Liam Phillips admits the Papendal track is very different to the one in Manchester – but that isn’t stopping him from aiming high this weekend.
Phillips kicked off his BMX Supercross World Cup campaign in style last time out by storming to victory in the opening round in Manchester – following wins at the National Cycling Centre in 2013 and 2014.
Next up is a trip to Arnhem, the expansive track offering a different challenge compared to the tight course in Manchester.
But despite the differences, Phillips is eager to pick up where he left off, especially with Rio 2016 Olympic qualification points up for grabs.
“I’m feeling really good, it’s fantastic to come off the back of such a strong performance at the opening round in Manchester,” the 26-year-old, who finished third at Papendal last year, told British Cycling.
“I’m excited to go to Papendal and try and recreate that same level of performance.
“It’s different. Manchester is a track I train on and am familiar with but I’ve raced Papendal a few times now and I’m looking forward to going there and trying to perform as best I can.
“Papendal is certainly a difficult track. It’s big, it’s wide open but over the last couple of years I have grown to really like it.
“It is certainly a challenge but last year was certainly very difficult with the weather conditions and I just hope that this year we get a bit of a break with the weather and we can enjoy some racing in the sunshine.
“If the weather is as bad as last year I hope I am able to manage it as well as I did in 2014.”
© Sportsbeat 2015