DRAG Bluebird proved its mettle alongside the top names in cycling.
Young British talent Charley Calvert raced with legends Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish, Greg Van Avermaet at the Tour de Yorkshire with his DRAG Bluebird ER, fitted out with the new COX carbon wheels – Strato 40 Tubular!
Charley shared with us his feedback on the race and the performance of his DRAG bike.
Is this your first time competing at Tour de Yorkshire? Was this race more special for you?
- This was my first year competing in the TDY as I am only 19 (first year in U23 category). For me it was a really special race as I was riding with “world tour” professionals but also in my home country. It was great to be back!
What was your biggest challenge during the race?
- The hills on the third and fourth stage were really tough for me; I’m a bigger rider so I have to really work ok my climbing more than anything during training.
What was your role in the team strategy during TdY?
- I was riding to help the team get a result in the first and second stages in the sprint; helping Ethan Hayter on the first stage and Dan McLay on the second.
Did you perform according your expectations; are you happy with your performance?
- I’m happy with my performance as I wasn’t expecting any results, but I still managed a 20th and 19th place whilst helping other riders in the team.
What is your impression about the DRAG bike?
- The bike was great, it handles well and feels very aerodynamic in the wind- perfect for leading out the sprinter.
What’s the feeling competing alongside the best cyclists (The Champion of the 2016 Olympic games – Greg van Avermaet)?
- I felt nervous beforehand, knowing I was riding against such big names. However once I was on the start line of the first day it felt a lot more normal which was nice.
TDY is an international race, and is one of the biggest cycle races in the UK, an outstanding event in the international cycling calendar, with some of the top teams taking part.
The fifth edition of the men’s race took place between 2-5 May and has been upgraded to HC status by the UCI. It encompasses all corners of the county and visits more than 150 villages, towns and cities along the way.
It has 4 stages:
Stage 1 starts in Doncaster and finishes on Selby.
Stage 2 starts in Barnsley and finishes in Bedale.
Stage 3 starts in Bridlington and finishes in Scarborough.
Stage 4 starts in Halifax and finishes in Leeds.
The men’s course covered 617.5KM (384 miles).
