LUKE Barlow discovered mountain biking seven years ago, when he was a grade five student.<\/p>\n
By then he was already riding BMX, but his dad encouraged him to try this new sport, which he instantly loved.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said to dad, I want to do this every single day, so I started training,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPretty soon after, I did my first race, and I knew I wanted to be a professional mountain bike racer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barlow is a member of Club MUD, alongside his father, and said it\u2019s an \u201cincredible\u201d feeling to share his passion with a member of his immediate family.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad owns his own automotive business, so he\u2019s set up all of my bikes, and is the team mechanic.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s awesome to have him on the team, but now that I\u2019m 18 he says I owe him about one million shuttles,\u201d Barlow laughed.<\/p>\n
Recently, the young WestVic Academy of Sport athlete has also reached another milestone, being recruited by Team Cyclescape.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to be expanding the support I\u2019d been getting, because I\u2019d fallen behind after my third surgery.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was able to race at Mount Baw Baw at the Victorian Downhill Series earlier this year, and finished 12th, 10 weeks post-surgery, and that was a big blessing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt that race, Team Cyclescape said they were more than happy for me to come on the team because they were looking to expand the team more, gaining more riders and support.\u201d<\/p>\n
The team is a reasonably new one, known Victoria-wide, but its athletes hope it will soon become recognised nationally, and globally.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal is to race in Europe for the elite category of the 2023 World Cup Season,\u201d Barlow said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext year, I\u2019m aiming to travel around Australia to rack up enough points to get overseas and be amongst the fastest riders in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Throughout lockdown, Barlow has enjoyed getting out to train close to home at the Nerrina and Black Hill trails, but when he can, takes road-trips to Bright to practice on different terrain.<\/p>\n
Barlow\u2019s team sponsors are Cyclescape Ballarat, Trek Bikes Australia, Dharco Clothing, Maxxis Tyres, and KWT Imports, who support him with clothing and equipment supplies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LUKE Barlow discovered mountain biking seven years ago, when he was a grade five student. By then he was already riding BMX, but his dad encouraged him to try this new sport, which he instantly loved. \u201cI said to dad, I want to do this every single day, so I started training,\u201d he said. \u201cPretty […]<\/p>\n