Less than two weeks out from the National Cyclocross Championships in Swords, north Dublin, and a legend of the scene has confirmed he will not be there. Roger Aiken, pictured above by Toby Watson on his way to the title in Belfast in January, prefers to focus on the Rás in May.
By Brian Canty
With less than a fortnight remaining before the first national titles of 2015 are settled in Ireland, Roger Aiken has confirmed his name will not be on the start list of the National Cyclocross Championships.
Having just moved from Banbridge CC to Team ASEA, the current elite men’s champion has said the pull of next year’s An Post Rás has simply proven too much.
He won last year’s championships in Belfast to take his fourth title ahead of 18-time winner and Olympian Robin Seymour (Expert Cycles).
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That was a repeat of the 1-2 from 12 months earlier when Aiken bested Seymour near Dundalk, Co Louth.
Aiken told stickybottle he decided last summer he would not ride this year’s cyclocross season because he wanted to regroup over the winter and focus on the Rás in May.
Last year he was 8th on stage 3 from Lisdoonvarna to Charleville.
He got clear in the day’s winning escape and attacked them hard in a glory or die effort in the closing kilometres.
Aiken wants that winning feeling in the Rás and believes racing at this time of year would compromise his plans for next May (Photo: Toby Watson)
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That effort came to nothing and he had to be content with 8th before catching the stomach bug that swept through the race.
He was then forced out of the event before he had a chance to impose himself again on the action.
Having shown great form in the early stages this year and been the county man of the race in 2013, he wants to return to the eight-day showpiece in the best shape possible.
He has foregone the ‘cross season towards that goal and has now confirmed that absence will extend to the championships in Swords, north Dublin, next Sunday week.
“I want to concentrate on the road and give it 100 per cent,” Aiken told stickybottle of his 2015 plans.
“I decided I wasn’t going to do cyclocross in the summer; I wasn’t feeling great.
"Doing cyclocross and then making the transition to the road has caught up with me and I needed the break this winter."
We’ll have a full interview with Aiken tomorrow.
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