Q & A: Jake Womersley (Bike Channel Canyon)

Grandson of Tour de France stage winner Brian Robinson, Jake Womersley (Bike Channel Canyon)

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Q & A: Jake Womersley (Channel Canyon)

Grandson of Brian Robinson, Jake Womersley is one of the signings for the new pro team Bike Channel Canyon. He says of getting a ride in this new team “I’m very happy to be riding for Bike Channel Canyon in 2017. I was under the management of Tim Elverson in 2016, and I loved the way he worked. It’s a chilled environment at the races, which I like”.

1. What was the highlight of 2016 for you and why?
Jake: A highlight for me was Chorley GP, it was a tough race with the wind and rain, I thought I was way down the results sheet but it turn out I was 17th. Which I was pleased with and the team was pleased because I think we had something like four to five riders in the top 20.

2. What was your favourite/most fun race of 2016?
Jake: I think going over to the Isle of Man for the Manx GP was the best in 2016. I think the blue sky’s made it better. But it was nice to race on a course with so much history behind it.

3. What was the toughest race of 2016 for you and why?
Jake: Velothon Wales was the hardest race for me. I went in to that race with a job of getting the climbers of the team near the front before the Tumble, and then had to crawl up and try to hang on for the second lap. Although I loved the race, it was defiantly the hardest.

4. What is the best piece of equipment (clothing/bike/gadget) to do with racing you are proud of most?
Jake: The best piece of equipment I own is a Pinarello Dogma. It was my team bike from Belgium in 2015. So even though I ride it through the winter, I take a lot of care. The best kit I own is all my GB stuff from the junior days. It brings back good memories and is something I’ll keep.

5. What is your warm up routine for races – rollers or turbo? Music or no music?
Jake: I’m pretty chilled before a race. I change my routine depending on who my team mates are at the race. For example if Jack Pullar is around, normally we would just ride the turbo, chat and have a laugh.

6. What’s your favourite discipline on the road; road racing and/or crits (and why?)
Jake: Road racing is defiantly my favourite out of the two. Although I do like a good crit every now and again (especially Otley). But looking at the future, and because I’m only young, I look at road racing as more of a career path.

7. Will you stay in the UK to prepare for next season during the winter or get in a training camp or two abroad to get in some serious miles?
Jake: I’m writing this from my transfer mini-bus from Alicante to Calpe, so yeah I’m here from the 1st – 15th with a load of guys I train with at home. So it will be very chilled but a chance to get some solid hours in on the bike together. Then in January, I should be on a team camp, and then will probably get another two weeks in somewhere in February.

8. When will you start training for 2017 and what comes first – long steady miles or a mix of miles and efforts?
Jake: It’s been a mixed start really. I got back on my bike at the beginning of November, but got ill, so I was on and off till late November. It’s a mix of efforts and miles really. I tend to keep my endurance easily so for me I have to work on the efforts before Christmas.
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9. What are the goals for 2017?
Jake: For me in 2017, I want to be in good enough condition to ride the Tour of Yorkshire. It starts/finished in Bradford which is only 20 minutes from my house so it would mean a lot to me to be able to get family and friends there.

I’d like to be consistent in the Prem series (or what ever it’s called). I had a good result at Chorley GP in 2016, but I’d like to be racing in the top 10. I wouldn’t turn down a podium in one though.

10. How tough is it being a pro bike in the UK – what are the biggest challenges?
Jake: It’s 50/50 really. When you have a good team and sponsors backing you, it’s no trouble at all. I think the hardest thing is transferring your form from the Tour Series back on to the road for the last part of the season. Crits and the Tour Series are massive in the UK now and sponsors love it so it’s important to be at your best then. So carrying it on is tough, especially if you travelled to a lot of the crits.

11. And one more question just for you … Does Brian Robinson help inspire you with stories of his racing days and what do know of the differences between his racing and yours …
Jake: Yeah, I love the stories from my Grandad. Although I probably know every story that he’s got, other people come up to me or contact me to tell me something which I often haven’t heard before which is nice too.

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