Cade Bickmore admitted there was “no extra flying underneath the radar” after successful Sunny King Criterium in 2023. That’s the yr he moved from the Aevolo growth workforce to Project Echelon Racing, successful levels at UCI-level races Tour of the Gila and Tour International de la Guadeloupe, and completed one spot off the rostrum on the US Pro Criterium Nationals.
Bickmore backed up his highway leads to 2024 by posting a second stage win and factors classification title at Tour of the Gila and had a podium in Portugal at Volta ao Alentejo for the US-based squad.
The new yr brings a change of guard at Project Echelon Racing and a renewed health focus the place Bickmore can search extra alternatives for the workforce and himself, starting in Spain at Challenge Mallorca, 5 days of one-day races spanning January 29 to February 2. Project Echelon is the one US-based Continental on the beginning listing of 25 groups, with eight of these at WorldTour stage.
“You know, each alternative that we now have to go head-to-head towards the WorldTour guys is a giant deal,” Bickmore instructed Cyclingnews. “I’m actually excited for the Tour of Norway and beginning in Mallorca after which a pair alternatives in Portugal and Spain. I like racing in Europe.”
The 26-year-old begins his third season on the US-based Continental workforce this yr, and says with the majority of the workforce returning, the familiarity amongst riders and races offers them confidence.
“We simply preserve stepping up somewhat bit yearly. Last yr I felt we made some large jumps by way of what races we have been entering into, which was superior,” he mirrored.
“We had loads of rising pains from that, we needed to be taught rather a lot to regulate, to rise to the event. I believe this yr our schedule goes to be related, however we now have a way more dialed in strategy to all of it. I believe we now have large alternatives to make large issues occur at a few of these races.”
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The squad is minus former workforce chief Tyler Stites, who accounted for half of the workforce’s 16 victories previously two seasons. Stites now races for Caja Rural-Seguros RGA and can face his former teammates in two weeks in Spain at Trofeo Calvià. Bickmore expects to be on the beginning with confirmed strongman Scott McGill, who was tenth at Trofeo Palma final yr.
“I’ve good energy to experience on the entrance and management races for guys. My alternatives are going to come back within the extra punchy dash days. I actually just like the onerous type of rolling hills races the place there are no large climbs. When it is a onerous day on the bike and it comes right down to a dash end or diminished group end, I prefer it.”
Bickmore suffered a season-ending crash on the Tour of Britain final September, after being lively in a number of breakaways. He suffered a damaged collarbone and several other cracked ribs, which sidelined him till late within the yr with check rides in cyclocross.
“It’s by no means how I wish to finish the season. I used to be placing myself able to get a outcome, and that is how the crash occurred. It was truly my second crash of the day in Britain,” he recounted. “The silver lining of all of it, I assume, is that I did not miss any extra racing the remainder of the season as a result of it was the final race.”
He made his return with a trio of cyclocross races by late November, ending a stunning tenth total for elite males within the US Cyclocross National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.
“I used to be not technically cleared till every week and a half earlier than Nationals. My medical doctors instructed me to not crash, to take it simple,” he admitted with a chuckle, saying he had a “good crash” in pre-ride however survived for the highest 10 with a small fall.
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Project Echelon Racing held a camp in Wisconsin in December, which included participation indoors for the Echelon Racing League after which exterior, within the chilly and snow, for a US Marine Corps Combat Fitness Test (CFT).
The CFT assesses agility and muscular endurance utilizing a set of bodily challenges – 880-yard run (twice round a monitor), two-minutes of 30-pound overhead presses (simulating an ammunitions can), and completion of a particular agility course simulating ‘maneuver underneath fireplace’.
This portion of the camp, particularly, helped riders join with the workforce’s mission to foster relationships with navy veterans.
“Yes, all of us participated within the Marine Combat Fitness Test throughout our Wisconsin camp. We needed to shovel the monitor [from snow]. I truly did fairly properly with the check and made firstclass regardless of the snowy and frigid situations,” Bickmore mentioned.
“I’ve been working actually onerous to get power and steadiness again in my higher physique since breaking my collarbone on the Tour of Britain in September, so it was a pleasant affirmation that I’m again!
“It was a extremely enjoyable problem for me and a great way to connect with our workforce’s mission. I bought loads of messages earlier than and after the occasion from veterans we work with, providing recommendation, assist, and simply common enthusiasm, in addition to some smack speak.
“So a lot of my relationship with our veteran neighborhood is providing my recommendation and assist in the direction of their journey in bodily health and endurance sport, so it was cool to have a job reversal and soar into one thing that so a lot of them are accustomed to however was new to us.”
Also ending with ‘firstclass’ standing have been teammate Brendan Rhim and workforce director Eric Hill. Racing a motorbike within the heat local weather of Mallorca now seems to be a easier alternative.