A bit about me…

Hi, my name is Peter. I am 18, from the UK and have been racing bikes for almost 10 years on the road and around the velodrome. During my journey, I encountered various challenges and gained a wealth of skills. I also had the opportunity to join the British Cycling development pathway, although it wasn't all smooth sailing as I picked up a knee injury and later faced being dropped from the national team after a tough winter before transitioning into junior racing.

At the beginning of the season, I joined the WAC Team, a Belgian Junior cycling team. My commitment was to primarily race in Belgium during my Junior years. The aggressive and relentless racing style was initially quite a shock. However, as I approached the end of my first Junior season with WAC Team, I secured my first win in a rainy Ravels.

Heading into my second Junior season, my ambitions grew. Having tasted victory, I hungered for more. When some of the WAC Team staff departed, I faced a tough decision and eventually chose to join Flanders Color Defever for the 2023 season. Seeing their success with riders like Joshua Tarling and other strong team members in the previous year, I set my sights on the ultimate goal: winning at the highest level of Junior bike racing, a UCI Race.

I began the season strongly, clinching victory in my first two races at Staden and Vlamertinge. However, I encountered some struggles afterward, managing only three top-10 finishes in my next eleven races, including a frustrating crash and a later DNF in the Junior E3 Saxo Classic. Additionally, I missed out on racing in the significant early-season UCI events. Realizing that I needed to get significantly stronger to achieve my goals, I decided to prioritize my mental health. I took time to understand my motivations and how I could employ psychology to improve my training and performance in the peloton.

This approach paid off, and just before the Junior Ronde Van Vlaanderen, my motivation reached an all-time high. My training efforts improved substantially, and I finally felt the determination and fighting spirit I needed. I approached De Ronde with an open mind, knowing it was too soon to expect a top result with my improved training. Nevertheless, I gave it my all, fighting until the very end to secure the best possible finish.

After De Ronde, I focused on my training, consistently pushing myself to the limit. I achieved two 3rd place finishes in some Kermesses before securing my 3rd win of the season in Roselare. From there, I continued to push myself, winning three more races before facing my next big challenge.

Menen presented my first real opportunity to win a UCI race, as the course suited my riding style and strengths. After a hard-fought battle to get into the break and stay clear of the peloton, I crossed the finish line in 4th place. While it was my best UCI result at the time, I remained determined to do even better.

A few weeks later came the Gouden Garnaal - Mosselronde, previously known as Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The flat but exposed course, with its proximity to the sea, created windy conditions and echelons. This situation played to my strengths once again, allowing me to get into the break and finally claim victory in a UCI race.

Since Mosselronde, I've won two more races, with the most recent being the Ingelmunster Interclub. As of now, I've notched up nine victories in 2023 and am eagerly eyeing that nice round 10 before concluding my chapter as a junior cyclist.