Canterbury mountain biker Anton Cooper has his sights firmly set on the upcoming 2020 season, after a disappointing European circuit.
The two-time Commonwealth Games medallist is hoping for a breakout year, with the Tokyo Olympic Games right around the corner.
Cooper admits consistency has always been a problem, with only two podium finishes in Europe, but he’s confident he can perform when it most counts.
“That’s something I struggle with, and maybe I’ll never be able to grasp that, but maybe I’ll be an athlete that can hit form at the Olympics and at the World Champs and knock it out of the park from there," he said.
The pressure is mounting on Cooper ahead of the Games, as he looks to build on his practice runs, but the 25-year-old knows all too well the limited time he has to make his mark in the sport.
“This track in Tokyo is really savage!” he said.
“There are climbs which are well over 30% grunt and followed by a multi choice section where there's routes and two main rock gutters.
“You think there's a lot of chances, but in reality, there's limited opportunities. Maybe its another two or three Olympic chances, maybe not, who knows.”
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