Tobyn Horton believes that top local cyclists need off-island competition to continue their development. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0456269)
RACING professionally is well and truly at the front of Tobyn Horton’s mind. The young Sarnian has been competing in Belgium since 2005 and intends to go back again next year.
However, it is as a full-time cyclist that he would like his career to continue and he believes that it is looking more likely. ‘I’ve had a good year so far and I’ve consistently been getting high finishes. Hopefully, that will give me a good chance of being snapped up.
‘All I can do is carry on riding well and hope that it puts me into the shop window,’ he said. When looking back at his decision to move abroad three years ago, Horton can’t recall one particular reason why he did so.
‘I don’t really remember how the decision came about, to be honest. I just knew that I would have to move abroad if I wanted to get better, which I did within about two months of getting to Belgium.’
It is a move that he also believes other top young Guernsey cyclists might need to make to reach the next level.
‘People like Dan Arblaster, James McLaughlin and Matt Osborn have all got really good futures, but if they are serious about improving, then they will need to leave the island. It doesn’t necessarily need to be Europe, but to the UK at least.’
If they did move to Europe, then they would face a different style of racing that Horton believes is the most noticeable difference between the UK and the Continent.
‘In Guernsey and the UK, it is more of what I’d call a sporting type of racing. You often race in groups and only near the end will somebody make a sprint to win it.
‘In Belgium, it is from the start gun and everybody really goes for it,’ he said.
Horton has been grateful for the support of Carey Olsen, who began sponsoring him at the beginning of this year. He believes that the money has enabled him to benefit even more.
‘It has meant that I haven’t really had to worry as much, compared to the previous three years when I didn’t have any sponsorship at all. It has meant that I can now cope better while I am away.’
In the short term, it is quite clear that Horton wants to make the grade professionally.
In the longer term, although they are very slim possibilities at the moment, Horton’s dreams are ultimately to compete in the Tour de France or the Olympic Games.
He remains realistic, though.
‘I would need to improve a hell of a lot to the next level to even get near competing in them. It is definitely my ultimate aim, though, because that is where the top cyclists compete,’ he said.
One man whom Horton would do well to emulate is Mark Cavendish, who has won four stages of this year’s Tour de France and is now setting his sights on next month’s Olympics.
Horton hailed the Manxman’s achievements and felt that it showed a good future for British cycling generally.
‘What he [Cavendish] has done in the past few weeks is absolutely phenomenal. It shows that he must have done brilliantly just to get cycling on the news and in the papers,’ he said.
It is something that has been needed for a while because of the poor reputation that has been painted over the past few years by doping offences. Some people have implied that cycling, as well as athletics, is won only by those taking performance-enhancing drugs.
‘It is disappointing that there are cyclists with doping offences, because it does give the sport a very bad name.
‘However, as long as those responsible are punished, it shouldn’t be a huge problem,’ Horton said.
Away from the cycling, the Guernseyman has found it easier to settle in Belgium over the past few years than he thought he would.
‘It’s quite good because a lot of people over there speak at least a bit of English. I also speak bits of Flemish [the local language], which helps me to get by,’ he said.
Cycling is a universal language, though, and despite his long spells away from Guernsey, he still takes pride from representing the island at either the Island or Commonwealth Games.
‘I obviously can’t race for Guernsey all the time because it would mean that I would lose various opportunities back in Belgium. However, I still love representing the island in the big events, although it will be much harder in the Isle of Wight in 2011 [Island Games] because of the competition for places in the team,’ Horton said.
It shows the bright future of Guernsey cycling and Horton may well not be the last local youngster to swap the island for mainland Europe.
Article posted on 29th July, 2008 - 2.29pm
Most Commented: