UK racing pays off for Jack Green

You might have thought that opting not to return to race in Europe but instead concentrating on a university education might result in a drop of form for a cyclist.

But for Jack Green (VC St Raphael), such a change has brought benefits. "I've got 30 or 40 seconds quicker in the last year over a 10-mile TT so I've actually improved," he said.

At the beginning of the month Green won the fifth round of the National Time Trial Circuit Series in Worcestershire. Clocking a time of 1-16-29 for the 32-mile route, he won the event by 1-16 from Tom Ward (Team Echlon-Rotor). With funding from Cycling Time Trials, Green, 21, has previously based himself in Belgium but did not venture across the Channel this summer.

Instead Green opted to remain at Nottingham University where he is juggling his training around a biochemistry degree. "I applied for the Olympic Academy course last year and got rejected. "Some of the Academy riders race our club 10 and I'm beating them, only Simon Yates has posted better times than myself.

"Time trialing is what I'm strongest at - it's what I've always done." Third at the end of last year's series, Green is a promising rider but admitted his win in Great Witley was not expected. "It was a surprise to win. I wasn't a seeded U23 - Tom Ward was - so I didn't have any time checks to compare against going out before him.

"I knew Tom was my main rival so to beat him and get the win I was pretty happy. "It was the best win of my career so far." Green will compete in the RTTC National Circuit Time Trial Championships on August 31 in Poole before targeting the track nationals in Manchester.

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