Julian Jessop is aiming to improve his results when he tackles the second round of the SA National MTB Cup Series XCO at Wolwespruit Bike Park on Saturday.
The U23 cross-country national champion has put in some great training sessions and feels he has improved when comparing his interval sessions to this time last year.
“My training has been going well and I have been focusing on one of my weaknesses, which I hope will improve my speed,” said Jessop.
“I’d like to mix it up more at the front and I am looking forward to racing again.”
Julian Jessop looks ahead to the second SA National MTB Cup Series race at Wolwespruit Bike Park on Saturday. Photo: DoubleST
His first race of the year was at the Grabouw leg of the National MTB Series.
“I wasn’t feeling myself during the race and I wasn’t totally focused, which led to me taking a wrong turn 10km before the finish. I placed 13th overall,” Jessop said.
Jessop then took part in the Tankwa Trek where him and his partner Tristan de Lange placed sixth.
Next, it was time for him to race the short circuit national cross-country opener at Rhebokskloof.
“After finishing the Tankwa Trek on such a high note two weeks prior to this event, I was really hoping for a great result,” said Jessop.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t get the best training sessions in between these events as I was still recovering from the Tankwa.
“I ended up 14th overall and fifth South African. However, I knew that I was missing an extra one or two percent somewhere and I needed to find out where.”
Race organiser and Wolwespruit Bike Park’s Johan Fischer said that the track had been shortened by at least 1km in order to make the race more spectator friendly, but warned participants not to think it would mean an easier race come race day.
“There is still a lot of climbing and it remains a tough course,” said Fischer.
