Alex Eaves is ready to ramp up preparations on the track ahead of the national junior track cycling championships later this year.
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Eaves, who just wrapped up competing at the Junior Track Series second round at the Silverdome, turned in impressive results on the track with three wins across the weekend.
After a decade, the event has turned into the perfect place for riders from Tasmania and across the country to hone their skills and the Burnie youngster is no exception.
The championships will be held in late March in Brisbane and the 15-year-old is already looking forward to a trip to the Sunshine State.
The event, like many other sporting events across the country, has been hampered by the coronavirus pandemic over the past two years.
This year is finally looking like the one where Eaves can make his mark.
"I've got a fair shot at a couple of the races at winning the medal," he said.
"Nationals would be the biggest event I've ever done it's always been cancelled every time I've tried to go."
Nationals would be the biggest event I've ever done
- Alex Eaves on his future plans
With only weeks remaining before the major event gets underway, Eaves and the other competitors will undertake further training to be in top-shape.
"[In terms of training] I do just a bunch of like three to four minute efforts and 30 second sprints," he said.
That outlook comes after Eaves enhanced his standing on the Silverdome track across the two days as a stand-out performer among the 70-plus riders who competed.
"I am sitting third overall for the whole series and I've won three races over the last two days which is pretty good," he said.
"I've definitely got a lot better from last year, I do a way faster two kilometre time this year."
The journey to the national championships event in Brisbane continues a journey within cycling that Eaves started at a much younger age.
Eaves recalls how his father played an important role in his enjoyment and love of cycling.
"My dad used to always tell us these stories about how good he was and he always used to show us this one trophy that he won," he said.
"I used to race BMX and I couldn't do any of the jumps or any of that sort of stuff so I decided to come try this and I really enjoyed it."
Beyond a natural want to one-up his father's trophy count, the young track star is eventually hoping to take his cycling talents to the highest level and make it as a professional in the coming years.
He knows that it will be a tough challenge but it's one that Eaves feels he can accomplish.
"I've sort of got to win road nationals next year so I can make the Australian team so then they help you a fair bit more," he said.
"I am pretty good at climbing hills and most of the courses are all up hill."
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