Ronan McLaughlin said while he may race abroad next year, he would be as happy riding at home for a club team (Photo: www.blackumbrella.ie)
By Gerard Cromwell
As his former An Post teammates head for their pre-season training camp in Calpe this week, Ronan McLaughlin is currently weighing up his options for 2014 having quit the continental scene at the end of the season.
“There was no falling out, nothing like that,” McLaughlin says of the end of his six years with Sean Kelly’s squad.
“In fact I still talk to Kurt (Bogaerts, the An Post-Chainreaction manager) regularly. I just think it’s time I came home and started building a real life here.”
Although initial plans to go to college cannot be activated until next September, McLaughlin is busy doing some coaching work with former Rás winner Stephen Gallagher at his Dig Deep Coaching company.
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And he is also looking into setting up his own business in the health industry.
“College was the plan initially, but it depends on how things go. I can’t start until next September anyway so I have a bit of time yet to decide.”
While he’s waiting, McLaughlin has taken to doing some off road riding, finishing the marathon mountain bike championships upon arriving home from Belgium and then deciding to try his luck in the mud, sweat and gears world of cyclocross.
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“I did the marathon mountain bike championships, which was a great race. I thought I enjoyed the mountain biking until I did the cyclocross. That was even better again.”
“I should have done it years ago, because I love it. It’s great craic. I’ve had to start at the back of the grid in the races I’ve done so far and ended up fifth in both of them, so I’m happy enough.”
“Last week I got a puncture so that was the end of that. I’ll ride the National Championships in January but I’m really just doing it to enjoy myself.”
McLaughlin improved again to finish second behind national cyclocross champion Roger Aiken of Banbridge in yesterday’s fourth round of the Ulster Cyclocross league in Larne and despite not taking things too seriously this winter, he admits he’s in pretty good shape.
“I’m just enjoying my bike at the moment, whenever I get the chance to go out on it. It’s funny, the one year that doesn’t really matter is the year where I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been for this time of year. I’ll definitely ride at home and definitely do the Rás next year, but I’m not sure who with.”
Having turned down a couple of offers from top French clubs for 2014, McLaughlin has also been offered a deal with a newly formed British pro team for next season. But whether anything comes of it or not, is not unduly worrying the man from Muff in Donegal.
“I’ve had a couple of offers from good French clubs but I think I’m too old to go down that road. I wasn’t even looking for a team when this British team came up. They contacted me, but the money they offered me, I couldn’t really justify riding another year for, so I’m waiting to hear back from them.”
“I’d like to do the Premier Calendar races next year. I think they’d suit me, but it’s important to me that I can stay at home next year and start building a real life. If it goes ahead, well and good. If it doesn’t, I’m not too worried about it. Whether I race for a British team or an Irish club doesn’t matter too much.”
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