As I stand here watching the people board for my flight I ask myself is this necessary?

You might say well its necessary if your university course isn’t on offer within the country or that if I’m having trouble finding a job it is necessary moving abroad so I can earn a living. But what if I was to tell you it’s neither of these two previous reasons but in fact it’s because I am chasing a dream of becoming a world champion in my chosen sport of Track Cycling and I don’t have the facilities within my own country to make this dream become a reality.

I am Mark Downey a 20 year old from Northern Ireland- Track specialist a double European medallist and just recently won an Elite World Cup in Apeldoorn in my chosen event the points race – this has now gave me the confidence to make my dream become my goal for the 2017 season. My location for training is Majorca Island as it has a velodrome for me to train on and prepare for my main races. This means spending long periods away from my family spending their money on food, flights and basically things to stand on my own two feet. You may start to think well if it’s costing this amount of money surely you would think of stopping and finding a job? Why should I? Would you tell your son/ daughter or family relation to ever stop doing what they love just because it’s costing them money? I know you wouldn’t.

Let’s look at one of Ireland’s most prestigious sports stars at the minute: Rory McIroy. Let’s picture his childhood without a golf course to play or practice on, do you think he would be the same player today had he not had these facilities in fact do you think he still would have had an interest in playing golf if he didn’t have several locations to play to be introduced to the sport as a young boy. Or perhaps imagine a boy with a football with nowhere to play it or a girl with a netball with no ring to shoot for? It is hard to imagine because it is nearly impossible well this is the problem I face everyday living within Northern Ireland/Ireland not having a velodrome to train on.

In all sports we have critics and likewise in cycling it’s very much the same, with Great Britain and Australia being the 2 dominant nations within the sport of track cycling. I hear people say let’s just do what the dominant nations do within the sport? But how can we – we are fighting a losing battle – I have also heard people speak verbally about why Cycling Ireland try to train young athletes on the track we are never going to be able to compete with no velodrome. If we had this attitude about everything in life we would all be very unsuccessful people – we can change this and I think it’s about time we did! Imagine the money I am investing on flights living abroad etc and if I was to take this money and invest it into something like better equipment they thing they call within the sport as marginal gains (which basically is minor details that are the difference between winning and losing).

As a 20 year old I can tell you straight up right now why they are the dominant nations within the sport of track cycling  is because they have the money being spent on development programmes and the fact they have the facilities to train on.  I know this because I have raced the same guys since I was 14 years old and watched them grow up on a programme that they had access to  top quality facilities 24/7 but this just inspires me every time I get to the start line telling myself ok “mind over body”. No matter how much grit and determination you have however this may not balance the scale as some of you may know cycling it s tactical sport. In that sense imagine reading a 600 page book since you were the age of 8 everyday compared to getting the book at 16? Who will know it off by heart first? Who will have the words implanted in their head? For sure it will be the 8 year old as he has such a huge head start. I am using this as an example as they will know the next page before they have even turned the page and this translates into knowing how the race is going to pan out before it even happens. Having that we bit more knowledge can make the difference between winning and losing- this is the point I am stressing about is that if we can start teaching kids at the ages of 8 how to ride a velodrome it will become second nature. This is why the reason we don’t have the generations of top cyclists within this sport as it is nearly nonexistent within N.I and Ireland.

What if we were to have a Velodrome within N.I I would think out of a group of 15 children you have the potential to have at least 3 Olympians and 1 world Champion maybe even more who knows until you try. The more interest and people we have competing in a sport produces more great athletes – In N.I and Ireland we are so behind the times Great Britain now have 5 250M velodrome’s to train and race on we don’t even have 1. We are too caught up in the times of deciding this and deciding that but why can we not just confirm a site and start building. I’m pretty sure that on my rest days I would happily help lay bricks for the foundation of the building as I am that passionate about improving the circumstances of Track Cycling within N.I. Imagine we had one the difference it could do for people, children and even athletes like me. At the 2016 Rio Olympics Ireland had 1 female representative at the games – Lets make a change to that for Tokyo 2020. Let’s make changes today!

We can’t afford to waste anymore time or talent within our own country and provide any ordinary person the chance to find out if they have what it takes to be the next superstar from Northern Ireland.

 

Mark Downey

Touchdown Barcelona, I was on to the next chapter in my life with Vc Toucy. I was here for a week’s training camp before heading back to France and beginning my race season.

