Northern Ireland's Marc Potts leads the way in the points race. He said the level at the Commonwealth Games is incredible. But he believes with more work he can get there.
Marc Potts has said the Commonwealth Games are on a higher level than he’s used to. But he believes he can make more progress.
The national criterium champion has gained very significant international track experience over the last 12 months.
After finishing his track races in Australia yesterday he said he knows what he needs to do if he wants to make the Olympics.
And though he said it will be very hard to get to Tokyo, he feels he can get stronger and give himself a chance of making the grade.
Potts went in the heats of the points race on the Gold Coast yesterday with Xeno Young and Mark Downey; the latter taken clean out by a crash.
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Of the trio, Potts was the only one to make the final. And he described it as a bruising affair. He would place 12th in the 40km final.
“I’m not buzzing with the result – but it’s not terrible either,” he said. “The plan for the race was to do very little for the first half.
"And then on the second half start to go for sprints and try to take a lap when people are tired.
“I wasn’t on the limit, but I wasn’t far off it, to be honest. And then halfway through so many people had already taken a lap, it was sort of race over.
“Unless I was going to take two laps in the last 80 laps, I wasn’t going to get a medal.
“It was too fast for me to get anything really. I got a few sprints, but it was more out of frustration than anything else.”
Lydia Boylan and Xeno Young of Northern Ireland on the boards at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
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Potts, who has yet to ride the road race and MTB race at these Games, was honest in his appraisal of the inroads he needs to make on the track.
“The lads who are here at a different level to what I’m at, at the moment. I know I can get there,” he said.
Clearly enjoying the life of international racing, he wants it to continue.
“I’m glad to be here, and glad to get the opportunity. I’m grateful for it. And I’ve learnt so much,” he said.
“It’s a little glimpse of what the Olympics is like if I get there. It shows the level and what we need to do to get there, and it’s not all bad.”
Also in action yesterday; national road race champion and road pro Lydia Boylan was 8th in her scratch race.
And sprinter Robyn Stewart was in keirin action, taking 12th. She had qualified straight to the second round and then took fourth, just missing out on the 1-6 finals.
“I rode well and felt strong in my first round – and happy with it,” she said.
“In the semi I made a poor decision to try and come around, and it cost me a spot in the final.”
She was also disappointed with her later ride in the event that decides the placings from 7th to 12th.
“I made another poor decision to go early in the minor final; I went hard early and got swamped,” she said.
“I’m disappointed – I felt so good. But I made bad decisions. It’s all part of this learning. But I know I can do better.
“This experience has been incredible, the support from home and everything. And my brother in law won gold in the points race too,” she said of Scotland’s Mark Stewart.
Boylan’s race was won by Amy Cure (Australia) from Neah Evans (Scotland) and Emily Kay (England).
The keirin ended in an Australian 1-2, via Stephanie Morton and Kaarle McCulloch (Australia). Natasha Hansen (New Zealand) took bronze.
Mark Stewart (Scotland) won the points race Potts was 12th in. Campbell Stewart (New Zealand) took silver and Ethan Hayter (England) was in 3rd place.
The next Northern Ireland cyclists into battle are Marcus Christie, Xeno Young and Eileen Burns. They ride the road TTs on Tuesday.
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