Connacht Cycling has gathered an all-star line-up of current and former riders for an upcoming leisure and coaching day, with former world champion Mark Scanlon one of the star turns.
Former national road and TT champion – and reigning double Paralympic champion – Eve McCrystal is also taking part along with Cycling Ireland’s top A1 rider of the year, Daire Feeley.
Not content with that quality trio, Connacht Cycling has also called in former international riders David O’Loughlin and Tommy Evans; the latter now working with Cycling Ireland after also coaching in triathlon to Olympic level.
The ‘Building the Future’ training and coaching day takes place tomorrow week, December 4th, in Westport, Co Mayo. It will be the opening day of a packed weekend on the Connacht scene as ‘Round 3’ of the Connacht Cyclocross Series takes place the following day – Sunday, December 5th – at Westport House.
One of the organisers of Saturday week’s ‘Building the Future’ event, Padraig Marrey, said the aim was to “build motivation to recruit and develop the next generation of youth cyclist across all disciplines”.
“By holding a multi discipline training day we get to have all facets of the sport in one venue,” he said. “A whole re think is needed if we want a conveyer belt of young cyclist taking up the sport in the future.”
The day will begin with a series of rides, with different groups pitched at riders of all abilities, from 10am at the Clew Bay Hotel in Westport.
These rides will be led by Scanlon, Evans, McCrystal, Feeley, O’Loughlin, endurance record holder Sean Heron and MTB rider and coach Niall Davis. Everyone who takes to the morning rides will get a voucher for lunch in the Clew Bay Hotel from 1.30pm.
That will be followed by coaching workshops at the Westport Leisure Centre-Blew Bay Hotel from 2pm. This will include the latest on strength and conditioning while a Q&A will also take place to encourage, educate and motivate the gathered crowd.
Closing out the training day Liam Moggan, known as ‘The Coach’s Coach’, will provide plenty of insight into building and developing the local cycling scene.
For those who are planning to stay the night, the Connacht Cycling annual medals and awards ceremony, with dinner, takes place in the Clew Bay Hotel from 7pm.
You must register in advance for the ‘Building the Future’ day and you can do so at this link.
