A rider could get a reputation after winning two King of the Mountains competitions in UCI Stage races and that’s fine for Plymouth’s Jon Tiernan-Locke, who says the hillier a race is the better.
Jon won the King of the Mountains competitions at the 2011 Tour of Britain as well as in the Vuelta a León. Jon also won the Ryedale Grand Prix in North Yorkshire in 2011 and for 2012, changes kit to wear the Endura Equipe clothing to ride for Endura Racing.
For a rider who’s favourite food is cake and who loves nothing more than racing fast on a motorbike, Jon’s speciality is going uphill, fast.
VeloUK spoke to Jon at the Endura Racing launch and he admits after a long winter of training, he can’t wait for the racing to start.
Based down south in Devon, Jon says on his profile on the Endura Racing website that his favourite roads are “anywhere over Dartmoor or over the South Hams Coast Road.â€
Looking back at the winter, and his training over these roads, he explained “it’s been warmer down where I am but wet. I started off pretty early so didn’t have much of an off season and I did lots and lots of miles.â€
“To be honest, the last few weeks I’ve backed it off so I don’t peak too soon. I’ve just been doing less work and more specific stuff. I can’t wait to get started and the motivation is right there. I’m kind of bored training at home right now and I just want to get together with my teammates and get out and do some hard work and get ready to race.â€
Looking back at the success he had in 2011, Jon admits he had to step up and take the opportunities when they presented themselves. “ I took my racing more seriously when I went to Rapha and last year I had to make the most of the opportunities despite the race programme not always being great for me.â€
Chased by Steve Cummings, Jon Lock leads the Tour of Britain up Caerphilly Mountain in last year’s Tour of Britain.
“I got in touch with Brian (Smith) after the Tour of Britain and it was a pretty easy decision to come to (joining Endura Racing). I know it’s a hard market for riders trying to find teams so I was grateful to be getting a ride, let alone something decent.â€
Endura Racing, the second biggest team behind Team Sky from Britain, have an ambitious race programme, supporting the highest level races they get invites to in Europe as well as the top races in Britain.
I asked Jon was the European programme for Endura Racing something that helped motivate him to move to the team? “Definitely. The only reason for me to move on was for a better programme. I know the career is not going to last forever so I want to get to ride better races and try and progress when I can and I saw this as that opportunity.â€
A podium place for Jon as he wins the 2011 King of the Mountains in the Tour of Britain.
Jon’s early season race programme is a mixture of competing against WorldTour teams in France as well as reliving past victories in races such as the Jock Wadley (Essex). Of the ten races in his provisional race programme so far on the team website, six events are in Europe.
It begins after the training camp with the four day Tour of the Med and then the two day Haut Var. Having raced in France, Jon admits to knowing the roads in the area and six years ago rode and won the amateur/Under 23 version of Haut Var.
Jon says doing well at the start of the season is a big goal, to help the team make a good impression in the races it rides to help them with future invites to the bigger races. “With the Tour of the Med and Haut Var, these are races that are going to suit me. I hope to have a good individual performance in them as well as a helping the team.â€
Another event he should do well in is the British Road Race championships held on the rolling roads of Ryedale where he won last year and with a strong team packed with riders all capable of winning including former champion Russell Downing, that is one race where the team will have a challenge to take on and beat the might of Sky.
Good luck to Jon in France.
Jon wins the Ryedale Grand Prix in 2011.
Interviews from VeloUK
- Q&A: Killian O’Brien – third in the Junior Tour of Wales
- Feature: Road to Bolivian National Cycling Champs 2024
- Q&A: Charlie Abraham (Lee Valley Youth Junior Cycling Team)
- Quiz Time: Arianne Holland (Alba Development Road Team)
- Quiz Time: Sam Shepard (trainSharp Orro)
- Quiz Time: Beth Morrow (Alba Development Road Team)
- Quiz Time: Harrison Dainty (Fensham Howes – MAS Design)
- Quiz Time! Toby Bush (Fensham Howes – MAS Design)
- Quiz Time! Matt Webster (trainSharp Orro Elite Team)
- Quiz Time! Daisy Barnes (Alba Development Road Team)
- Quiz Time! Ollie Peckover (trainSharp Orro Elite Team)
- Quiz Time! Tim Torrie (trainSharp Orro Elite Team)
- Quiz Time! Paul Stewart (Cat E Racer!)
