Interview: Tom Scully Solos to Tour Series Victory

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After a season in the UK where he’s been close to that big win, it finally came in Redditch on Tuesday night when Tom ‘the Scud’ Scully from Team Raleigh solo’d to victory in the Tour Series

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Tom was part of a five rider break that went away early and as well as battling with Kristian House for the points in the IG Sprint competition, Tom had his eye on the race win. Out of the six Tour Series rounds leading up to Redditch, Raleigh’s New Zealand import Tom Scully had placed four times in the top ten and has consistently been one of Raleigh’s top riders.

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It’s his first season in the UK but he’s adapted very quickly and showing he’s one of the best riders in the series. One of the rival team managers in the British scene described his ride at Redditch as one of the rides of the Tour Series since it began and Tom was certainly pleased, as well as very tired after the long solo effort.

Redditch is one of the toughest courses and to go solo with just under ten laps to go is a big ask but Tom timed his effort to perfection as the break he was in was about to catch the peloton. The New Zealander is the latest Kiwi to do well in Britain following in the wheelmarks of riders such as Gordon McCauley and Jack Bauer to name but two.

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In the sprints against Kristian House, Scully and his rival for the Gold jersey were gapping the others in the break and at one point, decided to keep it going until caught by the three chasers.

VeloUK caught up with Tom after the podium presentation where he explained “Things have been ticking over all year and I’m happy with how the form is holding on. I turned the screws out there tonight and am happy to get the first win in the UK. I’d been battling with Kristian during the sprints and we got away after one of them before the other three brought us back.”

“When Kristian and I were caught at the bottom of the climb, I went again and they gave me that second or so gap and so I put the power on up the hill and as I was still clear, I thought let’s roll the dice and just see where this goes. I kept the hammer down and the lead was going up and up and I thought here we go, we’re in for a long one now.”

“It was quite a flowing course when you were out there by yourself with only one technical part of it so once I was clear, it was all about maintaining the tempo. It was pretty good with the crowd all the way round the circuit. I could hear people cheering my name and the locals really turned on a good race and the support they gave us was awesome.”

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Photo: Antony Edmonds. Tom Scully’s first wins in the UK came on the track at the Good Friday meeting.

Talking about the series, he explained “it’s very hard. To keep it going two or three times a week if you’re racing locally at the weekends, as a team it’s very draining as there is a lot of travel but that is what makes it. Everyone has to be performing consistently from week to week so it’s a tough series but has an unreal atmosphere.”

Tom has done every round as well as many of the events in Europe and Britain that have been on Team Raleigh’s programme. Asked does he get a chance to rest, Tom replied “it’s about what you do during the week eating good food and keeping your head mentally fresh. We try and keep things normal like Lachie (Lachlan Norris) and I went out for a game of golf last week. You have to enjoy it and being a professional bike rider is about being able to perform consistently”

Tom added that the journey to Britain from the other side of the world to race for Raleigh has been well worthwhile. “I have really enjoyed the move to the UK, and I’m thankful to the people who have helped make it happen and I’ve got some good contacts and friend here.”

Article brought to you by Prendas and Raleigh 125 Years Book (Coffee Table/Hardback)

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