI Junior Track World Championships
in 2013. Where along with Amy Hill, Emily Kay and Emily
Nelson, they broke Australia's run of five victories since the
event was introduced. Jones also claimed bronze in the points
race.
"It meant a lot winning junior worlds, only a few weeks prior
we were struggling as a team and thought we would be lucky to
get top five. We were all committed and come race day we
really came together as a team with the help of our coach Matt
Winston."
A year later Jones would return to Glasgow, the location of her
world championship success, this time representing Wales at
the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
"Being only 18 at the Commonwealth Games it was an amazing
experience," explained Jones. "Hopefully going forward to 2018
I can make the team again, especially as they are at the Gold
Coast on many familiar training roads, and I know exactly what
to expect.
"I raced both the track and road at Glasgow but coming off a
bad track crash only a few weeks before I did not have the
fitness I was expecting to have and the results weren't there
but it is a special experience to represent Wales."
Despite her success before turning 20 Jones's ability to
represent Great Britain the past two years has been limited
living on the other side of the world and outside the British
Cycling system.
"It greatly restricted my options," said Jones on her
opportunities to pull on the GB jersey. "I did a bit of track
racing in Australia but living in Queensland with no indoor
track I was having to pay to travel to races around the
country.
"While being in Australia I could not race for Britain as it
is mainly based around team pursuit, so being in Australia
meant not being able to train with the team and fight for a
team place in major races."
With her options to represent Great Britain and compete on the
track at the highest level limited, Jones was left with a decision on
how to continue her career. "In January I was having a meeting
with my coach (Rick Lee) about my goals and he asked where I
wanted to go with my cycling.
"I said I want to ride the track and do team pursuit but I
wouldn't be able to do that in Australia.
"So I approached British Cycling about a possible return to
the Senior Academy and it all moved very quickly and here I am
fortunate to be working under the guidance of Senior Academy
Coach Chris Newton.
"It was a difficult decision to leave behind many of my good
friends," explained Jones. "But I decided if I was going to
commit to cycling 100% it needed to be now or never.
"Living in Australia it was very expensive to race and I
didn't have the same opportunities as I have in Britain. Mum
and Dad are only a phone call or text away whatever the time
is (even at 2am there, mum doesn't have silent on her phone)."
Having returned to Great Britain at the start of April, Jones
is now fully focused on getting the best out of herself, but realises in returning to a high performance track program
it will take time. "I think the biggest challenge for me will
be getting back on the track and trying to find my track legs
again.
"I have done some track riding in the last couple of years but
mainly just club sessions at Chandler outdoor velodrome but
haven't done any team pursuit on an indoor track."
The move back in to the British Cycling Academy sees Jones
also join Team Breeze, combining both track and road
commitments. Lining up at the Tour of the Reservoir just days
after her return. "It was tough straight back into racing. I
mainly struggled with the cold. I definitely had the most
clothes on in the races. Day one was a shock as it was snowing
and ice everywhere when we got to the race."
Next was the Tour of Yorkshire at the end of April, her first UCI race in nearly a
year and just her second in the last 24 months. Undeterred
despite racing against some of the best in the world. Jones
finished 30th in the main bunch after a hard day of racing. "I
really enjoyed the Tour of Yorkshire, It was a fast race with
a mix or terrain, but I feel it suited me well, with some fast
sections and some small climbs.
"There were a few points in the race I went into the red and
thought this might be the end but I held on to the finish. It
was good to be able to see where I am at with my fitness
compared to some of the best road riders in the world before
we move onto some track work."
Jones is looking forward to a busy period of racing over the
next few months heading in to the track season. "I have a lot
of racing coming up, we are staying around the UK for a while
now with Lincoln GP coming up on the weekend in the National
Series and then into the Tour Series crits which I love.
"It is an exciting year ahead, I am most looking forward to
getting back on the track and trying to make the team for U23
European championships," Jones added of her upcoming goals. "I
have never been to a European Track championships so if I
could make the team I think it would be a really good
opportunity.
"My main goals for the rest of this year is to keep seeing the
improvements on the bike in racing and training." |
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