Glenn McCormick relishing future challenges

New bikes and new challenges await the 24-year-old from Glenoe.

Riding the all-new FC 250 Husqvarna in the ACU British and MX National championships, McCormick believes he has unfinished business, something he plans to rectify this year.

“The main focus will be the British and MX Nationals in 2020,” he said. “We made a big step last year and I’m looking to build on that in 2020.”

In 2019 his best result in the British Championship was sixth at his home round in Desertmartin.

“Yeah that was my best result and I definitely want to improve on that,” he said. “I know I am better than that and I plan to show how much better as the year progresses.”

Last year saw him wrap up the Ulster MX2 title at Desertmartin but a last-minute decision to race at the Dublin City motocross meeting resulted in a fractured pelvis after a big crash in the final race.

Not the way to celebrate Christmas - but after the initial recovery time, the gritty Glenoe rider knuckled down to preparations for the new season, training with Emma McQuaid.

“I haven’t done as much riding as normal leading in to the new season but the winter training programme with Emma, the 20th fittest woman in the world and Ireland’s fittest, has been going really good,” he said. “It’s really interesting training as it lets you see different sides of other sports and how it opens up and relates into my sport.”

The one big change for 2020 is a decision to move up into the MX1 class on the 450 Unique Fit Out Husqvarna for his domestic racing.

It won’t be a massive change as at the final round of the Ulster Championship he rode the 450 and won on it first time out. In fact it was the same machine that he rode to overall victory at the Portrush Beach Races at the end of 2019.

“I had wrapped up the Ulster MX2 Championship with one race to go and decided to jump on the 450 for the last race,” he said. “The bike was a couple of years old but I really gelled with the track that day and was able to do what I wanted with the bike, which was a nice feeling and to win on it with so little bike time was pretty cool.

“At the beach races I think I won five out of six so it was certainly a good few weeks and great fun to try something new at the end of a tough season.

“It is the premier class of the sport and it’s the class everyone wants to be the best in.”

His first race of 2020 will be on March 15 at the ACU British Championships meeting at Little Silver in Exeter - and with two major British races at his home track at Desertmartin he is looking forward to the challenge.

“It will be good to have the main British competitors coming to race in our back yard,” he said. “Everyone loves Desertmartin and especially with the MX Nationals coming it will be extra special, with the kids racing at the same meeting as the adults.

“It will be good for spectators and might encourage some of our younger riders to take part. Hopefully, it will lift the sport at home.”