THE BIG INTERVIEW: JONNY BELLIS

Johnny Bellis Stuutgart world championships podium bronze

But for the dogged determination of British Cycling, Jonny Bellis would not even have been in the under-23 road race at the World Championships in Stuttgart.

Initially Britain was only allocated one place, which was given to Ben Swift, but British Cycling was convinced that the world rankings were wrong and that Britain was entitled to two further spots. After close examination, the UCI agreed and Bellis and Ian Stannard were added to the line-up.

Bellis takes bronze in his first World Championships as a senior

Who was the first person you saw after the line?

JB: I saw the swannie [soigneur] Luc de Wilde. He couldn?t see the finish because of all the people and he said ?How did you do?? I told him I got third and he was jumping around with joy. Everyone couldn?t believe it. Standing on the podium was one of the best feelings of my cycling career so far. I?ve got used to it on the track because it?s quite a regular thing, but for it to happen on the road is amazing because this is what I want to be. I want to be a pro on the road.

Before the race what did you think of the course and the opposition?

JB: I said that if I could have designed the course myself this would have been it. As for the riders, I?d heard a lot of the names because I?ve raced against them or I?ve heard about them joining pro teams.

How much have you learned this year, training and racing in Italy with the Academy?

JB: At first it was really hard to get used to because I came straight from the track, straight into it. It was the first time I?d raced at that distance and the races were a lot longer and harder. I spent a lot of the time feeling quite tired. As the year went on, and I won gold in the scratch and team pursuit at the European Championships, I had a break and came back a lot stronger. The break did me good and I felt like I?d stepped up two levels. I was getting top 10s in the Italian races and feeling stronger all the time.

How has it been working for Rod Ellingworth? He?ll be sure to keep your feet on the ground won?t he?

JB: Rod is really good. He?s brought Cav and G [Geraint Thomas] through and what he?s done this year is amazing. He?s always there to listen but he doesn?t just say what you want to hear. He?s quick to point out your strengths and highlight strengths you didn?t know you had. He?s made me work on my sprint so I can use it at the end of a long race. Going into the last 200 metres at the Worlds I felt quite confident because of the work we?d done.

What about the Italian lifestyle?

JB: It?s easier than being in Manchester. In the UK we?d get up at 7am and leave for the track and not get back until seven at night. In Italy it?s a bit more relaxed. It?s still serious work but we go out for a long ride at 9am and spend much of the rest of the time taking it easy. Learning how to rest is a big part of what we do.

How?s your Italian language coming along?

JB: I?m getting there. A few more lessons this winter and I think when I get back there next year I?ll be a bit better.

What?s the plan for next year? Seeing that Cavendish and Thomas turned pro quite early in their careers must mean that?s on the horizon for you?

JB: Next year I want to defend my European titles on the track and start getting some results on the road. I was having a conversation with Max Sciandri and he was saying he wants the Academy lads to turn pro as soon as possible so we can learn from a young age. It?s great to see Cav and G coming through the system. Seeing what they?ve done makes me want to be there. Any opportunity I get I?ll take with both hands and hopefully that?ll come in the next couple of years.

With the possibility of a British professional road team strengthening all the time that must be something that excites you?

JB: Hopefully that?ll happen when I?m still young. We?ve got a lot of links with pro teams and the big attraction to people is that we run a clean programme so people know what they?re getting with us. If there?s a British pro team in future that would be fantastic to be part of.

The Commonwealth Games are a few years away but the Isle of Man are going to have a pretty formidable team.

JB: Yeah, there?s me and Cav and a couple of other riders coming through. We could be tough to beat. It must be the sea air.

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