McLaughlin aims to build on Austrian TT
JAMES MCLAUGHLIN says that his maiden podium finish with Felbermayr Simplon Wels is the confidence booster he needs ahead of an important spell ahead for the Commonwealth Games cyclist.
The 25-year-old Sarnian is in his first season riding for the Austrian team and his early weeks in Salzburg were affected by still recovering from being hit by a car while training in Guernsey at Christmas.
But now fully fit, he was able to register a hugely-impressive second place at the 70km Austrian Cup time trial last weekend, an elite level Austrian event.
He is now in action at the Tour of Slovakia which began last night and with his main season focus of the Tour of Austria only a month away, he is pleased with the way he is riding.
'I needed that performance last weekend as a confidence booster because, although we are three or four months into the season, I only now feel like I am really getting going,' he said.
'But I now feel good with the way I am riding and I am definitely on an upwards trajectory, which is good because the next five or six weeks have some big races coming up.
'Hopefully, I can turn in a strong performance at the Tour of Slovakia and then we have the Tour of Upper Austria, which is another important step.
'For me, it is building towards the Tour of Austria, where my goal is to try and secure a stage win, with my best hope being the mountain-top finish stages.'
