Johnny McCabe (Cuchulainn CC) has described his win in the Masters World Cyclocross Championships as a "dream race". He said there was a great atmosphere in the small Irish contingent who traveled to Hamburg, adding he had spotted some advantages for himself when watching the early races on the day.
And when he took those into his own race, he went ahead early on knew he had to hang one. He pressed on out front alone to take a brilliant victory and bring the world champion's gold medal and rainbow bands back to Ireland.
When he reach the line in Hamburg and knew he was the champion, McCabe said it brought on a moment of reflection when he looked back at everything he had put into his cycling.
“It’s only at the finish line you realise how much you invested into it, not just the physical preparation but the psychological build up within you," he said. "Then when you happen to be lucky enough to succeed in getting the stripes it makes it all the more worthwhile."
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And having the other Irish riders there - taking in their own aged related Masters world title races - meant he had compatriots on hand to share his big moment; Des Woods, Alan Bingham and Tim O'Regan doing the honours.
“There’s such emotion, there’s a few people looking down from above for sure. It’s very hard to describe the feeling, to have Alan, Des, and Tim there to celebrate with. It was just unbelievable.
“They really made the wee atmosphere, the little Irish contingent that was over there and of course Sean Rowe taking photographs.”
McCabe's win in the 65-69 aged group came as a surprise to him, though he is national champion at present and also did his home before the race, in a freezing and snowy Hamburg; the conditions clearly not deterring Co Louth man McCabe.
“I think it was vital to get out for a couple of laps because it was - 6 at that stage and just to get on a course with those conditions that we wouldn’t really be used to back home. It’s very important to memorise the course and to know how to not wreck yourself in the race itself.
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“If I don’t come off in the practice before the race I’m not trying hard enough. I normally come off once or twice in the reccie, just pushing the limit to see how far you can go. I creamed myself on the last lap before the start on a particular corner, so I knew where not to push it too hard in the race.
“The race itself went a dream. I watched one of the women's races before and they tended to brake maybe 50 metres before the hairpin turn on the starting straight of about 300 metres.
“I said, 'they’re braking way too early', and the same thing happened in our race. I was second on the grid. They braked early and I just kept her lit right to the corner.
"They had gravelled the start straight so I knew there would be good braking into the hairpin corner which was the worst corners of the course. I got round that corner first and said to myself ‘Oh Lordy, I have to hold this now!’
"It turned out okay because you have a clear run at it, you can concentrate 100% on everything in front of you. I don’t think I’ve ever concentrated as much during a race because of the conditions.
“The power straights wouldn’t be my cup of tea, coming out of the corner I whacked it for about five pedal strokes out of the saddle but by the time you’re halfway down that power straight you’re slowing up for the icy corner. So those straights were halved and that suited me big time.”
However, while delighted with his victory, he said even competing at the Worlds was a major buzz.
“It’s all about pinning the number on your jersey, I’m a firm believer in that. You’re not looking at a podium, you’re just looking at having a great race being over the for the weekend and riding these iconic courses.
“This was completely out of the blue but having said that I looked at the course and thought this is right up my alley, but you dare not dream.”
“You can’t plan for it - everything aligns on the day. Everything must just fit and fortunately it did that day. When you stand there, and the National Anthem is being played it’s incredible.”
