Having joined An Post-Chainreaction as a 19-year-old, Robert Jon McCarthy is grateful to the Irish-backed squad but said life could be challenging; seen here winning the opening stage of the Rás into Roscommon in May (Photo: Ramsey Cardy - Sportsfile)
By Brian Canty
Former An Post-Chainreaction rider, Robert-Jon McCarthy has said while he enjoyed his time racing with the squad and felt he progressed as a rider, life off the bike in Belgium was tedious and hard to manage at times.
The talented sprinter, who took two superb wins aged just 19 years in 2014, has moved to Dutch squad SEG Cycling for the forthcoming season.
He hopes to make the step up to a bigger team afterwards a stint with them.
“I was pretty happy with how the season went,” explained the Cork-born rider.
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“I looked on it as a learning year and I still managed to get two really good wins.
“I think the second half of the season I was held back by a recurring knee injury.
“And then when I started to feel like I was going well again early in September, I crashed and injured my hip which basically ended my season a little early.
"I would have liked a couple more results and a spot at the World Championships,” he added, referring to his omission from the Australian U23 line-up for Spain in September.
“But I look at it as a good lesson in dealing with injury and hard times, rather than feeling sorry for myself.”
McCarthy's biggest career win to date; taking what turned out to be the final stage of the Herald Sun Tour just weeks into 2014.
The former Australian national junior road race champion won a stage of the Herald Sun Tour as well as the opening stage of the An Post Rás, which also gave him the honour of wearing the first yellow jersey of the race.
“I think my biggest result was the Sun Tour stage win because of the level of the race and the guys I beat,” he said of the race he won while riding for Australia in January before joining his trade team for the European season.
“But the Rás win gave me more satisfaction. I’d dreamed about winning at the Rás since I was 10 years-old and it was the first big race I ever saw as a kid.
"It was also the first time I had been back to Ireland for ages and it was a win that all of family got to see on TV and in the newspapers so that was pretty special,” he explained of his win into Roscommon.
“I liked being at An Post, I think it’s a really nice team and the staff really care about the riders and are just good people in general.
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“The riders on the team were really good guys too and I have some really fond memories from my time at the team.
"Looking back, it was a good move and I am happy I did it.
“I learned so much and gained a lot of life experience that I can carry forward in any area of my life, not just cycling.
“I think I improved a lot as a person and as a bike rider. It was a big move, living away from home for the first time; moving halfway across the world and not knowing what to expect.
“I feel a lot more mature now, that’s for sure. I think the volume and level of the racing will make me a lot stronger and more resilient."
However, he said it was not a bed of roses.
McCarthy in Rás yellow; he'd lose the jersey after one day but wearing it and taking a stage win was a dream return to the land where he was born and raised before moving to Australia as a teenager.
“The life in Belgium wasn't that enjoyable, to be honest. The team accommodation does the job but there’s not much to do when you’re not riding your bike.
“And it can be pretty boring. I wasn't a big fan of the training roads over there either.
“Plus, for me, it got pretty hard being so far away from my friends and family for such a long time.”
McCarthy departs the team for a new squad of mostly developmental riders like himself.
He was first approached in July by SEG and he decided to take up an offer.
“The team is a development team with the aim of educating and preparing guys to make the step to the World Tour,” he explained of the squad where he will have Neil Martin as a mentor and director.
“They have top class, experienced staff and trainers and we’ll have a really good support network and equipment.
“So I’ll start my season at the (Australia) national champs in January and if that goes really well I will hopefully get a ride in the Tour Down Under.
“After that I’d like to go to the Sun Tour again but that also depends on national team selections.
“I’ll join up with the team in Europe in March and we should have a nice program of races at the UCI 1.2 and U23 level and some 1.1 races too.”
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