Miles Scotson goes it alone(Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Miles Scotson poses with his gold medal(Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Miles Scotson celebrates winning the men's U23 road race(Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Miles Scotson on the podium(Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Immediately after winning the Australian men's Under 23 road race, Miles Scotson's attention turned to the team pursuit next month's Track Worlds in France. Having won the Under 23 time trial on Thursday, the 20-year-old became the fourth Australian to do the Under 23 double after Jonathan Davis (2003), Jack Bobridge (2009) and Rohan Dennis (2011).
"This is great but I won’t be easing up all. I'll be just as determined for the worlds now, " Scotson said.
A junior team pursuit world champion in 2012, Scotson was one of the four members who won the gold medal at the Australian track nationals in the team pursuit last year. He was then selected for the 2014 Jayco-AIS World Tour Academy Team, which competes in Europe, Scotson completed a first full season of road racing overseas which culminated in an appearance at the Commonwealth Games last summer.
"I went over to Europe and for the first time I was going really strong on the road. Commonwealth Games selection was a really big thing for me and a really big jump as a year before I didn't think I'd make the Games team," he said. "I was disappointed with my form going in it. I did work hard but it just didn't come together. I took three weeks of the bike and I just kept working hard and building, building, and building for this. The motivation has been really high and I am motivated for the track Worlds."
Scotson rode the individual pursuit, finishing sixth and the points race at the Commonwealth Games and has since become a key rider in the endurance program but knows competition would be tough for the Rio Olympic Games.
"I'd love to target the Olympics and there are heaps of really strong guys for that but I hopefully I just keep making the right progression and see what happens," he said.
Post-track ambitions, Scotson added that he will target winning the rainbow jersey in the time trial at the Richmond world championships, aiming to emulate Bobridge, Luke Durbridge, Damien Howson and Campbell Flakemore by taking home Under 23 title.
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"I'd like to earn selection for the worlds time trial," he said. "I'll see if I go over to Europe again this year. I'd love to concentrate on that a bit. That would be a great experience. That would be one of my bigger goals for the year and follow in the footsteps of Campbell Flakemore from last year."
