Christmas Day is a day to put the feet up, get merry and eat vast quantities of food. Or is it? Some of the country’s riders (actually!) disagree and will always get a spin in on December 25th...We asked 10 riders for their festive traditions and found it was very much black or white...
Michael O’Loughlin – National junior road and TT champ
“I haven’t yet received my training plan for next week but in previous years I never rode the bike on Christmas Day apart from any Christmas I got a bike but even then it was just about setting it up and spinning around the house.
“I have three younger siblings so Christmas Day can be pretty fun and crazy around the house but I enjoy all of it so never really want to go out training.”
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Lydia Boylan – Elite national women’s road race champ
“I always get out on the bike on Christmas Day, if the weather’s okay, that is!
“The last couple of years I’ve taken my ‘cross bike out with my boyfriend and just enjoyed a couple of hours having fun, so nothing too serious.
“Food-wise I always keep an eye on things because this year anyway we’ve a track World Cup in January, though I’ll certainly be enjoying some Christmas pudding.”
Siobhan Horgán – Elite national women’s TT champ
“When I was full-time I spent many Christmas Days out training around the Midlands with Morgan Fox.
“At the same time, we reasoned ‘the more you train the more you can eat’.
“These days I have a more relaxed approach, which means I just spend all day eating.”
Damien Shaw – Elite national road race champ
“Christmas Day is a day for turkey and Christmas pudding.
“Training takes up so much of everyday life so it’s important to be able to switch off on this day…and no better way than enjoying some food.”
David Montgomery – Elite and U23 National cyclocross champ
“I just arrived back in Belgium this week to do another couple of World Cups, one of which is on Boxing Day in Zolder so you can guess what Christmas Day will be like for me.
“Yep, it's course practice, registration and team manager’s meeting on Christmas Day so the turkey will have to wait.”
Mark Downey – Elite track rider and former national TT champ
“Christmas Day is a day of rest and a complete day off.
“The only form of exercise I do is a family walk which is nice but the only reason I do this is to work up an appetite for the food marathon later in the day.
“Then I’ll just chill out and watch a film in the evening.
“I love this time of year because it’s the only real time I get to spend time with my whole family.
“Personally, I think people who train on Christmas Day are mad but I guess everyone has their opinions on it. I’ll be back in the saddle the day after knocking the crap out of Sean!”
Stephen Clancy – Road professional with Team NovoNordisk
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“Having put in a solid block of training in December and more of the same coming in Janaury, one day isn’t going to make a difference.
“I spend enough of the year on the road anyway so the priority when flying back home for Christmas is to be with family and friends.
“It’s definitely a day to relax and consume vast quantities of calories.
“The only exercise I’ll be doing is to help digestion and make room for more food!”
Conor McConvey – Road professional with An Post Chainreaction
“I’ll finish a month block around Christmas Eve and take a few easy days after that.
“There’s no stress to do any big training so it’ll be all about good grub, a few sessions and just do whatever.
“The training around it is hard enough so there’s no need to sacrifice any craic!”
David Brennan – Castlebar CC
“Turkey all the way, it’s only once a year so I always try and enjoy Christmas Day.
“I’ll do the local GOAL charity mile on Christmas morning but after that it’s food, movies ad Roses.
“On Stephen’s Day I’ll do a decent spin and will always get a good few spins in the following week.”
Eve McCrystal – top domestic road rider and paracycling rider
“Christmas Day for me is all about the children.
“The week leading up to it is busy as I’m in the middle of a structured base training phase and I’ll certainly keep up the training.
“I’m in the gym twice a week and spending a lot of time on the wattbike but because my main goals are late in the season I’ve not started to be super strict on food just yet.
“So I’ll relax over Christmas and indulge a little, while keeping up the training.
“I might even do a 10-mile TT on New Year’s Eve.”
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