Tom Pidcock’s natural cyclocross successor has found the final piece of the puzzle: 'I’ve now crossed that threshold'

In an in-depth interview with Cyclingnews, Mason says that his victory at the Jaarmarktcross in Niel on Wednesday could mark a breakthrough.

In recent years, Mason had regularly been among the best in cyclocross, but aside from a few British cyclocross titles, he had never won a real cyclocross race in the elite men’s category.

“I didn’t celebrate too hard, because it took quite a while, after all. It wasn’t really a surprise—more of a feeling of ‘finally’ and ‘I told you so.’ I was able to show people what I’ve believed I could do for years.”

Of course, the victory brings a sense of relief, after Mason had been chasing it for five years.

“I enjoyed putting the pieces together every year. At first, it was about earning a contract; then it was about finishing on the podium; and now it’s about winning a race. The difference between finishing second and winning is enormous—both mentally and physically. I’ve now crossed that threshold, though I’m not really sure what I’ve learned from it.”

We’ll have to wait and see in the upcoming cyclocross races. Will Mason give us the “ketchup bottle” story? He already felt he could win at the European Championships, but then messed up his start.

The victory in Niel came at just the right time, because Mason also knows: “In cyclocross, there’s always a race, and you can’t really plan your season in phases. Thibau Nys is here now, and maybe Mathieu van der Poel is still to come… Setting a goal is really tough.”

And so Mason wants to make the most of it now that he’s clearly in better shape than ever.

“I didn’t really plan to be in good form right now—it just happens. I’ve known since Middelkerke that I’m back to my best physically, technically, and tactically, and from there it was just a matter of waiting—including for some rain,” said the Scot, who rides best in tough conditions.

“If the pace slows down a bit, that works to my advantage.”

Mason is convinced, however, that the course doesn’t matter much in its current form, with the fast European Championships serving as the best proof.

“My main goal right now is to stay consistent; it’s realistic to keep aiming for a win. The mental pressure will be off a bit now, so hopefully I can turn that into confidence and maintain this form for as long as possible.”

Or, as he so aptly puts it: “The next piece of the puzzle is winning against different competition, under different circumstances, and perhaps with different legs.”