‘I was on my limit’ – Cameron Mason forced to play catch-up after unclipping off the start line, bounces back to first World Cup podium in Flamanville

“It’s one mistake away from being back in the race, and I’m the guy who’s making the mistake,” Mason said. “It’s quite important to try and fix that and then be better next time.”

Best picks for you

Despite unclipping from his pedal at the start in Flamanville, Mason came storming back through the field from the top-15 and 12 seconds behind the race leaders.

He got back to the front group in the final third of the race before winner Thibau Nys (Baloise-Glowi Lions) launched his winning attack, but got stuck behind Nys’ teammate, Lars van der Haar, as the winning gap widened. He then went alone in search of the leader.

A more experienced Van der Haar had enough left in the tank to beat Mason in the sprint for second place, forcing the British rider to settle for third place, just five seconds behind the winner. Despite securing his first UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup podium in the elite category, Mason said he was more focused on victory.

“I pulled my foot out of the pedal pretty quickly. I moved back up again to where I was going to be anyway. I think I was 15th on the first lap, but that is really far, actually. [The field] was quite in a line on this track, so I struggled. I actually felt rubbish all race, but I did find my rhythm a little bit and was bridging quite big gaps,” Mason said.

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

“The race was already going, and I probably came to within five or six seconds of Thibau, but I was really on my limit, and he was riding his own pace. It’s hard to say what would have happened otherwise, because there is also a tactical element, but it is what it is.

“I was going all in. I actually didn’t care about losing second or third. I really didn’t come here for second or third. I was ready to go all-in for the win.”

Last season, Mason recorded a career-best fifth place at the World Cup in Hulst, and he finished in eighth place in Gavere. The year before that, he recorded an eighth in Maasmechelen.

Don’t miss these

This year, Mason stepped up a level and finished a close runner-up to Nys after a hard-fought battle in the Koppenbergcross and repeated the result in Hamme. He now has a victory at the highest level in his sights.

“The significance of third [at Flamanville] is not lost on me. I know that it’s a really big ride still, and obviously my best-ever result. I’m definitely better than this. I’ll work out what this means, and then try again at the next one. It’s an exciting place to be, but I can’t lie, there’s more in [me].”