Lockdown hobby for young Cork man leads to world series biking challenge

WHAT started as a lockdown hobby for a young Cork man will now see him competing internationally in a mountain bike world series.

Jamie O’Callaghan, 20, switched from motocross to mountain biking in 2020 and hasn’t looked back since.

“It was during the first lockdown in covid. I was into motocross beforehand, and a lot of the tracks weren’t able to run during covid so I just started cycling in the woods,” he told The Echo. 

“I was just trying to pass some time, but it turned out that I really liked it and I just kept at it after that and gave up the motocross and went full into the mountain biking.”

This summer he will be travelling to Switzerland to compete in an enduro round of the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series.

“It’s my first time going abroad doing a bigger race like this,” Mr O’Callaghan explained.

“My buddy Sean, who I actually got into mountain biking with, he’s going to be joining me.

“We’re heading over together. I know there’s a few guys around Ireland as well that might be heading over, but from Cork I think it’s just me and Sean at the moment.”

The journey to Switzerland this July will be an adventure in and of itself for the Grange-based athlete who is the current downhill rep for Mountain Bike Club Cork (MBCC).

“We’re going to drive over in the campervan because we have our campervan converted into a race set up,” he explained.

“We have our garage in the back and everything, so we’re going to get the ferry over and drive across France.”

In preparation for the event, Mr O’Callaghan has been focusing on multiple weekly strength and conditioning sessions in the gym as well as cycling 50 to 100-plus km on a weekly basis.

He paid tribute to his family for their support in the lead-up to the competition.

“My dad’s been literally the best person in the world. He brings me around training every weekend and he’s coming over with us to France as well.

“My mom’s the same. They’re more than helpful.

“My grandparents and everything are into it, and they love that I’m doing it,” he said.

“The Edge Sports Superstore on the Kinsale Road, they’re helping me a lot with training and my bike sponsorship was through them and Merida Bicycles.”