Edinburgh Monarchs have signed Kyle Bickley, a well-known figure on the northern circuit at Championship level, to join Josh Pickering in the line-up for next season.
The 20-year-old (pictured) has ridden for Glasgow, Berwick, Workington and Redcar he feels Monarchs have got a bargain as he joins on a sub three-point average.
The rider said: “I have spoken to the club in the past, I think at the end of 2019/beginning of 2020, but, unfortunately, at the time, it didn’t pan out and I went to Berwick but I think now it is a good time for me and a good time for Edinburgh to bring me on board.
“I am happy and, for the rider I know I can be, I think my average is a steal. I have had a bit of time to kind of reset myself, get back to basics, start a fresh with no pressure and I know what I can do. Now, I am looking forward to going out there and doing my job.”
A quick look at his Armadale record, with a near 4.5 point average, shows that a starting average around 1.5 points below that only leaves scope for improvement.
The Whitehaven-born racer is looking to make his new home track his own as he reflects on his Armadale record and said: “It is crazy as I think I came twice with Berwick and never did very well and the same when I was with Workington, but when I was with Glasgow or wherever I guested there I always went well.
“I have a paid 12 as my highest score. I have always liked Armadale, maybe in the past it was prepared as a home track and it wasn’t the easiest as an away rider, but it is a track I enjoy, especially the last few years.
“Now it will be my home track I can really get used to it and score the seven and eight points a week I am aiming for.”
The 2018 league winner is hoping this can be the start of a prosperous spell and said: “Edinburgh is somewhere I feel I can progress and somewhere I feel I can put a base down and go and score points every week and help me develop.
“I have never actually finished two seasons at one club. Obviously, Workington closed down, Glasgow I didn’t fit with my average then COVID happened and, at Berwick last year, it just didn’t work out.
“So, for me, it is important to do a couple of seasons at the same track, and I think Edinburgh can be that club. I am experienced for where I will be in the team, and I think that can help both home and away. So, first I am looking to get dialled in at Armadale, getting in with the rest of the boys and going from there.”
Experience could be the key thing for Bickley in 2023, with the lowering of the team building average all of the completed teams so far have at least one two-point newcomer or relative newcomer to the league.
Slotting in as the lowest average rider in the Monarchs line-up, Bickley is expecting this will give him an advantage, and he said: “I struggled with various different things (last year), but I am confident for this year. That experience can only make me better whereas some of the young guys won’t have gone through that before.
“I think I am worth at least a point to a point and a half more. I view myself as more of a four or five-pointer. I have been to all the tracks before so that can only help me and I can’t wait to get started.”
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