Squamish’s Rhys Verner is set to ride with the big boys and prove that he belongs.
Verner made his way to Norway earlier this week and is set to take on the world’s very best at the 2014 UCI Mountain Bike and Trails World Championships, with his junior race occurring on Thursday (Sept. 4).
The Howe Sound Secondary School student qualified for Norway with an excellent showing at the Canadian Nationals earlier this summer where he placed second. Verner said he’s looking forward to the trip across the pond.
“I’m super excited,” he said. “Pretty much everything went well this season, there’s been no injuries and I’ve achieved all my goals so far.”
Verner said he wanted to do well in the Test of Metal and he became the first under-19 rider to place in the Top 10 since Ryder Hesjedal in 1996. He said his other major goal for 2014 was to podium at Nationals and he placed second there, which helped him qualify for Norway.
Training has amped up for Verner in August as he prepares for the Worlds.
“I’ve been doing nothing but training this month,” he said. “It’s five days a week, with some interval and some long rides. My fitness is there – I don’t need to get more fit, I need to get more snappy and work on my strategy.”
Verner said he is the youngest rider on the junior team, noting all the other competitors are 18 and in their final year as a junior. He said Norway should prepare him for next year.
“It’s really cool to be able to go as a first year,” he said. “It’s going to be a great experience just getting to travel with the National team and learning from them. My roommates are some of the best riders in the country.”
Verner still has one year of eligibility as a junior after this year and he said this year can be a building block for the future.
“Hopefully I can see what it’s like this year and come back next year stronger and faster,” he said.
He said he’s been told that the conditions in Norway should be similar to Squamish –rainy and cold. The course is five laps and top finishers should complete it anywhere from an hour to an hour and 20 minutes.
Verner is currently ranked 16th in the UCI amongst all juniors and fourth in the world for his age based on points. He said his goal is a top 25 finish in Norway.
“Having never done a race like this I don’t know what the competition is but I think I can do a top 25 and I’d be happy with anything under that,” he said.
Verner added that he couldn’t have had such a great year without the support of his parents, Team Squamish and head coach Mike Charuk and his friends at Tantalus Bike Shop.
See next week’s The Squamish Chief for details on how Verner did in Norway.
