Colac district rider Calum Middleton will leave on Wednesday to contest the International Cycling Classic’s ICC Superweek Pro Tour in America.
CYCLING will take Colac district rider Calum Middleton to the international stage for the second time in two years.
The 19-year-old returned to Australia in December after spending eight months riding in Europe and is set to take on professionals in an American series.
Middleton leaves on Wednesday to contest the International Cycling Classic’s ICC Superweek Pro Tour in the area surrounding Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
He will ride in the 17-day, 17-race series, which kicks off next Friday, with teammates he met competing in Belgium, including Australian professional Douglas Repacholi.
“In Australia right now you can only really race on the weekends, this event is 17 days straight so I’m going to try and do all of them and if I don’t finish one I can race the next day,” Middleton said.
“Every day in this event day there’s a 100-kilometre criterion, which is a circuit race. I’ll be travelling around with a few other blokes that I know, staying in Chicago and South Wisconsin.
“It’s a pro-slash-amateur event so you can sort of gauge where you’re at against professionals.”
The former Trinity College student is in good form ahead of his departure following five months of solid training comprising 500 to 700 kilometres on the bike each week.
He finished eighth in Creswick’s Fred Icke Memorial ride and backed it up with an eight-placed finish at the Victorian Country Championships.
Middleton said he hoped to continue to improve before contesting the National Road Series when he returns to Australia.
“I’m expecting to finish, I’m going to go over there and try and help the other guys,” he said.
“Doug has a great chance of winning so I’m hoping to help him.
“I’m just looking forward to the calibre of racing, I’m excited to race as much as I can and hopefully that will bring a bit of form for the National Road Series.”
The National Road Series is the feature series on the Australian road racing calendar, which Middleton will kick off with the Tour of Gippsland on August 1.
Tags: Cycling
