In the opening race of the British Cycling Elite Road Race Series (what was wrong with ‘Star Trophy?’) recently, the Tour of the Reservoir, Moses tried to steal the second stage victory and overall GC with a late attack but was ridden down by Scotland’s Evan Oliphant (Raleigh).
Evan took the honours on the day with the GC going to stage one winner, Alex Peters (Madison-Genesis) who finished just behind the Wick man in fifth spot.
But on a tough stage one of the Tour of Normandie a week or two ago, the late attack did ‘stick’ and Moses rode in to yellow, which he held for three days.
Originally a ‘crosser,’ he was third in the British schoolboy champs in 2008, moving up to win the junior championship race in 2009 – slipping to the junior silver medal spot in 2010.
That same year there was a sixth spot in the junior Paris-Roubaix behind Belgian, Jasper Stuyven – now a World Tour pro with Trek.
It was 2013 when he turned pro for Raleigh with a stand out ninth spot in Paris-Camembert – behind sly fox Frenchman Pierrick Fedrigo – as perhaps the hi-lite.
But there was also an excellent second place in the 165 kilometre GP Lucien Van Impe at Mere behind QuickStep Classics and Six Day star, Iljo Keisse.
This year he’s moved across to John Herety’s team with the ambition of catching the eye of a Pro Continental squad for 2015.
We spoke to him between his Normandie and the Reservoir results – but before his success last weekend at the East Midlands CiCLE Classic …
Congratulations, Tom – we heard that the Normandie stage you won usually ends in a sprint.
“I’ve ridden the race twice in 2011 and 2012 but that particular stage wasn’t included – but I’ve heard that, yes it usually ends in a sprint finish.
“It was wet, cold, narrow and technical and I slipped away with 20 K to go and never looked back – that was from a group of about 30 who had started to look at each other, so I grabbed my opportunity.
“We controlled it well for three days but then I slipped to fourth, I was still in that position when a big break of 18 went away at the start of the last day, it went to four minutes but was down to 50 seconds at the finish; we just couldn’t bring it back and I dropped to 18th – the time gaps on the race were very tight.
“It was a disappointment, but that’s bike racing, sometimes.”
You ‘wintered well’ in Australia.
“Yeah, it was good, getting the miles in with no stress in the good weather.
“The thing is that it took us a little while to readjust to the UK weather – I don’t think we’d adapted when the Soens came round for instance but we’re definitely seeing the benefit, now.”
And you rode the Sun Tour?
“It was at a really good race, the Aussie domestic teams are at quite a high level and of course, there were World Tour teams riding.
“Simon Clark of Orica-GreenEdge won overall but the last stage was cancelled due to fire risk, it was red hot, 40/45 degrees and windy.
“They told us that if fire broke out at the bottom of the big climb on the course it would spread up the hill faster than we could ride up.”
How did you get into cycling?
“My dad used to ride so I’d go out with him – and the care taker at our school was Chris Young, the champion cyclo-cross rider.
“He used to organise ‘cross classes after school and I would attend them.
“I started off in ‘cross but moved to the road because there’s more to the road, it’s more popular and higher profile.”
Sixth in the junior Paris-Roubaix?
“With an off-road background it was a logical progression to the rough surfaces and it was held on a wet day – I seem to go well on days like that.”
Top ten in Paris-Camembert was a nice result.
“That’s the kind of race I enjoy, tough, single day with short climbs.
“I don’t go so well on the longer climbs but I enjoy the short, explosive ones.
“I enjoy racing on the continent and I hope my programme gives me the opportunity to move up to Pro Continental for 2015.”
Is that why you moved from Raleigh to Condor?
“The race programme is very strong; we’ll be riding all sorts of big races; and not just in GB and France – we’ll be riding the Tour of Korea and races in Japan.
“After the Reservoir we have the Tour du Loir et Cher in France which is UCI 2.2 then there’s the Lincoln, Rutland, Japan, Durham Tour Series, Korea and that takes me to the Nationals.
“We have a good dedicated criterium team so I don’t have to ride too many – the Durham one is a race which suits me, though.”
You were a British Cycling Academy man?
“I really enjoyed my time on the Academy, I learned so much there; how a professional cyclist should behave, about training, resting and sleeping, diet – and how to race.”
Do you have a coach?
“When I was on the Academy it was Chris Newton but at Rapha I have Phil West.
“That’s another thing about the team that I think is a level up from last year, there’s such a good support system in place for us.”
I believe you’re a Heinrich Haussler fan?
“That was when I was younger and he was going really well; he’s a hard guy, a one day classic specialist – no gloves, even when it’s freezing.”
And if you could win just one race?
“After watching the Tour of Flanders on the TV, I think it would have to be that one!”
