Fresh from his win in Carlow, former 7 Eleven pro John Brady said his days of riding for money are long over. But he still loves the social aspect and will ride the vets' road title race in Omagh at the end of the month (Photo with thanks to Brendan Culleton)
By Brian Canty
John Brady was a popular winner of the Mark Hayden Memorial in Carlow on Saturday, the former 7-Eleven pro outsprinting a strong field over a hilly 72-kilometre course.
The bunch gallops are where the Dubliner feels most at home and where he forged a very good career. And at 50 years of age he still has the kick that won him many a race.
“It was a good day for me because I don’t really do that much training,” he said afterwards. “Maybe four to five hours a week and a race at the weekends is about it.
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“I’ve done about nine or 10 races and my training is a couple of laps around Howth but that’s about it,” he added, referring to the climb in north Dublin.
Of his win in Carlow he said: “There were a couple of breaks up the road and I wasn’t feeling great, even though I got in a few groups.
“The last break got away in the last 15 kilometres and they were hovering out there into a headwind so it looked hard for them.
“I knew it’d come to a bunch sprint so I went to the front and did a few pulls like everyone else. Sprinting was my bread and butter so that was my chance.”
From Artane in north Dublin, Brady was an extremely fast finisher and hugely successful on the US criterium circuit in the 1980s and '90s.
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Coming to the finish he said he focussed on his positioning.
“It was messy because it was into a headwind and guys were hitting the front, blowing and coming back left and right so we had to be alert.
“It was a constant process of not getting boxed in or burning matches. You can’t eliminate everything but I see the patterns when things aren’t going my way.
“I was towards the front and the guy that got second came on my left with 100 metres to go.
“I had a moment when I could have went but I let him come through and it boxed me in. It would have been aggressive for me to pull out.
“In my heyday I would have been merciless but I let him come around me so I had to go late. I managed to get it but that was a little closer than I like it.”
Brady will race the masters’ national championships in a month and will be one of the favourites, though he sees racing now for its social side more than anything else.
“I’m not trying to be a bike racer or build a career. I’m helping with the social aspect of it now, helping the guys I grew up with, they’re all still around.
“Sean Lally senior and these guys are still out there and they’re part of the crew so the social aspect and keeping fit are my main interests now.”
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