Charlie Prendergast (leading) on his way to victory in the Westport Criterium last year; he is moving to France to give the bike his full attention in 2014 (Photo: www.shutterstills.com)
By Brian Canty
Former national junior road race champion, Charlie Prendergast is set for a move to France this summer and will link up with the Brittany-based Hennebont Lochrist cycling team.
Prendergast, who just turned 23 years, is from Louisburgh in Co Mayo had was earmarked for a bright career after he beat Marcus Christie in the 2009 junior championships.
However, some years blighted by injury and illness, as well as his firm commitment to college, has slowed his progression somewhat.
But the former Polygon Sweet Nice rider said he wants to give his all to the sport this year on a full-time basis and under the watchful eye of astute coach Padraig Marrey, Prendergast will look to re-establish his name.
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The team he’s joining is mainly made up of French riders but there are some English in there too, and Prendergast will be the first Irishman in their ranks.
And perhaps most alluring for Prendergast is the fact that the team plan to ride this year’s An Post Rás in May, an event Prendergast has never been able to give his all to because of those aforementioned injuries and college commitments.
The Rás aside, the move will mean Prendergast won’t get to race as much at home as he’d like. He will more than likely miss the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan as well as the Tour of Ulster and some of the more prominent one-day events such as the Nenagh Classic and the Shay Elliott Memorial.
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“I’ll be travelling out there in April,” he said.
“I’m not entirely sure what to expect to be honest but I always said I wanted to go abroad and give it my all once I got my college degree.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to do Rás Mumhan, which is a shame because the course looks savage hard and brilliant preparation for the An Post Rás but hopefully I’ll get back for that.”
Eventual winner Prendergast leads David Brennan in the escape at the T Bourke Mid Summer GP last year. He was riding for Polygon Sweet Nice at the time, which has since imploded. (Photo: Oliver R Whyte)
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