Feature Interview: Toby Barnes

Heading for Belgium for the next World Cup Cyclocross is Toby Barnes (Cero wheels/Cycle Division) who in 2020, broke course records in time trials, won the National Trophy at Westmorland, was top 10 in the Tabor World Cup and 13th at Euros in Netherlands – we chat

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Feature Interview: Toby Barnes

Heading for Belgium for the next World Cup Cyclocross is Toby Barnes (Cero wheels/Cycle Division) who in 2020, broke course records in time trials, won the National Trophy at Westmorland, was top 10 in the Tabor World Cup and 13th at the Euros in the Netherlands – we chat

This year has been a mixed bag for University student Toby Barnes who is one of the country’s leading cyclocross riders. Toby, who is studying maths and sport science, was looking to have a season on the road this year racing Premier Calendar events but alas, the most he’s been able to do on the road is win some time trials and set course records. That he says was good to do, adding “it’s annoying a lot of cyclocross hasn’t happened but I have managed to do some racing so that is good.”

Toby was hoping to do a lot of cyclocross in Belgium but with field numbers restricted there and races limited to the Elite ones, that hasn’t happened. Instead, he’s been limited to the international events racing for GB which are self-funded. Racing in Belgium he explains, is the best way to improve in the sport.

“That is how to improve in the sport, in cyclocross anyway. To get out there and do as many races as you can there. I was going to try and do more races out there this year but the pandemic has prevented me from doing that.”

Toby raced the Europeans with his younger brother Dan. “That was really good” he says. “Because there are not many races now, that event became a focus of mine. I knew roughly what the course would be like so I trained specifically for it and had a really race good there. I was happy with that performance.”

It was the first time in GB colours for Toby since 2016 when he wore his country’s colours as a junior. “To race with Dan was really good” Toby added. The trip was all self-funded so three of us went out; myself, Dan and my dad (Scott). It was a great trip and special to race with Dan”.

Toby takes his bike from dad in the pits for his cross races

Asked how he managed to prepare for the course at the Euros, Toby explained “Dan had raced the course when he rode the Euros in the same place and he knew it wasn’t likely to be a muddy race so it was about speed work rather than slogging through the mud. There were lots of corners and loads of short sprints every lap and there was nowhere to recover on that course either. It was a bit like the first cross race in the Yorkshire series near Bradford.”

Toby also did another more muddy round at Yorkshire before the Euros as well as an event in Sweden. Since then, he did a World Cup in Tabor (Czech Republic). “The World Cup in Tabor was another brilliant experience.” Toby says.

“The course was really tough with one half of the course having lots of climbing then the other half having lots of slippery banks and corners. I finished 8th so I am really happy with the result in my first Under 23 World Cup”.

With so little racing, training to race has become key to his success. One of the skills is cornering which he says there was a lot of in the Euros. “You can’t practice it enough really. Repeating everything loads of times and dedicating sessions to skills rather than just the usual training. I practice the skills in the local park where there are a few short steep banks, a small woods area and a little bit of sand not far away”.

Looking ahead, Toby, who has shown he is able to keep himself race fit, admits there are a few goals in cyclocross for the season before he will turn his attention to the road. The British Cyclocross championships, if held, will be one of his goals. “My goal is to do a good ride in the British cross champs and then the main goal is to try and get a ride in the World Cyclocross Champs before switching to the road and race most of the prems. It will be a year of learning doing those type of races because I have never done them before”.

To race the road at Premier Calendar level, Toby will be racing for a new team in 2021 which has yet to be revealed. “Being in a team gets you into the races and then there is the support having a team car in the race and teammates as well. I may also do races abroad as well.”

Will it help his cyclocross I asked? “The National Circuit Series or Tour Series events certainly help in cyclocross as they are similar to cross races; an hour of full gas racing so I want to have a go at a few of those as well. I did the Sheffield GP in 2019, the Elite race, and I really enjoyed that even though it was super tough. I’d love to do a few more of them”.

Good luck to Toby on the weekend in Belgium. He and his brother Dan will be taken on the self funded trip by their dad Scott, who along with Toby’s coach, will be manning the pits for Toby and Dan during the World Cup race.

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