You can just imagine how nervous I was a paddy moving here to France with one word of French “Bonjour”. I was greeted in Barcelona by a fellow rider Sylvain a real cool guy after realising I spoke far too fast for him to understand we were able to have a relaxing coffee to get to know each other a bit better while we waited on the team. Little did Sylvain know he became my translator for the week. The manager arrived and it was time to get to base.

The sight that awaited me arriving at the house – just beautiful

A fresh new pair of wheels and a bundle of kit I was a happy chappy. I introduced myself to the team in an awkward fashion, “Well lads how’s it going, I’m Mark”.  A few strange looks indeed, but it wasn’t looking before realising that I was at home. There was no language barrier the lads were all very genuine all very interested to meet me as I was with them and I settled in very smoothly.

It wasn’t all about the team building of just trying to get to know the boys personally but also to get some quality training in the legs for the beginning of the 2016 season. The norm was 2 hours in the morning 2-3 hours in the evening an easy day and 2 endurance days. With a few exercises along the way to get to know were each rider was condition wise.

I really enjoyed my week here settling in with Team Toucy it was a very good camp for me personally as I was happy that I had joined a nice team with a great set up for 2016. I also was able to brush up on my French with all the riders teaching me words along the way which I am very grateful. Even got to know the riders that well that by day 4 we were gambling as to whoever the winner was up the climb the other would have to buy you a Burger King. Let’s just say when it comes to the Irish betting on food we don’t lose ever! It’s in our nature haha.

The trip concluded with a nice day spent getting team pictures and also getting to see a part of Girona, it is my first time here and it really is a lovely part of the world. If you ever get the opportunity I wouldn’t refuse especially if you are cyclist. Just like to Thank all the riders and staff for this trip making me settle in really quickly and also for the French words along the way! Ca Passe!!!!

It was time to go to my new home, nowhere in the world is like home so I’ll call it my 2^nd ehhh home yea well call it that. Toucy is where I will be based for this season it’s like a small village very quiet and relaxed which is what I like. I was introduced to Bruno Henriques and his girlfriend Sophie. Bruno is a fellow rider on the team who lives beside my 2^nd home and has spent a great deal of time showing me around training wise and also Sophie giving me French lessons which again has made me feel very happy and at home here in Toucy. I settled in for 1 day before it was back onto the adrenaline train my first race of the 2016 Season Onjon.

Onjon: I had been told previously that there was 160 riders down for this race, I wasn’t fazed as I had a good weeks work and was going out to have fun in my first race of the season. This race was like a classic from the gun in the gutter and a completely new style of racing crosswinds I learnt quickly that I probably should have put cyclocross tyres on instead as I spent a lot of time riding on the grass/ hedge. The bigger teams were trying to control things and me in my first race well I was just trying to be with the front at all times, I had missed the split in the crosswinds and looked up the road there was a 30 rider group starting to get their act together. I looked at the front of the bunch and many riders were making brave attempts to go solo to the break suicide is what it was. But its what I had to do to get back to the front a team mate (Maxence) came to me straight away and was like lets go Mark I tucked in on his wheel he gave me a 200M lead out and a Madison sling to get me across and Thank god I just made it in a block head wind. I looked back and seen the peleton in tatters, I was just happy I was on the other side. From here to the finish it was a matter of doing my turn and keeping my powder dry I had wasted a lot of energy going solo to the break and knew it wasn’t a day for me. On the final lap a small group clipped away and with 3 riders from Toucy still in the front I committed to doing my deed for the team to fall short by 5 secs of the leaders. I still managed to collect a 15^th place in  my first outing in my new colours I was very satisfied with this result. But I wanted more and I would get in the following week in my first Elite National. Few shots of my first race the one on the right is me going solo to the break and believe me this isn’t my poker face!

 

Elite National Canton: We arrived and it felt like I was driving in to a pro race all the teams show boating their bikes outside the team Vans/ trucks, it was nice to see that I was with the big boys today all 1^st Cat teams with some Cat 2 200 riders. I was in for a good day in the saddle, en route to the race the snow was pattering of the window so I came to the decision that it was a day for the break as it was pan flat and far to cold to suck a wheel all day. They dropped the flag and frig me…… people on the left people on the right people down the centre. I started thinking is this a 180km Criterium. I was determined to make the move and move after move I followed hanging on for daylight after about 25minutes of sitting on the tip of the saddle I looked back the elastic snapped a move of 20 riders went clear and I was there. Initially I started planning different situations in my head of how the race would go. This wasn’t in my thoughts for long as the breakaway still wanted to attack each other as a lot of riders had made the split so we spent the first hour an a half quite frankly kicking the shit out of each other. I was loving it was like a club spin who can ride half a wheel in front of who, but only this time I was on the other side of the stick feeling the burn.

