Giving the team a pep talk pre-race at the Tour of Taiwan, but David McQuaid has not been shy in expressing his disappointment at how his charges have done so far this season.
Synergy Baku general manager, David McQuaid has criticised his own riders for what he sees as their under performance so far this season saying they are a “far cry” off where they were in 2013.
The Irish man suggested the riders’ attitudes seemed more urgent last year, a factor reflected in the squad’s level of success; boasting 14 wins and 39 other podium places through its maiden 2013 season.
To date, three months into the new campaign, the team has bagged just one win; Maksym Averin’s triumph in the Porec Trophy in Croatia.
McQuaid said he felt the team had started well in races in New Zealand followed by the Herald Sun Tour in Australia and also the Tour de Langkawi.
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In that latter event Irish champion Matt Brammeier was second on a stage, held the points jersey for a couple of stages and held the climbers’ classification lead throughout the entire race, winning that competition outright.
But McQuaid said since the team moved to ride races in the EuropeTour that it had underperformed.
“We are a far cry away from any level like (last year) and it is just not good enough,” he said, though he did not single out any of his 17 riders by name.
“We are not in the business of fighting hard for sponsors and race starts for riders not to be present in breakaways or in the front part of the peloton. And of late, we don't have either. Trying is one thing, not trying is another and not tolerable by any standards.”
He said when sitting down during the off season to put together his squad, he and the directors had 200 CVs to choose from.
“My mind is starting to wonder whether we have made some bad choices and collected some holiday makers over riders who would really have ridden to the final ounce of strength day in day out,” he said.
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In the immediate term, McQuaid’s mind is fixed on the Tour d'Azerbaijan from May 7th to 11th. While the selection had been made, it has not been announced yet and so it remains unclear if the Azeri-backed team’s Irish men - Brammeier, Philip Lavery or Connor McConvey - will ride.
McConvey performed very well last year, winning the climbers’ classification.
“The selection for Azerbaijan is extremely important for us, it is our home Tour after all, but it is not just that,” said McQuaid.
“The Tour d'Azerbaijan is shooting up the UCI calendar; 2.2 last year, 2.1 this year, who knows what next year. There are big plans there and because of this rapid growth, a huge investment is going into media and TV etc.
“Baku Cycling Project, as the local team, and perhaps victims of our own success from 2013 where we achieved much, are in the limelight.
“I just hope our riders and staff realize that and get the best out of themselves over the five days, enough to warrant being in the selection for this hugely important event, not just in the riders' careers but in the team's career.
“Our line-up will represent most of those guys, who you can count on one hand, who are actually performing in a Baku jersey in 2014."
Connor McConvey on the podium in the climbers' jersey at the Tour d'Azerbaijan last year. McQuaid will be hoping for another similar performance next month in what is the team's home race.
Matt Brammeier won the mountains classification at the Tour de Langkawi last month and generally rode very strongly. He should pop up again with big results in the weeks and months ahead.
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