Transfer to the Roodhooft brothers changed a lot for the versatile Mason: "2023 started anew for me"

Let's briefly go back to October 2023. Cyclocross Reds, one of the many cyclo-cross teams under Philip Roodhooft and Christoph Roodhooft, announced that 23-year-old Mason was joining their ranks. "I'm really excited to join Cyclocross Reds. To ride in one of the Belgian top teams with top riders, equipment, and knowledge has been my dream since I first traveled to Belgium as a junior," he said at the time. "Why this team? Because I think it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. It all happened very quickly. Other teams wanted me, but the combination of different disciplines they offer here was a huge plus," he explained at the time in a conversation with this website.

What followed was a wonderful period for Mason. The rider from Linlithgow managed to finish second at the European Cyclo-Cross Championships organized in Pontchâteau. It was a day when everything seemed destined for the cyclo-cross talent. The fact that he won silver the same weekend his maternal grandfather passed away was something beyond imagination. "This one is for my mom and also for my grandfather, who unfortunately passed away last Friday. I'm very happy I could do this for him," he said in early November. In Hulst, about a month and a half later, he still considers that silver medal at the European Championships his best performance of 2023. "Especially because I was really close to the jersey."

Mason is extremely pleased with his results this winter. "I'm very happy with my cyclo-cross season. I'm still learning a lot. That's partly why this season can be seen as a sort of transition for me. A lot has changed. I moved from being a Trinity rider to a member of one of the biggest cyclo-cross teams. Hopefully, I can continue to develop and achieve great results among the world's top riders in the future," he says ambitiously. What does he need to work on the most? "I especially need to ensure that I maximize my potential in every race. At the moment, my results are quite inconsistent. I've alternated very good races with very poor ones. So, more consistency in most races is key for me."

How far does Mason think he is from the absolute world top? "The gap to the top three is usually about a minute or two. I do believe it's a bridgeable gap and that a second, third, or fourth place is often achievable. If I can get closer to the absolute top and thus benefit from their tactics, that would simply be fantastic. Being the unnoticed one in the group in certain situations is cool," says the vegan cyclist, a topic that has recently garnered much attention.

In October, Mason switched to Cyclocross Reds for his cyclo-cross performances, and for his upcoming road appearances, he will represent the colors of the Alpecin-Deceuninck development team. "When I changed teams in October, it felt like 2023 started all over again for me. There's a life before and a life during and after Cyclocross Reds and Alpecin-Deceuninck. When I made the transfer, I knew it was going to be a big step in my life and career. But looking back now, it feels even bigger. Cyclo-cross remains my main focus, but with the Alpecin-Deceuninck development team, I'd like to explore a combination of road cycling and gravel," he shares.

Finally, when we ask Mason about his main short-term goal, he doesn't hesitate. "The World Cyclo-Cross Championships are now my top priority, although there are also some interesting races before that. The World Cup races in Zonhoven and Hoogerheide, for example. I've shown good things in other regularity classifications, but not really in the World Cup yet. So, achieving a good result there is also a goal."