McLaughlin in 2012 Rás action: He says he’s lighter than ever and ready to go for the new season
By Brian Canty
An Post-Sean Kelly professional Ronan McLaughlin has questioned the logic behind the funding of cyclists following new criteria that makes it all but impossible for riders at his level to receive anything.
McLaughlin hasn’t received funding for three years and is farther away now than ever from getting something – despite showing progress every year since he joined the Belgian-based team.
“I think it’s a fairly pointless criteria to be honest because if you meet the criteria, you’re going to be a top level pro earning enough money that you don’t depend on the funding to keep yourself going,” he explained.
“But the people who depend on it just to get themselves through a season can’t get it. I don’t know what the answer is but it definitely needs to be looked at in more detail. I know some of the criteria – like getting a podium in the world championships; if you podium there, you won’t need funding anyway!”
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“It’s not that you wouldn’t want it – you wouldn’t turn it down obviously, but you’d probably be in a position where you wouldn’t need it like other guys would. I know everyone gives out about the pro tour riders (Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche) who got funding before but it was the same when those guys were amateur too. They needed it and they didn’t get it. Now they don’t need it, and it’s being thrown at them. Something is not right somewhere.”
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“It is so crazy,” he continued.
“Maybe they’ve based the model on other sports and it works there but it doesn’t work for cycling. I’m not giving out because it’s a tough job. I don’t know who sets the criteria, but it’s wrongly set up I feel.”
“There’s this idea that we are the An Post riders on massive contracts. That just isn’t true. I know for me personally, any penny I get goes into making me a better rider. I don’t have my own car. I don’t have holidays at the end of the year or anything. I had some prize-money from races last year and that went to paying for staying in Spain longer over the winter for training.”
“So I know if I was to get funding it would be going to the right place - my cycling. That’s what annoys me but I guess it just makes me race harder for your prize-money.”
McLaughlin, from Donegal, rode the World Road Race Championships last year in support of the aforementioned Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche and is looking forward to what he hopes will be his breakthrough season with the An post team. He has just returned from a protracted spell in Calpe and said he’s lighter than he’s ever been, and in the best shape for January.
He added his work over the season with Forme Coaching and former Rás winner Stephen Gallagher has improved him significantly and that he enjoyed the recent team camp in Spain.
“The camp was good yeah, really good. We got in some specific intense training so we should be in good shape for the first block of racing. I’m a lot lighter than I was this time last year and the power figures are good. Obviously it’ll be a different story once we start racing because you never really know how good you are from training but I’m feeling pretty confident. I can’t wait to start racing now.”
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