Dominique Mayho will go ahead with his plans to compete in Belgium in the wake of last week’s terrorists attacks in the European country.

The island’s top cyclist contemplated withdrawing from Belgium amateur outfit Jonge Rakkers Vollezele after suicide bombers killed 34 people and wounded 270 in two separate attacks.

However, after lots of thought and some discussions with Peter Dunne, the Bermuda Bicycle Association president, he opted to travel for his first full season as a member of the team.

“The bombings shocked me and it definitely played on my mind a lot,” Mayho said. “The day it happened I was thinking about it and I talked to Peter and decided to keep going because Belgium is probably as safe as it ever will be.

“It’s unfortunate and hopefully lightning doesn’t strike twice. But I think the best thing is to keep going all the way.”

Mayho, the NatWest Island Games and Junior Caribbean Championships gold medal-winner, departs for Belgium next week to begin competing with his new team, whose season starts next month and runs until September.

It will be the multiple Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race and President’s Cup winner’s first full season overseas.

“I raced in Belgium for a while last year, but this year I’m going to be able to stay there for the full season,” Mayho said. “I’m really excited to get a chance to race at this level and prove myself.

“It’s going to be a long, hard season and I’m looking forward to that. I think it’s going to be a good season.”

Mayho is well into his preseason training, which included a training camp in Florida last month with a group of his Winner’s Edge team-mates.

“I’m feeling really fit,” he said. “The last couple of weeks have been hard and my body is a little fatigued. But I have time to recover this week before I go, which is good.”