The race proceeded after settling down and most riders wanting to do their part after 130km I thought it was day over for me as following the time board all day just seemed like the bunch was just going to reel us in! I was badly mistaken the stronger teams had ripped the bunch in tatters and a group of 40 riders had been chasing us all day, my thoughts exactly “Holy shit”. The groups merged and back into criterium mode the race went attack on the right attack on the left. Ali Ali Ali!! After 10km a group finally clipped off and me still learning who to follow I could sense the group switching of as the teams were represented so I goes my final bullet lets fire it. I come from the back of the group to go across to the group and get within 50Metres of the tail and lights out. As you can tell I was disappointed however I had raced my heart out all day in the break and to try go with all the moves after 145Km isn’t as easy as it sounds, infact it doesn’t even sound easy! We got to the finishing circuit and I was feeling disappointed about missing the move but I have to take the positives from it ok I missed the final but I can’t say I didn’t try. I rolled home in 27^th in the group the 1^st man was 18^th so not a bad start I am happy morale is good and condition is good, but I am still super hungry to get the ball rolling and I did just that the following day. Here’s a picture of my happy face smiling for the picture’s ohh no not this picture all you can see is a face of hurt!

Mother’s day took me to an all category race St Saulges nothing on level like the day before just exactly like a race in Ireland 70 riders or there abouts. One word to describe this race “madness” from the flag dropped attack after attack it was 6.5km circuit with a lot of laps. This race was very strange to me before I knew it after 4 laps I was in the last group on the road, after following every move from the start I started to hesitate a bit and that’s when moves started sticking. One simple lose of concentration and before you know it your chasing the race this was a key learning point for me concentration you can’t relax for 30 seconds or your out. I was lucky this time that I had good legs to get back into the group but a minute or 2 later I could have been out the back, I managed to go across to the main group solo and from then on in it was just a waring down process with the main group only consisting of about 20 riders. I started to keep my powder dry minding myself and with 3 laps to go a good team made a move with 2 riders and another individual went clear. I sensed this was the winner as everyone in the group was spent after such an aggressive race so I went for it and went hard only taking with me one team mate of the team with 2 riders in the front. Obviously I wasn’t going to get much assistance from him on the way over to the break but the sneaky balax jumped me about 50Metres from the tail end of the group. A very good move which caught me of guard he made it to the break and went straight to the front driving it on. It was a battle of strength and thankfully we hit the headwind section and he died of a bit with me just making the tail end of the group.

This effort had took a lot out of me but I was in the front for the first time this year and determined to produce the winner. On the last lap it was 3 against 2 individuals we were fighting a losing battle as they played their team card perfect and collected a 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd. With me and other poor chap coming home with legs in pieces after we got our legs tore of trying to follow their attacks. I rolled across the line 5^th which I am very happy with on reflection, I am still learning and I seem to be learning quickly ok at the minute I’m riding on brute force and ignorance because I am unsure of the right moves to follow but I can definitely say I am committing every time I put that number on my back and that’s what you need to get better.

I will continue working hard, I am happy with my condition for the beginning of the season considering I am not busting myself just yet and still have a lot to give for this season. I am excited to keep sharing my opinions and experiences with you all and if there is anything you’d like me to talk a bit more in my next blog, e.g whats in my pockets for a race, my pre race meal let me know.

Stand by for my next blog,

Bonsoir (Goodnight)

Mark

Hello, first blog of many to keep you all posted on what’s been going on in my life up until the present times. I will try to keep them short and sweet and give you an insight as to what I’ve been doing training wise and racing.

Let’s go back to Christmas I Flew home from Majorca on the 19 ^th of December for a well earned rest period. I Attended the BBC sports personality which was just unbelievable sitting in a room with Roughly 10,000 people Who are so passionate about a sport as I am with cycling as you can see below me and Sean Delighted to be there. I always like to keep Christmas is family time and just like to chill as well as Treating myself with the usual calorie packed foods.

Into the New Year It was time to get the serious / race face back on again, after-it all Being annonced That I would ride for Velo Club Toucy for the 2016 as well as Being a supported rider by the Emerald Fund, a fund in which Dan Martin and a generous group of people to help young riders reach Their full potential. Training started of basic low intensity to get the body working Properly again before venturing on to a Slightly Heavier work load, this is probably the best winter I have in my legs Considering I have Went full time for this season and participated in the Track World Cups .

