More team transfer news,A�super fastA�junior riderA�Dean Lucas has joined a new team in timeA�for the upcoming international season, he was pretty stoked when we talked to him and rightly so! Here is what he had to say;
Hey Dean, congratulations on such a stellar season since returning fromA�overseas last year. You have just signed with a new team, can you tell us a bit about who you are riding for and how it came about:
No worries, I will be riding for Devinci Bikes,A�as well as being helped by SRAM International, Schwalbe, 100% Goggles, One Industries, Vans ShoesA�& Nigel from NS Dynamics is alsoA�helping me out. I have to thank Cory Wagstaff for helping sort out the deal, he was overseas and knew I was looking for some sponsorship and he talked to Gabe Fox at Devinci. The one day I got a random phone call from Cory saying Devinci were keen and it all went from there.
That sounds like a pretty good deal to us! They will be looking after you in Australia and abroad?
I am on a full factory deal for the Australian National Series/Championships as well as the VicDH Series, they will be also helping me out overseas where they can too.
The Devincia��s have got a lot of people talking, we know you have just got it butA�what is the bike like:
It’s reallyA�good, it works well over rougher stuff, the rear end is plush and the new Schwalbe tyresA�are gripping and rolling better. I feel more stable through theA�rough stuff, the better centre of gravity and bump compliance of the carbon help with this. The other good thing about the carbon is the light weight, it makes it a lot easier to throw around! It is the same bike anyone can buy too!
What are your plans between now and the World Championships in South Africa, which you have made the team to represent Australia at:
I am off to the Fort William World Cup in a few weeks with the rest of the juniors, following that is the ValA�di Sole World Cup the weekend after. I have raced both of those tracks before, with an injury and done alright so I am really hoping to do well at them this year. Then I will try and do as many World Cup races as I can, we will see. I haven’t ridden a lot with some of the guys on the team but David McMillan, Jack Moir and Connor Fearon are going to be at the races and I have ridden with them quite a lot so it should be good.
What are your goals for these races then:
At the World Cups I want to podium in the Junior category but still be competitive in Elite, so top 30 overall. For the World Champs I want to be right up there, a podium would be awesome butA�I want to win!
The UCI changed a few rules relating to juniors they will now get their own dedicated race class and podium at each race not just World Champs, what are your thoughts:
It is good and bad, it is good thatA�juniors get their own podium but at the same time juniors in the past like Troy Brosnan and Loic Bruni have got Elite podiums while still being juniors but this won’t be able to happen anymore!
What is your training plan for the year like, especially considering South Africa is known to suit those who can pedal well:
This year I am training with Joel Panozzo at Evolution Fitness Training, I haveA�started training programs he has written up for me, I am building up to peak at the World Champs.
Finally, who would you like to thank:
I would like to thank Devinci Bikes,A� SRAM International, Schwalbe, 100% Goggles, One Industries, Vans Shoes, Nigel from NS Dynamics and Joel Panozzo.
Well there you have it, we will be keeping tabs on Dean as he and the rest of the team head overseas real soon, obviouslyA�we wish them all the best of luck.
Images: Jason Stevens Photography.