Winner of two gold medals in the recent track World Cup in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Luke Davison has taken a major morale boost from what is his best track form ever.
The 23 year old Australian rider has increased motivation for the remaining World Cups plus the world track championships in February, and is aiming to improve on the bronze medal he picked up in the scratch race earlier this year.
Speaking to VeloNation in the video interview below, Davison confirms that the worlds is a major focus for him. “It was disappointing not to make the top four riders at the team pursuit in Minsk, but this year [speaking about the 2013/2014 track season – ed.] is a different year.
“I think I am going from strength to strength in the individual events in the omnium and I think that is also contributing to my team pursuit abilities. I can only hope,” he said. He won at both of those disciplines in Mexico.
Davison previously finished first in the team pursuit, madison and omnium at the junior track worlds in 2008, but took a year out of the sport after he struggled in the transition to the senior ranks.
Gaining what he considers valuable life experience from his time away from the sport, he returned towards the end of 2011 with renewed motivation and determination to make it. He knuckled down, worked hard and the results started to come again.
In 2012 the-then Team Budget Forklifts rider won stages in the Tour of Gippsland, Tour of the Great South Coast and Tour of the Murray River, taking the Australian National Road Series.
He then moved to Drapac Pro Cycling at the beginning of this season and was first to the line on stage two of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour. His track worlds bronze medal followed after that, then he returned to the road, won a stage of the Tour of the Murray River and spent time in Europe. He clocked up several kermesse wins there, increasing his belief that he could be a successful road rider abroad.
Davison has moved to the Synergy Baku team for 2014 and will get to do many more international races with that squad. After flying back from Mexico to the team’s training camp in Calpe, he sat down with VeloNation this week at the squad’s base in Hotel Diamante.
He spoke at length about a range of topics, including his career thus far, his recent World Cup success in Mexico, his new team, his track and road goals for 2014 and beyond, and names the two Australian riders who inspired him as a young competitor and who he hopes to emulate in the pro ranks.