Ronan McLaughlin (leading) joined Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin on the Irish team for the World Road Race Championships elite race in Holland last year after a number of strong performances, including his ride at the Tour of Britain (above). He needs another strong ride there to convert into reality his hopes of selection for next month's Worlds in Florence, Italy, where Martin harbours hopes of winning the title.
By Brian Canty
An Post-Chainreaction rider, Ronan McLaughlin says he is training “harder than ever” as he targets a place on the Irish team for the World Road Race Championships in Florence next month.
The Donegal strongman says his big focus at the moment is making his trade team for the upcoming Tour of Britain (September 15th-22nd) but the Worlds are in the back of his mind and he is training as if he will be on the team.
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“We have four places qualified for Florence and obviously Dan (Martin), Nico (Roche) and Philip (Deignan) should be guaranteed. So that just leaves one place between me and whoever else is up for it,” said McLaughlin.
"Since the Nationals (in June) I’ve been training harder than I ever have before and been so focussed. I’ve been trying to lose weight as well because it’s a hilly course in Florence, so a lot of my training has been based around doing that much climbing over six or seven hours – so I’m preparing as if I am doing it."
"I can’t wait until a week before it and to be told I’m doing it and then not be prepared. I have to prepare for it well and if it happens, it happens and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t."
McLaughlin rode on the Irish team last year and performed his domestique duties well. He said his experience in that role should stand to him when the selectors sit down to pick the team this time around.
“Everybody knows I can play a team role. Whoever gets the fourth place will be there to play the team role and I think I am one of the best riders in the country at playing that role. I have proven that."
"I just need to prove I have the form to do it this year and if I do that at the Tour of Britain I should have a good chance of going to the Worlds. I think I need to prove myself in the Tour of Britain, the way I did last year."
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"I really want to go back and bury myself for the team (at the Worlds). Last year was a great experience but I had an invisible race. I wasn't in the break because I was helping Dan and Nico but they never needed any help. So this year I want to go back and make a contribution to their's and Phillip's efforts; do a real good job for a long way into the race and be proud of what I've done."
Last Wednesday, McLaughlin rode in the break at the 1.1 ranked Druivenkoers – Overijse (200km); the third year in a row that he has made the split there. And the performance told him he’s right where he wants to be.
“The form is very good now,” he said.
“Last year, I had my best form around now and then I came down towards the Tour of Britain. But this year I’ve kind of tried to delay it for a week or two so I’ll be in really good shape for Britain, hopefully."
“There were a few attacks at the start (last Wednesday), then I went hard after one. There was a good group of around eight of us and we hit a climb so we rode full gas up the climb. Myself and another guy, Jasper de Buyst (who rode the Rás this year), rode full gas to the top and there were just four left and that was us gone for the day then."
“We got caught then with about 40k to go. We had a gap of six minutes at one stage, but we knew we would need 10 or 12 minutes. There were about 40 climbs or so, these steep bergs that just take their toll."
“There is an argument that I would have been better off sitting in and waiting for the finish. But you look at the three guys who were away; if you weren’t with them it was a bunch sprint and what would I have gotten out of a bunch sprint? So I think it was better that I have a good, hard day out in preparation for Britain."
“For me, it is the big goal and I have to show to Kurt that I am in the right condition for it. Then the goal will be to get in the breaks and go for the King of the Mountains jersey.”
