"Seeing the progression through the weeks, that’s something I’m quite interested in" - 2023 is all about improvement for Oscar Onley

After progressing through the ranks with the Development Team DSM for the last two seasons, Oscar Onley is ready to make his WorldTour debut with Team DSM.

In discussion with Cyclingweekly, Oscar Onley shared his goals for the future, what his team expects from him, and how he initially became interested in professional cycling. “My mum used to watch the Tour on TV every year, and my first memories are from the 2010 race, watching Contador battling with Schleck. It was soon after that I started cycling, aged 10 or 11, with the Kelso Wheelers – there was a time trial that started almost outside my house. It progressed from there.”

The topic shifted to his training in the off-season. “I had two weeks completely off the bike and did a bit of running but then injured my ankle, so that didn’t last very long! Since then, over the last week or so, I’ve been riding the mountain bike – nothing structured, just messing about,” said Onley.

Onley's strong performance in the CRO race caught the attention of many as he competed closely with Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard and ultimately finished third in the overall standings. “I didn’t realise how big a deal it was – when you’re in the race, it’s just another rider. But the reaction from people afterwards, then you realise, OK, it was actually quite a big result and a big deal. It’s good for my confidence,” explains Onley.

Although he does not have a specific objective in mind at this time, he is determined to stay ready for any potential opportunities that may present themselves in the future. “Having a clear plan and seeing the progression through the weeks, that’s something I’m quite interested in. It’s not so much the numbers, just that feeling in the legs after getting in from a hard session, that’s what I enjoy,” concluded Onley.