- Quiz Time! Luca Bednarek (FH Redbrick MAS Junior)
- Quiz Time! Seb Grindley (Fensham Howes MAS Design)
- Quiz Time! Eilidh Shaw (Alba Development Road Team)
- BMCR Quiz Time! Paul Allen
- Quiz Time! Millie Skinner (Alba Development Road Team)
- Quiz Time! Keira Bond (Alba Development Road Team)
- Q&A: Emma Matthews (Alba Development Road Team)
- Classic Q&A: Junior CiCLE Winner – Ben Marsh
- Q&A: Matt Ellmore (Prologue Racing Team)
- BMCR Q&A: Roy Chamberlain
- Q&A: Nathan Smith (Prologue Racing Team)
- Q&A: Callum Watson (Prologue Race Team)
- Q&A: Oliver Seargent (Prologue Racing Team)
- Q&A: Joe Turnbull (Team Prologue)
- BMCR Q&A – Lesley Wilkinson
- Q&A Sam Watson (FDJ – World Tour)
- Q&A: Thomas Portsmouth (Bingoal WB)
- Q&A: Quiz time with Gemma Mitchell
- Q&A: World Grand Fondo Champion Mary Wilkinson!
- Feature: Harry Hudson Q&A
- Feature: Q&A with Cormac Nisbet
- Q&A Feature: Finlay Tarling
- Feature Q&A: Max Cushway (2nd U23 Chrono des Nations TT)
- Q&A: Daisy Barnes (Alba Dev Team)
- Q&A: Sarah King (LDN Academy)
- Q&A: Sophie Enever (Alba Road Team)
- Q&A: Evie White (Alba Road Dev Team)
- Q&A with young organiser James Hawkins
- Q&A: Erin Murphy (Alba Dev Road Team)
- Q&A: Sophie Lankford (Alba Team)
- Team Feature: Sam Watson’s Journey to WorldTour
- Q&A: Vicky Smith (Alba Development Road Team)
- Interview: Cameron Mason
- THE BIG INTERVIEW: LEWIS ASKEY
- Quiz time! Eliot Ward (INFLITE)
- Quiz Time! Maddie Gammons (Saint Piran)
- Quiz time! Erin Murphy (Alba Road Team)
- Result: Rachel Galler (Saint Piran)
- Quiz Time: Arianne Holland
- Quiz time: Lucia Bruton (Saint Piran)
- Quiz time: Corinne Side
- Quiz Time: Emma Smith (Alba Development Road Team)
- Quiz Time: Gwenno Hughes (Saint Piran)
- Quiz Time Sian Botteley (Brother UK/Team LDN)
- Quiz Time! Emily Chilton (Saint Piran)
- Quiz Time! Kate Richardson (Alba Development RT)
- Quiz Time! Hannah Bayes (Saint Piran)
- Quiz Time! Millie Skinner
- Feature: Lewis Askey Interview
- Q&A: Gemma Sargent (Saint Piran)
- Feature: Ben Swift on Champs Win
- Q&A: Bexy Dew
- Q&A: Beth Maciver
- Q&A: Christina Wiejak (Saint Piran)
- Q&A: Sophie Lankford (Alba Dev RT)
- Q&A: Isabel Darvill
- Q & A: Amy Gornall
- Feature Interview: Gabz Cullaigh (Saint Piran)
- Q&A: Charlotte Berry (Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjeldsen)
- Q&A: Sophie Enever (Alba Development Road Team 2022)
- Rides of the Year: Jo Tindley (Crit Champ)
- Feature Interview: Anna Kay
- Q&A: Lucy Ellmore
- Q&A: Victoria Smith (Alba DRT)
- Feature Q&A: Morgan Bown
- Feature interview: Harry Tanfield
- Feature: Stuart Balfour (new Ribble Weldtite Signing)
- Feature Interview: Lucas Towers
- Feature: Alice Towers in Women’s Tour
- Feature Interview: Steve Lampier (Saint Piran)
- CiCLE Classic – The Last Winner Emily Nelson
- Q&A: George Mills-Keeling (AVC Aix En Provence)
- Interview: James Shaw (Ribble Weldtite)
- Interview Sonja Harper (Otley Crits Organiser)
- Interview: Connor Swift and that TroBro Victory
- Q&A: Winner Toby Perry
- Feature: John Archibald (Eolo Kometa)
- Dylan Groenewegen come back in Giro
- Interview: Alice Towers
- Interview Connor Swift – Classics Rider
- Interview: Chris McNamara
- Feature Interview: Joey Walker
- Feature: Alice Towers
- Q&A: Josh Brown (Tofauti Everyone Active)
- Q&A: Domini Radway-Fatuga (16)
- Feature Interview: Jack Rees (Ribble Weldtite)
- Interview: John Archibald
- Feature Interview: Alexandar Richardson (Alpecin-Fenix)
- Q&A: Martha Lebentz (Team Tofauti Everyone Active)
- Interview: Sean Yates (Eolo Kometa)
- Feature Interview: Andy Smallwood (Ribble Cycles MD)
- Q&A: Jake Crossley (Tofauti Everyone Active)
- Feature: Connor Swift (Arkea Samsic)
- News: Harry Tanfield (Qhubeka ASSOS)
- Feature: Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ)
- Interview: Matt Holmes (Lotto Soudal)
- Feature: Bob Varney (Drops Cycling)
