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Welcome to Halo – Cameron Jeffers

23/08/23
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In 2023 we are happy to welcome Cameron Jeffers to the Halo team. An ex-pro cyclist from just outside Preston, Cameron has been on the start line of some impressive domestic races including the tour series. Alongside that, he has a successful YouTube channel that has documented life as a pro racer and other cool off-season adventures. We had a quick chat with Cameron to give you an insight into him and his journey as a cyclist.

For those who don’t know you, who are you?

I’m Cameron Jeffers, an elite level rider from the north of England. Based just south of Preston in the heart of the Northwest. I first started competitive cycling when I was 8, racing BMX until I was 15 when I made the switch to road cycling. I had always ridden road as training for BMX, but I started to enjoy training on the road more than racing BMX, so I made the move over.

Starting racing so young, you have probably had your fair share of wins. What’s the greatest win or success you have had in your racing career so far?

From the BMX days, it was wining some national series events. For road it was actually coming second at the Durham Tour series, a real stand out moment for me. Having won some local races, taking it to the next level of the tour series and coming second made me think, maybe I am actually alright at this sport. It was a tough race, Joey Walker took the win from a 5 man breakaway that took off on lap one. With a 400m cobbled climb it’s a tough course and Joey managed to stay away, even with me trying to chase him down on the last lap.

How long was it to go from Cat 4 to Elite. The question that all amateur riders want to know, what does it take?

I already had a good understanding of racing bikes from the BMX, knowing what it takes to win a race and how to read the race. I always had a decent sprint, again from BMX, so I knew if I could get to the end of a road race, I would be alright. My main issue was the length of effort and moving from short BMX races to 2 hour + road races, my body was cramping up and wasn’t used to the prolonged effort required. So, it probably took around 3 years to build up to a good level; I would say from the start of road racing to Elite level was about 4 years, not an overnight transition.

Cameron-Jeffers-portrait

"I have a couple of events lined up this year. It’s a different kind of motivation that keeps that competitive side of things without the ‘seriousness’ of road racing."

Last year saw the end of the domestic team you raced for – Ribble Weldtite. What was your team journey and favourite memories from that?

I started riding for a local club – Bill Nickson bike club. That was my local bike shop and Bill was an ex pro racer who used to race on world tours; he helped me out loads at the start and I raced under his shop name for the first year. Then I moved over to Cawley Cycles who had some great riders over the years; they allowed me to race on a national scale with support of kit and a bike, which was a big deal for me. Then I went over to the Elite team Saint Piran, a great elite team, and then over to Ribble-Weldtite for the last 2 years. After the team folded it made sense for me to take a step back from pro cycling.

In terms of you taking a step back from pro cycling, was it the Ribble-Weldtite team folding that make you decide to retire from pro cycling or was it something you were thinking about anyway?

It wasn’t something I was thinking about, but being an athlete and content creator, I saw it as an opportunity to spend more time creating content for my YouTube to spotlight my journey as a road cyclist and show that at a UK level that there is a lot more than the serious side of cycling. I still want to race and have elements of competitive cycling, but also be able to explore other disciplines of cycling and document those in videos.

Are there any goals or trips you want to do this year?

For sure, I have always wanted to give XC mountain biking a crack. Coming from BMX I am used to off-road terrain and from a road background I have the endurance, so combining the two was the logical next step. I have a couple of events lined up this year. It’s a different kind of motivation that keeps that competitive side of things without the ‘seriousness’ of road racing. I have an event planned in May, a stage race in Morocco that should be great. I am planning on creating a video series there, hopefully giving people a chance to experience my journey along the way and the preparation needed for this type of event.

Finally, has training changed for you now you’re not riding for a team?

Yeah, I am definitely training less. When I was on the team, I used to prioritise riding and everything came second to that. Whereas now I still need to be fit and training but it’s not the priority anymore. It’s still a balance of working on other projects and training, fitting it around my new schedules. I think it’s much easier now with the use of smart trainers and easy training programs; it’s something you can fit in a lot easier than ever before.

Rapid Fire

Favourite rider?

Peter Sagan.

When you go to the garage, what bike do you reach for first?

Has to be road.

If you could re-ride/race one race in your career which one would it be?

The Ras 2018, an 8-day stage race in Ireland. An incredible 8 days of racing and riding with mates. Ras Tailteann

Favourite climb or mountain pass of all time?

Alpe d’huez. The history, the views, the terrain.

Longest ride?

150 Miles, in 2020 I threw a dart at a map and rode there. It landed on Devon.
Throwing a Dart at a Map and Cycling to WHEREVER it Lands. – YouTube

Cheers Cameron, we look forward to sharing in some of your adventures in 2023.

To see what Cameron gets up to, make sure you subscribe to his YouTube channel and keep an eye on our Strava page for the latest news and updates form the whole Halo team.