Jones, of Mosgiel, is logging up the miles on his bike as he aims for a cycling career which will take him round the world.
The 18-year-old had his first crack at the elite grade when he picked up the silver medal in the scratch race at the national track cycling championships in Invercargill.
Beating the likes of Marc Ryan, Peter Letham and Sam Blewley, was a big finish for Jones, and far exceeded his expectations.
"Obviously, I was pretty rapt with that. When I went into it I would have been happy to get in the top 10, so to finish second was great," he said.
The scratch race, a straight 15km race over 60 laps, was won by national rider Aaron Gate, of Auckland, who went out early and despite being caught once, was far enough ahead at the end to take the win.
Jones also finished eighth in the points race, and said he enjoyed the mass start races on the track.
"That is probably to do with my size. Most pursuiters are massive guys, 110kg and quite tall. But I'm a lot smaller and have a good power to weight ratio.
"I can sit in the bunch and hide. Then I can work out what is the right place to go at the right time."
Jones, who stands 1.68m tall and weighs 65kg, has spent plenty of the time on the bike in recent months, competing in the Gordon McCauley-led team in the Tour of Southland.
It was his first appearance on the tour, an experience he thoroughly enjoyed and hoped to repeat this year.
He had cycled for New Zealand in two Tours of Canberra over the past couple of years but is still not sure whether he prefers the road or the track.
"It's sort of like when you get to the end of the track season, then you really look forward to the road. But then the road season ends and it is time for the track, and you look forward to that, too."
His next assignment is the Oceania road cycling championships in Queenstown next month, where he could compete in the under-23 grade.
Coached by Paul Whitley, Jones is studying aviation science in his spare time, aiming to one day be a pilot.
His father, Max, was a cyclist when he was younger and got his son into the sport when he was 11.
Jones rides up to 30 hours a week, including rides from his base in Mosgiel to Harington Point and back.
"It is a lonely sport. You've got to be pretty hard in the head. You have to train hard. You go for rides of five to six hours and you're by yourself the whole time."
