"Teams look at my age and think, ‘nope he’s too old, and he won't get any better’" - Mark Dowling sounds frustrated but is still determined to have a big year in 2015. Pictured winning the final stage of the Suir Valley Three Day and wrapping up overall victory (Photo: Dc Images)
By Brian Canty
Mark Dowling has said he is more motivated than ever for 2015 and believes he'll “make an even bigger jump in performance” than he did during the season just gone.
The DID Dunboyne rider appears to be staying in the same colours for the forthcoming season.
While he won some of the biggest races in the country last year, those performances have as yet failed to attract interest from higher level international teams.
“I’d love to be back riding on a Continental team where I can race big stage races abroad,” said the former rider with Asian-based Continental team Polygon Sweet Nice.
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Dowling left it late to pounce at Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, but his cool head and strong engine saw him take the yellow jersey from Paddy Clarke on the last day of the race this year (Photo: Pat Doherty)
“I know I can win stages suited to me. I don't have any contacts to get me in the door with any teams though.
"I was hoping a win in the KOM race out in Taiwan would get me on the radar of some Asian or American teams,” he lamented of the recent Taiwan KOM Challenge, where he would finish 10th.
“But I’ll always have DID Dunboyne as my club and I’ll keep training harder than ever; with more motivation than I’ve ever had,
“I’ll make an even bigger jump in performance than I did last year.
“My problem is that teams look at my age and think, ‘nope he’s too old, and he won't get any better’.
Riding on home soil two years ago for the Asian-based Continental team Polygon Sweet Nice; Dowling feels he could compete if he were to return to that level (Photo: Toby Watson)
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"And they take young weaker riders with no race wins in the hope they’ll develop.
"It’s an uneducated way to simplify things by just looking at an age rather than looking at how long they have been racing.
A former triathlete who came to competitive cycling relatively late said he felt teams should be looking at riders in terms of “how much they are improving each year and the background they have in other sports”.
And having won the likes of Rás Mumhan, the Suir Valley Three Day and taken three Rás county rider stage prizes this year Dowling seemed frustrated at his situation despite his motivation for next year.
With father and former international boxer Mick Dowling, who won two European Championships bronze medals, competed in two Olympics and won nine national titles. He lost an Olympic bronze on a split decision in Munich in 1972 (Photo: Pat Doherty)
“It seems you only get on teams nowadays if you have a fancy blog and twitter to thank personal sponsors,” he said.
"I can't do that stuff. I’ve been brought up the old school way by my parents.
"They drilled it into me that savage, relentless training and consistency with big race wins year-round will get you further in sport.
“That’s obviously not working for me in today’s cycling world though.
“Another option is to pay my way onto teams like some are already doing but I simply can't afford that.
"I’m not taking shots at the riders getting places on teams and I wish them all the best. And I love to see everyone do well.
“But at the end of the day I guess its frustration and jealousy that’s getting to me.”
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