Richards rests up for world titles

Thomas Richards is enjoying a short break at home before finalising his preparations for the world championships.

Sarah Harvey

WORLD titles bound Ipswich cyclist Thomas Richards rarely slows down when it comes to his favourite sport.

However, the dedicated teenager is planning a quiet weekend at home before heading to Europe on his way to next month's world championships.

“I'll certainly be doing some riding but there will be a fair bit of relaxing just before I go,” Silkstone-based Richards said yesterday preparing to fly out on Monday.

“Rest is one of the most important things in sport, as part of your recovery.”

Richards, 17, is gearing up to represent Australia in the under-19 road race at the world titles in Moscow.

He's also in line for the time trial, depending on his lead-up form in Italy and Luxembourg over the next five weeks.

“We have a training camp and a lot of big races over there before the world championships,” Richards said.

“In Luxembourg, we have a World Cup event, which is huge.

“That's the big one. All the other races are tours in Italy.”

The tenacious rider has recovered from a broken wrist and has just returned from a five-day Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) training camp in Bright, Victoria.

“You come off feeling fit as,” he said, having tackled the testing terrain around Mt Buffalo.

“We had long hours in the saddle, training four or five hours on the bike every day, which was pretty hard over all the massive hills.

“My wrist is all healed. I've had a good preparation leading up to this.”

Richards will be one of six AIS riders based in Varese, near Milan, during the next month.

He won a major race in Boston in his first overseas trip to the United States last year.

However, he expects his time in Europe to be more challenging.

“Italy is like the biggest country in the world for bikes,” he said, keen to tackle the country's road races up to 140km.

“The courses are certainly very tough. A lot of awesome riders will be there.”

Richards is excited about representing Australia.

“Overall, I'm just hoping to get a lot of experience overseas,” he said, keen to race in Europe next year or in 2011.

“I'm looking for some good results.”