Ben Swift has enjoyed his most successful season to date as a professional road cyclist. Five months into the season and the 23 year old Brit has already notched up five victories, all them coming in major stage races on three different continents. Swift was the last rider to be signed to Team Sky at the end of 2009 from Katusha, a move he was grateful to the Russian outfit for, since he still had a year left on his contract.
By winning sprints in front of some of the fastest finishers in the world this year, it’s easy to understand why Dave Brailsford’s team was so eager to sign the youngster.
“I wasn't expecting as much [victories] as I have had, but I wanted to step up this year and show what I could do,” he said speaking to VeloNation. “I wanted to be consistent through the year and pick up as many results as I could.”
The first of those results came almost immediately as the season got underway, in stage two of the Tour Down Under, a race where he wasn’t supposed to be the designated leader. He would eventually also finish the race in third position overall.
“I think it’s a case of getting stronger and more experience I also had a very good winter base doing the most amount of miles and gym work I have ever done in an off season. I feel it has put me in a really good position to perform in my races.”
Along with the season starter in Australia, Swift has also had the opportunity of savouring victory in the Vuelta Castilla y Leon, Tour de Romandie, and recently in the Tour of California, where he led the race after the first day.
Asked which of those were his favourite to win, he nominated two. “They are all pretty special to me as a win is a hard thing to come by, but one of my favourite ones are stage six of Tour Down Under. Every sprinter was present in that stage there was no problems in the stage to stop anyone from sprinting. Also stage five of Tour of Romandie; the profile of the stage was hard and I beat one of my idols, Oscar Freire.”
The focus for the sprinter in the near future now shifts to the Tour of Switzerland and the British National Championships. He will also have an opportunity again to saddle up in a Grand Tour when he’ll start the Vuelta a España in August.
Last year Swift was in sublime form finishing in the top 10 on the second stage. However, a bug swept through the team which sadly caused the death of one of the soigneurs. The team withdrew from the race.This time round, it will return to Spain aiming for success.