Jack Burke: 'My call to join the WorldTour is serious'

CycloWorld spoke with two-time Ötztaler Radmarathon (ORM) winner Jack Burke. Jack has been a continental pro rider with several teams, including Leopard Pro Cycling, Team Vorarlberg Santic, and most recently Union Raiffeisen Radteam Tirol. He has recently made headlines after posting KOMs on the Stelvio and Mortirolo climbs on Strava and expressing his desire for a pro contract. As the cherry on top, on the day of this interview, he just posted another famous KOM on Strava, this time on Alpe d’Huez—and that in November while riding in warmer clothes.

Photo: Burke won the ORM for the second time this season.

You just posted yet another KOM on Strava, this time on Alpe d’Huez. But this KOM was done in November, before your Mortirolo KOM. How come you posted them in reverse order?

"The Alpe d’Huez KOM was indeed done earlier, but I was not allowed to talk about it yet. The new KOM was achieved on the super-light 2025 Scott Addict RC, which I showcased in my video. I also did my Mortirolo KOM on the new bike but didn't reveal it; I only shared the video of my ascent on Alpe d’Huez."

How serious was your call to join a WorldTour team on Strava after you set the KOM on the Mortirolo?

"Well, it was serious, of course, because I would really like to race in a WorldTour team. There is a chance I might get a contract. We'll see."

What happened after your continental team contracts? Why did you not manage to get into a World Tour team at that time, like with Leopard Pro Cycling?

"In my first year here, I mostly just struggled with adapting to Europe and rebuilding my whole life here. This was hard for me as I came over just with my backpack and suitcase but didn’t know anyone and couldn’t speak any German and was alone the whole year."

You won the Ötztaler Radmarathon twice and spend all your time on your bike or writing about it. What does a typical day look like for you?

"I wake up at 6 am. After some coffee, I work for 4-5 hours. At noon, I have my first meal, which is thus my breakfast. I find that my brain works better when I have not eaten in the morning. After breakfast, I rest for an hour or so and then I go training for 3-5 hours. When I come back, I rest a bit again and then I work another 3-4 hours and have my dinner around 9:30 pm. Then I go to bed."

Photo: Burke after getting the KOM on the Mortirolo.

How does power training fit into your schedule?

"In the off-season, I go maybe 2-3 times per week to the gym for power training. Then my day’s schedule will look a bit different: I work 2-3 hours only in the morning and then go to the gym, and then have my breakfast. There are also rest days when I don’t train, and then I will work more. I also do ski touring in the winter."

How does that schedule differ from when you were a pro cyclist?

"Well, now I live for 5 hours a day as an athlete. The rest of the day, I work like everybody else. As a pro cyclist in a continental team, I was fully focused on cycling, with more training, including altitude training camps, counting calories, massages, and resting. At least I have a coach now since I didn’t have a coach from 2020-2024, but now I started with a coach again who helps me design my training courses."

You eat only two meals per day. So, what food do you eat on the bike?

"It depends on the type of ride. If it’s an intensive training session, I will eat a lot of carbohydrates, i.e., sugar, and usually in the form of … Haribo gummies. They are a cheaper and tastier alternative to gels. When I do an endurance session, I will have more solid energy bars like granola bars."

What kind of work do you do?

"I wrote a book, How to Become a Pro Cyclist: A Guide to Make It from Juniors to the Pro Tour, and I made a business out of it. It is published as an e-book and as an audiobook and includes 26 courses (including 350 videos) on how to improve your cycling and get coaching advice. I also run a podcast, but that is for fun."

Photo: Burke (left) after his first ORM win in 2022.

What does your program for next year look like?

"My program for next year depends on whether I will get a World Tour pro contract. If I do, I will do whatever my team plans for me. If not, I will be cycling cyclos, and there are several I would still like to win, like the Étape du Tour, the Maratona dles Dolomites, the Marmotte, and the Tour des Stations. Next year I also plan to participate in the World Championship MTB Marathon in Zurich. This is a UCI race in which I would ride for Canada."

Thank you very much for your time, Jack. We look forward to maybe a few more KOMs from you on Strava. And we wish you good luck in getting a World Tour pro contract! Less than an hour after the publication of this interview, Wielerflits reports that informal contact has already been made with no fewer than four WorldTour teams.