Euan Mason will be part of the Zappi U-23 cycling team.
The team gives young riders coaching support and a race calendar to discover their potential.
“It’s a massive step up and an amazing opportunity.”
Mason has been competing in national secondary school road racing in the last few years and was getting ready to compete in the U-23 category next year.
He’s had his fair share of success since taking up competitive cycling about three and a half years ago, and has been regularly among the top 10 riders at various races.
His latest win, and first jersey triumph, was claiming the ‘king of the mountain’ classification at the Central Hawke’s Bay junior tour, which was in round three of the national road series.
“I was really stoked about that.”
Mason’s interest in cycling stemmed from participating in the Karapoti Classic mountain bike race after being encouraged by his uncle Andrew Lowe.
After that, he became “hooked” and quickly got into road cycling and doing extensive training, including cycling, running and gym work.
Promising young cyclist Euan Mason. Photo / David Haxton
In the last year, he joined the Cycling Tom Devo team and then the Fitlab team.
In a recent Kāpiti News interview, Mason said his goal for the short-term was to get into a U-23 team, either New Zealand Elite or Pro Continential, and “take the sport as far as I can”.
He finishes college at the end of October and will then take part in a composite team in the Tour of Southland after relinquishing his junior licence with Continental, which will be his “first big league race”.
Then, the main focus will be ramping up his training so he’s in tip-top shape when he arrives in Italy.
There are a few nerves, especially as he will be leaving his family for a long time, and although he will be looked after well by his new team, he will have to fend for himself a bit.
He will be engaging in various forms of fundraising and has launched a Givelittle page so he has money on-hand for various expenses.
