Lucas has reunited with childhood friend Darcy Wilkinson ahead of his debut season with Scott Factory Racing.

The pair attended Wooragee Primary School together and it was Wilkinson who actually kick-started Lucas’ racing career.

Having the opportunity to take Wilkinson on the professional circuit was one of the major factors in Lucas’ switch from Intense Factory Racing, after a successful three-year partnership. 

Lucas believes they will work well together.

“We went to Wooragee Primary School together and were probably eight or nine when we first met each other,” Lucas said.

“He was good friends with my brother, so we met that way, but we were all close friends for a while.

“He ended up going to Galen College in Wangaratta and I went to Scots, so we didn’t see each other for a while.

“Coincidentally, his mum came over to visit my mum and she saw that I had a downhill bike at the front of the house.

“He ended up getting onto me because he was into mountain bikes as well and he took me to my first race a few weeks later.

“We became friends again and got back into it and he pretty much kicked-off my whole racing career.

“We’ve kind of gone full circle and we’re going overseas to race World Cup events together, which is pretty cool.

“He worked with me in one race at the national championships, but he’s never done anything like this before.

“I think he understands the seriousness of it all and he’s pretty particular when he’s working on stuff.

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“I’ve known him for so long and know he cares about his work and he will even more so at this level.

“I think it will be a great fit.”

Lucas and Wilkinson will ease into the season when they head to New Zealand next month for the opening round of the Crankworx series in Rotorua.

The intensity picks up soon after with the first event of the UCI World Cup in Maribor, Slovenia, on April 27 and 28.