Drizners’ quest to win Moonta and Wallaroo rounds of Cycling SA’s Copper Cup this weekend
Rising stars Jessica Mundy and Jarrad Drizners reveal why this weekend’s Copper Cup is so huge for South Australia’s cycling fraternity.
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Copper Coast Cup fans may well get a glimpse of a future world star when Jarrad Drizners attempts to show why he’s been signed by arguably the world’s best road cycling development team.
Adelaide’s Drizners, 20, a former young Australian team pursuit squad member, has put away his track bike to concentrate on road cycling.
And he’s been rewarded by becoming a star of Cycling SA’s showcase Super Series and a contract with the Axeon team, run by Alex Merckx, son of cycling legend Eddy Merckx.
Ahead of his departure to join Axeon, Drizners is leading the National Road Series by 215 points, as part of the current No.1 team InForm TM Insight MAKE.
He is hot favourite to win Saturday’s Classic Hits 5CS Wallaroo road race, which features 16km of dirt roads.
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The under-23 Australian criterium champion is also expected to clean up the next day, as Moonta hosts the Magic FM criterium.
“I head over to Europe to do the full season next year with my new team from February,’’ Drizners said.
“I signed with Axeon two weeks ago and I’m hoping to be based in Girona in Spain.”
The allrounder is in good enough form to warrant a wildcard entry at January’s Santos Tour Down Under, after claiming the NRS Tour of the King Valley in North East Victoria last weekend.
“I seem to be climbing all right,’’ Drizners said.
“Last weekend was a good race for me and I’ve got a bit of a fast finish as well when I need it. I hope I can get the Tour Down Under wildcard.”
First, he will join about 300 riders taking part in the Copper Cup event, which also will feature Adelaide’s Jessica Mundy.
The 25-year-old Butterfields Racing Teal member sits 25th overall after two rounds of the Super Series.
Mundy has returned from racing in the US, where she was on the criterium circuit.
She is featuring in the women’s NRS and Cycling SA’s Super Series this season.
Mundy works part time as a first aid worker at sporting events and coaches SA’s track juniors at the SuperDrome as she studies for a Bachelor of Leisure and Health degree.
She’s looking forward to the Copper Coast adventure.
“Everyone is pretty much all friends and this weekend is pretty much a big one, where we all go away all together for two days of racing,’’ Mundy said.
“Everyone races hard and it’s nice to catch up with everyone too ”