David McQuaid of Synergy Baku says the team’s short-term goal of qualifying for the Olympics next year has been bad news for Irish cyclists.
By Brian Canty
General manager of the Synergy Baku Cycling Project, David McQuaid, said a shift in the team’s focus and a smaller budget for the coming year were two of the main reasons why there are no Irish with the Continental outfit in 2015.
Fourteen riders make up the Azerbaijan-registered team for the coming season, with eight from the home country and six “quite experienced internationals”.
But there are no Irish men as Matt Brammeier and Connor McConvey have gone to MTN-Quebeka and 3M, respectively.
Philip Lavery had already departed midway through last season, while not even former directeur sportif David McCann, who was with the team in 2013 and 2014, remains.
Advertisement
“Of course it’s not a nice situation where a rider or a staff member at the end of the year is told there’s no room for him next year,” explained McQuaid.
David McCann leads the escape in the Coppa Bernocchi in Italy in 2003; he is no longer with Synergy Baku (Photo: Sirotti)
“But I have a certain mandate for this team and I have my own bosses and they insist on a mandate,” he added referring to the team’s core objective of developing riders from Azerbaijan.
Connor McConvey rode for the Synergy Baku team in 2013 and last year but will ride for the Belgian-based Continental outfit Team3M this coming season.
“Conor had been here two seasons,” McQuaid said of Belfast’s McConvey.
“That’s a long time and this is a critical year for the team, not necessarily for any particular riders but for the actual team and its sustainability and the funding that we get.
Belfast's Connor McConvey rode for Synergy Baku for two years but is now a Team 3M rider (Photo: George Doyle)
“There was disappointment in our 2014 season from certain areas in Azerbaijan and change was insisted upon,” he said of the shifted focus to more riders from Azerbaijan.
“We’ve put a lot of thought into the structure of this team and I’ve been working with the riders that are new to the set-up as far back as last July.
“You’re judged on your performances and also your performances for the team. You should start as a team and finish as a team.”
David McQuaid issues instructions to members of the Synergy Baku Cycling team prior to a race on the Asian circuit last year.
Related News
The team will be coming to Ireland for the An Post Rás in May and McQuaid says he'll be bringing his strongest line-up.
Philip Lavery riding for Synergy Baku last year; the Dubliner departed the squad during the season.
Lavery’s inclusion in the team last year came late in the day, and after he had decided to opt out of racing. McQuaid said he exited during last season.
He added “one or two" Irish riders approached him over the winter, but there was no room at the inn, so to speak.
While those who spoke to him were “good dedicated riders”, the team already had 14 athletes and room for no more.
“Last year we were at 17 riders and it was just too many to keep racing at any one time.
“We thought we were doing a good thing having a very big squad but it became a hindrance.
“We will be taking on some guys on a stagiaire ride this year but unless they’re an exceptional talent, they’ll be Azeri.”
This is so because the team’s mission for the short-term is to qualify Azeri riders for the Olympics next year.
Matt Brammeier on his way to the climbers' jersey at the Tour de Langkawi in the Synergy Baku colours last year.
And to do that they must score UCI points in UCI-ranked races – through the Azeri riders only.
But should they achieve that goal, McQuaid said he would have more leverage to ask for more money from the state-run federation.
And then, the team could possibly go up a level to ProContinental level. But it’s small steps first.
“This year is make or break year for us because the whole team was created to give the Azeri guys a platform to qualify Azerbaijan as a nation for the Olympics,” said McQuaid.
“And 2015, being an Olympic qualification year where those points are on offer, we’ve structured a team with eight Azeris.
“The team will race an Asian and a European programme, including the An Post Rás. We’ll have a strong team at that.”
Topics
