Ballito cyclist Josh Paul (17) recently secured a bronze medal in Croatia, capping a strong debut European campaign against top junior international competition.

The Ashton International College Ballito Grade 12 rider targeted events in Eastern Europe to try and earn ranking points for the upcoming Olympic Cross-country (XCO) World Championships in Italy in August.

Racing for Ballito’s Drivetrain Academy team, Josh competed against top junior men across two events in late March.

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At the Serbia Epic XCO Series in Andrevlje on March 22, Josh faced off against 39 riders from 15 countries and delivered top-eight finishes in all four races.

A week later, on March 29, he produced his best performance against a field of 44 riders to claim a bronze medal in the XCO Lošinj event in Mali Lošinj, Croatia.

Points from these races play a crucial role in determining starting positions at major international events.

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“Racing in Europe for the first time was an amazing experience,” said Josh.

“The new courses and venues made it even more exciting. Competing against riders I don’t face at home and lining up in much bigger fields really pushed me.”

For South African riders, European campaigns offer both international racing experience and a chance to accumulate points in quick succession.

“Croatia rocks – it was such a cool track to race!” he added.

“The cold snap and snow across Europe were a shock to the system. I definitely prefer racing in the heat.”