Manx Viking Wheelers cyclist Callum Salisbury enjoyed an impressive weekend racing in Denmark recently. 

The 18-year-old was competing in the GP Herning, a 180-kilometre UCI one-day event that takes in a mix of road and gravel, similar to some of the spring classics.  

Conditions were hot and dusty, and there was a crash mid-race on one of the long narrow gravel sectors which split the peloton. 

This meant that the second group had to ride really hard to catch back up, as Callum explained afterwards: ‘We did get back on to the front group, but by then I was tiring from the effort and got dropped just before reaching the finishing circuits.’ 

Disappointingly, riders off the back were then pulled at Herning so Salisbury was listed as a non-finisher, along with half the field. The winner was Rasmus Pedersen (Denmark). 

The 200km Fyen Rundt UCI one-day race took place the following day which meant very little in the way of recovery time. 

It was hot for the first half but thunderstorms then hit, with riders facing torrential rain for the second half.  

‘It was real full gas, with the big teams like Lidl-Trek and the Danish riding in formation, drilling it on the front. 

‘We got to the finishing circuits and there was a lot of attacking on a small climb, so the pace was really high and I couldn't really go any harder, but at least I got a finish.’ 

Salisbury finished 94th of the 152 starters, five minutes down on winner Lasse Norman Leth (Co:Play Giant), with the Manx cyclist producing an average speed of 42km/hr through. 

As a MVW member Callum received some financial support towards this trip, demonstrating the club’s commitment to pushing Manx cyclists to go further.