Sean Downey feels he has found his feet and is looking to press on to the next level this year
By Brian Canty
An Post-ChainReaction rider, Sean Downey believes this is the year he must stand up and be counted if he wants to realise his dream of riding at the top level of professional cycling.
Downey, a former national U23 time-trial champion, is in his second season with the Belgium-based Continental team and says he’s in a far better position this year to show what he’s made of, having learnt so many things about professional racing in his 2012 debut season.
Chief amongst those is positioning in the bunch and also truly believing that he’s good enough to compete with the best of them.
Downey, currently back in Ireland recovering from a chest infection, rode a solid Tour of the Algarve last month, losing time on the hilly stage three but not for one minute did he doubt that he belonged there.
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“When I was riding around Algarve there was never a time when I doubted myself,” he says.
“At times it was really, really hard. But I know why I was dropped on the third day, for example. They’re just things I need to look at, that wee area there that I need to work on and don’t let it happen. But I’m confident I can do it.”
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“This year I really want to have a good year to be able to step up a level; whether it’s this team or another team. I really want to step on to the next level. You see guys that were on this team and guys that are younger than me (like Andy Fenn); you just say ‘how do they do that so young?’ It’s just about your body being ready and when you start believing, you’re going to do it.”
“Last year I was never put under any stress to get results, because when I signed for the team they said it’d take a year to adapt. This year, they haven’t said anything but my own feeling is 'this is the year'. You could stay here and do nothing, but for my own ambitions I want to get results. If you don’t get them, you won’t go anywhere.”
Downey was based in France for a number of years before An Post signed him and has fellow Irishmen Ronan McLaughlin, Jack Wilson and Sam Bennett for company on the team. He counts Wilson and McLaughlin as housemates in Belgium.
He’s still very much learning the ropes but his attitude has changed in the last 12 months.
“This year I’ve a completely different attitude towards everything. Every race I go to I want to do well in. I have selected races from last year and I know I can do well.”
"Last year was very much a learning year. No big results or anything because I didn’t really expect anything of myself, I was more or less told to find my feet and just learn how to race in Belgium.”
“The start of the year was really hard because I was starting at the back of the bunch and taking a beating and the bunch was moving so fast and positioning was key. But come the end of the year I was finishing 1.1’s easily and then the start of this year I’ve done two stage races and I was attacking them and doing everything, maybe not at the front but always in the top 30.”
“Positioning is everything in races. Like, in France in the amateur races you could go to the front and hold your position so easily but as soon as you race in the pro ranks or in Belgium, if you get to the front and are not fighting to stay there you’re at the back in five seconds.”
“Knowing the course is also key. For example, if they’re turning right you know right is going to be a cross-wind so you have to be up there fighting like hell to stay at the front. I’m still finding myself not doing that but I take a note of every race I do; what are the good and bad things. I’m trying to really work on it.”
Asked what it takes apart from talent to make it on the bike, he says: “A good bit of it is talent, yes. You need to be able to ride the bike fast and just want to do it. But a lot of it is commitment and more than anything – belief. If you believe you’re able to do it and should be there, you’re on your way. Because it’s all down to belief and I’ve learnt that. If I believe in myself, I’m going to do it.”
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