Sprinting has never been this difficult for Alexander Craddock

“Sprinting on an indoor trainer is very difficult.”

Alexander Craddock hopes to achieve a top-10 result in the match sprint at the Junior Track World Champs in Cairo, Egypt, this year. Photo: Owen Lloyd

That is according to Alexander Craddock, who is aiming for a top-10 performance in the match sprint at the UCI Junior Track World Championships in Cairo, Egypt, later this year.

“You can’t move the bike as if you were sprinting on the road,” he explained from his home in Cape Town where he is busting his chops under lockdown to maintain some sort of form ahead of D-day on August 16.

Although Craddock was also a bit hamstrung by having to use his road bike on the trainer instead of his trusty track steed, he was determined to increase his power output.

“Pushing big gears on the indoor trainer will increase my strength as there’s no momentum to help you as with your efforts outside,” said the junior African Continental sprint champion, who will also represent South Africa in the keirin and kilo time-trial.

“It’s just you and the pedals.”

It was all about self-improvement and racing against the best in the world would give him valuable experience in this regard, he said, as well as an opportunity to better his 200-metre flying time.

“It feels so amazing to be selected again to represent South Africa – it is a true honour,” said the 17-year-old Ciovita rider, who will be competing at the Worlds for a second time.

At last year’s Worlds in Germany, Craddock was the lead rider for the team sprint in which they came 15th and missed breaking the SA record by 0.3 seconds.

This year he is part of a seven-man squad, which includes James Swart, Dillon Geary, Jonty Bouwer, Chanton Perrins and Dian Janjetich.

“This world championships will decide which part of the cycling world I would like to pursue – if I’ll continue doing track sprinting or take a year off to do road racing overseas.”

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