POOLE charger James Shanes is hoping to reap the rewards of his “second chance” following a winter of hard graft.

The popular Pirates reserve stepped up for his maiden campaign in the SGB Premiership last season, putting nearly a point on his average.

And with a year’s experience at the top level under his belt, as well as a period of fine-tuning during the off season, the 21-year-old is determined to maintain his progress.

Shanes told the Daily Echo: “Riding for Poole last year was a dream come true and, now I’m back, it’s like it’s my second chance.

“I am keen to improve and impress again. We have invested a lot in kit and I have invested a lot in myself with fitness and things, so we are more ready than ever.”

An increased schedule awaits the Dorchester-born rider, who is also set to take the plunge in the SGB Championship on a full-time basis after signing for Sheffield.

With the youngster set to enjoy plenty more track time, he has taken steps to ensure his body is prepared.

“Things have been a lot different. I have been in the gym three times a week,” said Shanes.

“Luckily one of my mates is doing sports science at university, so I have had him almost become my personal trainer.

“He has been working me hard and correcting some of the things I have wrong with my body.

“I have also looked at psychology and all the aspects of mental health and riding.

“The hardest part has been the psychological side of it. Trying to get my head round what I have to do and pushing myself in the gym for the last 10 minutes – that is always the hardest bit.

“If you push that bit harder, you will improve massively. I am now doing things fitness-wise I have never been able to do and, on the bike, I have felt better than I have done for a long time.”

Asked what the most gruelling part of his fitness regime entailed, Shanes replied: “I had to run for 10 minutes at a good pace, then cycle for 20 minutes.

“Then I did shuttle runs and a course of weights as a circuit. I did that twice – driving home was fun afterwards!”

Shanes had always looked likely to return to Wimborne Road after an impressive debut season in the top flight.

He joined Poole on a 2.00 average in a move boss Matt Ford freely admitted had been made to give him more points to play with elsewhere.

Although the Puddletown ace found the campaign tough going, a number of solid scores towards the end of the campaign – including five points in the home leg of the play-off semi-final against Swindon – reflected a discernible improvement.

Ford named Shanes his unofficial rider of the year and said the youngster had "done a very good job".