McConvey Has Eyes Firmly Fixed On World Title Bid In Oz
29th July
The Newsletter
By Nigel Ringland
Connor McConvey will head to the World Championships in Australia in September as the Irish mountain bike champion.
He clinched his first senior title earlier this month and puts it down to the experience he’s gained racing across the globe in the world cup against the best riders.
Speaking to the Newsletter from Quebec, Canada where he is racing this week McConvey said, “A first Irish senior title was nice, to be honest it was pretty straight forward. When you’re racing at such a high level every week you are prepared for a race like that. I didn’t need to race that hard, just keep everything under control. This year I’ve done pretty much all the World Cup races and I’m improving. Last year I was maybe finishing in the fifties but this year I’ve had results in the thirties and that has meant podium finishes at under-23 level so that has shown me that I’m getting better and also puts my results into perspective.”
It hasn’t all been plain sailing. Mountain biking is fraught with danger both mechanically with the bike and also crashes are part of the sport.
“Sometimes I need stabilisers,” he jokes.
Even this week, McConvey suffered a crash in Canada and a gashed knee may yet rule him out of this weekend’s race.
Last year McConvey was ranked sixth at under-23 level in the World Championships and when he goes to Canberra in September his goal will be to win a medal.
“This season has been a big learning curve. Racing every week is something I wasn’t used to and I’ve learnt how to target races more and prepare better for them. My results and the way I’ve raced have shown me that there’s a big result in there and hopefully that will come in Australia.”
With three years to go until the start of London 2012, McConvey still has plenty of time to keep his rapid improvement in the sport on an upward trend although he himself believes that it will be the Games of 2016 when he will really shine. Mountain biking isn’t on the Commonwealth Games schedule for Delhi next year but he will still like to be part of the Northern Ireland cycling team, taking part in the road race, something he has done for Ireland in the World and European Championships.
“I’d love to race there not only for whoever is the team leader and try to win a medal for Northern Ireland but also to experience a multi-sport event similar to the Olympics. I know it’s not as big but it would reduce that first time shock and anything you can do to achieve that would be good.”
Home Base Is Proving An Advantage For Connor
Connor McConvey is getting a taste for the first time this year of what it means to race at the very highest level week in, week out and he’s loving every minute.
The 21 year-old is one of the up and coming stars of mountain biking and he’s determined to make his mark in the World Championships in Canberra in Australia in September.
Earlier this year, McConvey was head hunted by a French team and he moved to Europe to pursue his dream of making the Olympics in London. Despite the fact that the economic downturn meant the team went bust, such is the talent of the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland cyclist that he attracted offers from three other major squads and is now racing for the Dutch mountain bike team, De Brink-Ten Tusscher.
“This was the right deal for me. This is a very experienced team and the boss has been around the sport for twenty years and I get very well looked after. It’s a much more complete team,” explains McConvey.
However, since joining them in May, he is now able to base himself at home.
“The world cup events are so spaced out that when I was in France you could face a ten hour drive to the competition. So actually living at home cuts down on the travel because I can just fly to the closest airport near the venue. All that driving wasn’t the best preparation for racing and now the team take all my equipment to the venue and I meet up with them there.”
Being able to live at home between races has another advantage. He’s able to avail himself of the facilities of the Sports Institute based at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown.
“That’s something which is of huge advantage for me. It’s something that I was missing when I was living in France. You’re on a professional team, that’s true, but during the week when your training you’re very much on your own with no one looking after you. When I’m at home I can just nip down the road and get a massage or use the gym and talk to whomever I need to. When you’re full-time it’s all those small things that are very important and help you get from day to day and get the most out of your training. For the minute and for the next few years this is what works best for me.”
With thanks to Richard Mulligan, Sports Editor of The Newsletter
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