TOBYN HORTON feels he is one step closer to fulfilling his dream of becoming a professional racing cyclist after having a great 2009.
The 23-year-old Sarnian has just returned from Belgium where he spent his fifth summer in a row competing.
Horton, who won gold in the criterium at Rhodes Island Games in 2007, enjoyed his most successful campaign so far in what is regarded as the world’s hotbed of cycling.
So much so that the Carey Olsen-sponsored rider has decided that he will return to the Low Countries again next summer to try and grab an elusive professional contract.
‘That’s the one reason I’m trying for another year – I felt that I’ve made huge steps to get to where I need to be, which is winning big races,’ he said.
Because of his age, Horton believes that 2010 will be his final attempt.
‘Certainly I’d say that it will be my last year as an amateur,’ he said.
‘I’ll either be paid enough through cycling or I’ll be working.’
This season saw Horton (pictured) score two wins and notched up 25 top-10 finishes, which included 13 top-five placings and eight visits to the podium.
The highlights of 2009 were finishing 10th in the UK’s top one-day race – the Rutland Cycle International at the start of the season – and two top-three finishes in Belgium’s highly competitive inter-club events.
Also qualifying for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi was special.
‘Obviously qualifying for the Games was the big thing for the season,’ said Horton.
He is now back in the island for a few weeks and working at Ian Brown’s Cycle Shop, before he leaves for Australia in December to train in Geelong for eight weeks.
Horton will then return to Guernsey before leaving for Belgium in March.
He will continue to race for Team Deschuytter unless he is offered a more lucrative contract with another club.
The Commonwealths are taking place in October.
The form of racing Horton concentrates on in Belgium will be well-suited to the terrain he expects to see out in India.
It will be a fairly flat course that will mean the race is likely to be run at a very high tempo.
Horton said he is looking forward very much to racing with his fellow Guernsey teammates – Dan Arblaster, James McLaughlin and possibly Josh Gosselin – in the road race in which the island is expected to field its strongest team ever.
Article posted on 26th November, 2009 - 2.30pm
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