RETURNING to the track for competitive cycle speedway racing was definitely not on the cards for Mount Gambier’s Elliott Jones after he retired from the sport many years ago.
After competing in speedway cycling and representing England and Scotland in the past, Elliott will now pull on a green and gold jersey as part of the Australian veterans world cup squad.
Initially, Elliott had no intentions of returning to the track, but a late night text message changed everything.
“I was kicking back on the couch one night in July when I received a text message from a friend notifying me of the upcoming world cup veterans event to be held in Adelaide later in the year,” he said.
“They asked me if I would consider coming out of retirement to try out for the Australian team.”
Elliott rode for Scotland throughout his racing career and said his current residency situation made him eligible to ride for Australia.
“If Scotland was coming over to compete in the event I would have to race with them, but they aren’t, which means I can ride for Australia,” he said.
“I have a permanent residency, a business and a young family here in Mount Gambier – it’s home.”
Apart from a few charity events, Elliott has not been on a bicycle for 10 years.
His last competitive ride was in 2005 when he toured Australia with the Scottish team.
It was during this time he met his wife Jacinta.
“When I look back over the years, the first time I came to Australia was on tour in 2005 and without the sport I wouldn’t have met my wife,” Elliott said.
“The silly sport that it is gave me the opportunity to call Australia home and for that I am forever grateful.”
After riding from St Kilda to Adelaide as part of Team Sandee in the Leukaemia Foundation’s Ride As One charity event, it took him two months to fully recover.
“We finished that massive ride in the second week of May and it took me until July to even walk straight,” he said.
This made Elliott’s return to competitive racing a major challenge.
He said going into the team selection process was a whole new experience this time around.
“It took me a long while to even think about getting back in the saddle, but I said I would come up to Adelaide for the training session and have a crack,” Elliott said.
“I said to them if I was off the pace there was no chance I would consider it, but after our first session it was clear I was doing alright.
“Cycle speedway is such an intense and demanding sport you have to be exclusively fit for about 45 seconds.”
Elliott went to Adelaide for training five weekends in a row until the squad was selected and he made the final cut.
“For 10 years off a bike, I was pretty surprised to make the team, but was also a little disappointed in my performance because I thought I would have been faster,” he said.
He said his approach to the sport 10 years on was wildly different.
“I used to have a bit of a reputation back in my peak, so I have tried to fly under the radar this time around,” Elliott said.
“In 2005 I had a punch-up on the green with another rider who ripped by shirt and we really got stuck into each other.
“It was all just heat of the moment stuff and we laughed about it afterwards.
“The beauty is nobody knows me so I can keep a low profile and just race.”
The 45-year-old said the world cup would be his “last hurrah” in cycle speedway racing.
“This is it for me, some guys are still doing it at 50, but that won’t be me, because if you come off the bike and get hurt it is not worth it,” Elliott said.
“My team at Blue Lake Homes has an internal bet I will be in hospital before the end of November, but let’s hope not.
“This is the last chance for us old boys to get out on the track and show what we are capable of and I am looking forward to it.
“I don’t know of another rider who has represented three countries, so that will be something to be proud of.”
He said his main goal was to cross the line with pride.
“If I can get in the top three scorers of the squad that would be great,” Elliott said.
“I have obviously left it too late to set the world alight, but I think I can probably finish in the top four of the squad.
“The ultimate will be crossing the line in my Australian jersey and getting a photograph with my two kids, that will be the bow out for me.
“I have only a few weeks left to pull a rabbit out of a hat, so we will see what happens.”
Since he started racing at age 13, Elliott has made connections with riders from across the globe.
“It is a unique sport where people do keep in contact for a long time, some of the guys coming out for the cup I have known since I was 13,” he said.
“The event will provide some of us old guys with a chance to reunite and touch base.
“The sport kept me out of trouble for a lot of years and I have probably done more good on a bike than anywhere else – so this is it.”
