Cameron Mason has been breaking through the ranks of cyclocross and disrupted the Belgian/Dutch dominance at the European Championships. After the second place in Pontchâteau he seeks to take the next step and take a big win.
"Sunday was a big breakthrough. I’m only just realizing now how significant the Euros are in the world of cyclocross," Mason told GCN. "Sunday showed I have the potential to win and my next goal is 100% to win a big race, that’s a clear goal. The good thing is it’s not just one race, nothing too specific. I’m not saying I want to medal at Worlds – I’m not a fan of that type of goal, but I know if keep doing what I’m doing and keep being the best version of myself then I can get really close to a win in a World Cup and that’s really motivating.
Mason at 23 is coming along as one of the brightest talents in the sport. Over the summer he's raced Mountain Bike and Gravel, putting on a full calendar of off-road racing. Despite this, his potential has been recognized and he's set to race for Alpecin-Deceuninck in 2024 - most likely in the development team. This will see him try new things and perhaps find his own on the road finally.
"I’m one of the least connected British cyclists to British Cycling that there is. I’ve never been on a senior programme, I’ve never had funding," he tells. "A lot of riders do flourish within a British Cycling programme, where the direction is simple; you go in, train, go home, focus on the Olympics. But because I’ve not had that, it’s made me more of a diverse athlete, and there’s way more value in that right now."
That development has been consistent and quite sharp as of late. A fourth place at the Koppenbergcross was another clear sign that he's racing towards the top and is a big fan of the climbing-heavy and muddy courses. He will not be focusing on any of the cups during the winter and this will give him freedom to prepare for specific goals which may prove successful later in the year.
"My schedule is not as full as some others. This block has been busy so I’m going home after Dendermonde for three weeks, which will include the Dublin World Cup, then back to Belgium in the run-up to Christmas, then later the Nationals and Worlds block," Mason reveals. "I’m keen to race in Februrary, too. I’ve never raced that last moth of the ‘cross season and there are loads of good races in there for me, so if I really want to show how good a ‘cross rider I am, I should be racing those races, and that’s pretty exciting, too."
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- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
- That is a very lazy way of putting it but so far on this website it seems like everyone is happy to look at everything lazily, even things that annoy them intensely. All they want to do is state their feeling and position but ask most to analyse a problem or come up with solutions or improvements and you’re stunned by silence. Nobody even really knows how this all happens. It’s very simple and quick to just say the UCI did it but I bet you they didn’t, I bet you not more than 2 people were involved, more likely just 1. The UCI may be ultimately responsible but it is not their decision, this is about hierarchy, power and delegation. The fact that protest is possible also means it isn’t over and that MORE people could get involved for a thorough review which could throw up anything. It is highly likely it was a sole commissar who decided and has that power in a first round. Therein might lie the problem the UCI has to consider, is it acceptable to give so much authority to one single person when it is quite possible for them to have a natural bias or be too easily susceptible to imposed bias. Who is to say an individual in this position isn’t susceptible to collaboration with outside players with interests in the results, nations, families, teams, betting companies, etc. On the one hand we have sports where these problems have been worked on way more to reduce such problems, on the other hand we have sports with far stricter and more draconian rules not even concerning safety or obstruction that nobody really questions like false starts or stepping out of lane or zones in athletics. If cycling hastowork on itself, it would be good if protagonists (all kinds) would start doing a little more than just moaning over outcomes.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- What a race! I didn't expect Vanthourenhout to collapse like that, and Wyseure did take the fight to Nys, but there was no doubt at the end. I also wonder what Aubin Sparfel would be capable of were he to race in the elites now. In the U23 ranks he is making good work of Giel Lejeune, who himself is among the better riders in the elites, and a top 10 contender in the big races (3rd at Kleebergcross, 8th at Berencross and 5th at Heerderstrand). In the French Cup, Sparfel is significantly better than Romain Debord (8th at Koppenbergcross and 10th at the Euros) and Rémi Lelandais (12th at Koppenbergcross and 19th at the Euros).
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
- Thibau Nys does exactly what Iserbyt is calling forRafionain-Glas08-11-2026
- i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
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🏆 European Championships Pontchâteau 🇪🇺 🥇 🇧🇪 Michael Vanthourenhout 🥈 🇬🇧 Cameron Mason 🥉 🇳🇱 Lars van der Haar 4 🇳🇱 Ronhaar 5 🇳🇱 Kamp 6 🇧🇪 Iserbyt 7 🇧🇪 L. Sweeck 8 🇧🇪 Vandeputte 9 🇪🇸 Orts Lloret 10 🇧🇪 Meeussen ➡️ Results: bit.ly/47kz0S4 #EuroCross23
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