- Feature Interview: Tim Elverson (Canyon DHB Sungod)
- Feature Interview: Imani Pereira-James
- Q&A: Lauren Creamer racing for LVIV in 2021
- Feature: Brother UK/LDN Women’s Team
- Feature: Brother UK/Cycle Team OnForm (Men)
- Feature Interview: Ian Watson (Brother UK-LDN)
- Feature: Ribble Weldtite 2021
- Interview: April Tacey (eRacer of the Year)
- Interview: Joe Sutton heading to France
- Feature Interview: Toby Barnes
- Feature Interview: Georgia Bullard
- Feature Interview: Jake Stewart (FDJ World Tour)
- The Way Ahead: Phil Jones MBE & a commercial perspective
- Feature Interview: Giles Pidcock
- Interview: Richard Williamson (Velo 29)
- Interview: Mark Christian (new at Eolo-Kometa)
- Interview: CX Star Ben Turner
- Feature Interview: Fiona Turnbull
- Feature Interview: Sean Yates
- Interview: U23 Alice Towers to ride for Drops Team
- The BIG Interview: Alex Dowsett (Double Giro Stage winner)
- Women’s Team 2021 – Saint Piran
- Feature: Women’s National RR Series
- Feature Interview: Erik Rowsell
- Interview: Freddie Scheske
- The BIG Interview: Harry Tanfield (Ribble Weldtite)
- Interview: Matt Holmes (Lotto Soudal)
- Interview: Multiple TT Champion John Archibald
- Feature: Dean Downing – Lifelong learner
- Interview: Andrew Feather (Hill Climb Champion)
- Interview: Bithja Jones (Hill Climb Champion)
- Interview: TT Champion Emily Meakin
- The Big Interview: Connor Swift (Arkéa–Samsic)
- Feature Q&A: Jake Hales (Spirit Tifosi BSS Rotor)
- Rider chat: Stephen Bradbury (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK)
- Feature: Dean Downing In-Depth Part 5
- Feature: Project Speed TT Bike
- Feature: Dean Downing In-Depth Part 4
- Feature: Dean Downing In-Depth part 3
- Future Stars: April Tacey
- News: Adam Wild’s Record Attempt
- Feature: Dean Downing In-depth Pt 2
- Freddie Scheske (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK)
- Lockdown Q&A: David Bolland (Spirit Tifosi BSS Rotor)
- Feature: Dean Downing In-depth
- Belgium Experience for Jonny, Lucas & Devin
- Adam Kenway Looking Forward to Hill Climb Season
- Best of Moments: TT Legend Matt Bottrill
- Feature: April Tacey (vTDF Stage winner)
- Feature Interview: Joss Lowden
- Feature Interview: Connor Swift (Arkéa-Samsic)
- Best of Memories: Caitlin Peters
- Feature Interview: Joey Walker on Crits
- Feature Q&A: Leah Dixon (Womens VTour winner)
- Feature Q&A: Rupert Graham (Spirit Tifosi BSS Rotor)
- Feature Interview: Alex Richardson
- Feature Q&A: Zac Herrod
- Feature Interview: Harry Tanfield (AG2RLM Pro Cycling Team)
- Best of Memories: Lucy van der Haar (nee Garner)
- Best of Memories: Gold for Barney Storey
- Best of Memories: Gruff Lewis
- Feature Interview: William Fotheringham
- Feature: Steve Lampier (Ribble Weldtite)
- Best of Memories: CX Stars
- Best of Memories: Colin Clews
- Best of Moments: Phil Jones MBE
- eRacing Q&A: Team Power Dropouts
- Best of Memories: Ian Wilkinson (aka Superman)
- E-Racing: Alistair Thomas (Crimson Performance)
- Feature: Everesting with Vitus Pro Cycling
- Best of Memories: John Pierce
- Best of Moments: Gordon McCauley (NZ)
- E-Racing Lockdown Q&A: Oliver Peckover
- Best of Memories: Rebecca Richardson
- Best of Memories: Neil Martin
- Lockdown Q&A: Maura Claffey
- E-Racing Q&A: Rebecca Dawes (RFDA cycling team)
- E-Racing Q&A: Paul Moss
- Lockdown Q&A: Tom Wright (Brother UK/Onform)
- Best of Memories: Tom Murray (Minty)
- E-Racing: Sharon Bird (Edinburgh)
- Lockdown Q&A: Bailey Wilmot (Brother UK/Onform)
- E-Racing Q&A: George Mills-Keeling (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling)
- Best of Moments: Anna Kay (CX Star)
- Lockdown Q&A: Bryn Richards (Brother UK/Onform)
- Best of Memories: Steve Joughin (Pro Vision Clothing)
- E-Racing Q&A: Gavin Dempster
- Lockdown Q&As: Ieuan Woods (Team Brother UK-OnForm)
- The Best of Memories: Doug Holland
- E-Racing Q & A: Lance Childs