Former Irish junior and U23 international Marcus Christie has said he deserves to be in the reckoning for a place on the Irish team for the elite time-trial at the UCI World Championships in Doha next month (Photo with thanks to Shea Gribbon)
By Brian Canty
Irish rider Marcus Christie believes he deserves to be in the running for selection for the Irish team for next month’s UCI World Championships in Doha.
The Derry rider was referring specifically to the time-trial, a discipline he has excelled in over the years but particularly in recent weeks where he has set some world class times.
Most recently, in the Chrono Champenois Masculin International in France, the ASEA-Wheelworx man clocked exactly 42 minutes for the 33.4-kilometre test.
And despite preferring a flatter course the 25-year-old for An Post-Chainreaction rider managed sixth on the day.
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He was 1:18 behind winner Daniel Westmattelmann (Team Kuota-Lotto) and 18 seconds off a medal on lumpy terrain.
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Christie in the breakaway on the opening stage of Etoile de Besseges in France in 2014 when he rode for An Post-Chainreaction (Photo: Sirotti)
Given Ireland has qualified just two places for the time-trial in Doha it means Christie’s chances are limited.
Nicolas Roche (Team Sky) and Ryan Mullen (Cannondale-Drapac) would be seen as the forerunners for those two places.
At the Tour of Britain last weekend, both were in the top 10 in the race against the clock on stage 7a, with national champion Roche edging Mullen by a second.
“I think my time in the Chrono Champenois shows I’m in good shape now and I can compete at the level again,” said Christie.
“I’ve trained harder than ever in the last weeks and months and I feel I can still improve by a lot.
“My numbers are very good and I'm the leanest I've been for years so for sure there is more to come.
“The course for the World Championships in Doha is a drag strip and would be very good for me.”
Christie has vowed to stay training and competing where he can and expressed his wish that the selection committee “at least” consider him.
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