Like most of his compatriots, Luke Durbridge has an impressive track pedigree and his palmares include multiple national and World championship titles. However, the Orica-GreenEDGE rider sees his future on the road and categorically ruled out a possibility of returning to a velodrome.
“In terms of results, [2014] probably wasn’t my best season on the road,” Durbridge told VeloNews. “But you won’t ever see me back on the track. I can guarantee that. No ‘hour record’ — nothing."
I’ve always loved the road,” the 2013 Australian road and time trial champion added. “Even when I was on the track I loved the road.”
Young and promising Australian time-trialists riding in the Orica-GreenEDGE outfit recorded rather anonymous performances last season, putting on consistent yet unimpressive showings against the clock. It was no different for Durbridge, who had failed to defend his national ITT title in January and managed to claim only one individual victory at the Oceania Cycling Championships since that time.
The 23-year old Australian openly admitts that the 2014 season didn’t live up to his own expectations and points out to particular reasons, with a necessity to hit the top disposition ahead of the national championships in January standing at the top of that list.
“Other countries don’t have to be in form so early in the season to win their nationals,” he said. “Some of the Euros coming out here can’t understand how fit and strong we are in November.
“But having to be in form so early in the season makes for a long year at the office.”
Durbridge reveals, however, that his schedule for the next year won’t be different from the one he followed this season. His team intends to give him more time for recovery between events, though.
“Durbo will be obviously have a big [Australian] summer before moving on to the classics and both the Giro and the Tour,” White told VeloNews. “But we are going to do our best to get him the time he needs to stay fresh in between races.
“This year I’m going have a different sort of prep, but still going to go there in really good shape and go for the TT,” said the former U23 world time trial champion and two-time national champ. “I want to get that back. I’ve done a lot of work in the wind tunnel and dialed in my position and going to hopefully bring that back to what it can be.”
Looking further into the future, the 23-year old Australian believes he can develop into a decent one-week stage races contender and classics specialist.
“I am developing and losing more weight each year,” said the six-foot-two, 172-pound Durbridge. “One-week stage races are probably where I’d like to be, but I enjoy the classics too.
“There are so many variables in the classics, but if I can put myself in decent shape for one-week stage races, you are going to be in good at the classics.”
Andre ROOS 22 years | today |
Jose Antonio GIMENEZ DIAS 47 years | today |
Chun Te CHIANG 40 years | today |
Andrew ROCHE 53 years | today |
Nick STÖPLER 34 years | today |
© CyclingQuotes.com