Anticipating the axe from An Post-Chainreation, Marcus Christie has launched a funding drive after a tough year saw him consider rowing or a return to athletics. See here in the breakaway on stage 1 of the Etoile de Besseges professional stage race in France at the start of the season.
Irish rider Marcus Christie has lifted the lid on his first – and probably last – year with the An Post-Chainreaction team.
The Derry native, who will turn 24 years in January, started the year in blistering fashion when he wore the white jersey for best young rider at the Etoile des Besseges stage race in France; a UCI 2.1 ranked event with top pro teams.
But after promising so much early on, he did not repeat that result in further road races. And now expecting his tenure with An Post-Chainreaction to come to an end, he has taken matters into his own hands.
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He has launched an online appeal for funding in the hope people will help him raise enough money to remain in the sport.
He is aiming to contend for a place at the Olympics in Rio in 2016 as well as the Commonwealth Games in Australia two years later.
As has been the case for much of his racing career, injury and illness blighted Christie’s progress this year, leading him to doubt his future.
Christie would love to ride an Olympics and another Commonwealth Games, but he needs financial support and has taken matters into his own hands with an online appeal. Seen here competing for Northern Ireland in Glasgow this year.
“Besseges was the biggest race I had ever done in my life, so I had hoped that result (sixth from the breakaway on stage 1 - Ed) would propel me towards to a fantastic season,” he explained.
“But it wasn't to be. I fell into a giant slump for a few months after that and I was sitting at the back of the line-outs in Belgium.”
With each poor performance, he said he “drifted more into myself”.
He was questioning his ability on a regular basis and coming up with “some ridiculous solutions” despite already feeling stressed.
“I also suffered three bouts of bronchitis in the season; the last one was six weeks out from the Commonwealth Games,” he added.
He would be on the start line in Glasgow and finished a decent 13th thanks to the work of his coach Tommy Evans and Mike Webb from the Sports Institute Northern Ireland (SINI).
In full flight on his Vitus TT machine and in the colours of An Post-Chainreaction, a sight we may not see again (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
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However, while pleased to represent Northern Ireland in Glasgow, a couple of months earlier he had been overlooked for selection to ride the An Post Rás. And he also missed the U23 road race and time trial at the national road race championships in late June due to illness.
During those periods Christie said he thought about taking up rowing or going back to athletics, which he did before cycling competitively.
But after much soul-searching, he persisted with the bike. He went back training after the Commonwealth Games and targeted time-trials.
They have always been his strongest discipline and he represented Ireland last year in the U23 time trial at the World Championships in Florence.
“I kept riding my bike,” he said of late summer when he found himself not being selected to ride for An Post-Chainreaction.
“Training was the perfect escape. You could forget your problems for a few hours out in the country.”
Having lined out on the local time trial scene he said he was inspired and encouraged by record breaking and national champion veteran tester John Madden (Dig Deep Coaching) to try and break the Irish record for the 10-mile time trial set by David McCann; 18:21.
Absolute quality against the clock, Christie is definitely good enough for the Olympic stage; seen here representing Ireland in the U23 TT at the World Championships in Florence last year (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Christie got to within 15 seconds of the marker with an 18:36 and then decided to have a tilt at the Irish record for the 100 mile test set by Bryan McCrystal of Aquablue last year.
“I dropped nearly six kilos since the Games and brought up my power as I was training for the record,” he said.
“I went back to what works for me; riding my bike with no stress. Tommy (Evans) told me the average speed I needed to hold to break the record.”
He said he knew he was on a good day when he passed the aforementioned Madden just six miles into the test. He would shatter the record by over seven minutes with a scorching time of 3 hours 27mins, something that brought a smile to his face for the first time in a while.
“Relief was the main feeling,” he said of the outcome.
“I think it showed I still have an engine. I know with a few tweaks over the winter that as well as improving my power to weight even more, next season I can be competitive.
“Although at this point I honestly don't know what the future holds for me. I would love to give the road another crack particularly stage races, and try reach my full potential in the time trial.”
For those who wish to donate money to Christie’s online appeal, you can click here and contribute to the fund he is hoping will keep him in the sport.
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