I Was getting the miles in on the well renound green machine showing up on one of the most unique bikes in the country would crack the local group riders-even before we rolled out of the square. The bike now has Become part of my DNA with a test every ride to see how far I can get without breaking down building character They Say. It’s safe to say I think it’s the last winter it will see for a while.

The weather at home During January Either can be one or the other out of nowhere as usual Could Be sun shining, there Could Be a drop of rain or the whole of NI has 5 inches of snow nobody can ever predict it. I have-been lucky enough to Spend MOST of the winter in Majorca out of the cold so I Could get effective training in. However I did have the odd day in the cold back home.  When I near lost the back end on a training spin with the ice, as my brother  Told Me That morning That by the time I got out of bed there will be no ice, I Took His advice bad mistake! I got of lightly with just a scare, Sean was full of cr * p as I went down the road from my house sideways. I came to think that I had got out of bed earlier than he would have thought or maybe the sun never got at this patch ice. Hmmm I’ll let you decide which one it was.

February 4 ^th It was time to get back to reality with the serious head flying back to Majorca. I came back got some solid road miles in With Some hard stuff  on the Track Which would give me the race zip back pretty quick. It’s a great set up out in Majorca and people do not see the work we put in over there all riders literally eat, sleep ride hard and repeat. It’s a good environment for training as there are no distractions and the weather is always half decent at this time of the year. I Spent 3 weeks here competing in one track race which went pretty well for me it consisted of an elimination race and a points race to decide an overall.

The elimination is always a great race to watch as its shoulder to shoulder elbow to elbow and there’s guaranteed to be a crash or near miss. In this case There Was a crash and I Was bottom of the stack the two guys to my left were having a battle  and before I knew it over the bars I Went. No injuries and back up in the saddle to pick up a nice 2 ^nd overall  I was pretty happy with my condition for the start of the season. A trip to the medics to get cleaned and patched up sorted out me to continue racing in the points race. It was only 80laps which is half the distance to what normally I would ride so It was going to be fast and furious. I Went in with my normal tactic of having a relaxed start, Unfortunately this blew up in my face the 3-4 riders I needed to watch Had a lap before We had completed 3-laps period. This left me in a bad place, I continued in the race playing catch up wining 4 out of 8 sprints and picking up 46 points but still shy of the top 3 as they had all taken  two laps and were consistent in each sprint. I fell shy of the podium by 1 point 2 points of 2 ^nd and 3 points of the top step. I was satisfied after-goal having really good legs in both races it was my tactical side that unfortunately let me down. These races are here to learn in making mistakes, the main thing was my morale and my condition was good to start my season and its always a positive.

It was now time to depart Majorca and make my way over to my team for 2016 Velo Club De Toucy. I am going on a week’s training camp to get to know the riders and bond as a team. I am very excited about starting my new adventure here in France and I am Delighted to be supported by the Emerald Fund in 2016.

Stay put for my next blog on my training camp and insight into The Beginning of my racing season.

See you soon

Salut

Mark.

My name is Mark Downey, I’m ninteen years old and I live in Dromore Co. Down.

I was the type of child that was open to trying new hobbies so at a young age I took up the sport of cycling. My dad and I would take to the roads together on the tandem and I really enjoyed it so I began to take up cycling competitively.

I participated in my first race when I was eight and I still to this day remember what it like. Lining up at the starting line having those prerace nerves and the adrenaline going through my body I thought to myself from the star I would just goes as hard as my body will allow and try and leave all those competitors behind! That decision was wrong, there were four other participants in the race and I managed finish a worthy second place. The winner of the race was Daniel Runciman of my same club – Banbridge CC, who since became my new rival for the next two years of my mountain biking career. However at the age of nine I got my first road bike and that’s when I really got the cycling bug.

I remember going on leisurely spins with my mum and dad just wanting to constantly race them for the whole hour of cycling. I was so enthusiastic to get going and mark my territory.

At the age of eleven I then competed in my very first Irish Championships, at this event I won the gold in the Time Trial and criterium but only placed silver in the road race, behind the victorious Shane O’hara. Little did I know this was the start of another rivalry through my youth cycling career. Here is a picture of Shane just pipping me to the line, from then on seeing this picture made me strive to do my best and become stronger in my age category.

I continued my path through the youth ranks very successfully winning numerous national titles and the only year I didn’t achieve a gold medal was in the U13 category when I simply wasn’t as strong as my rivals. When I was in the youth ranks it was all about making friends and just having fun with the race in the middle of it. I never took the racing too seriously as I was still at such a young age and for young youth riders today I would advise them to keep enjoying it and having fun because at the end of the day its only a bike.
Below is a photo collage of some of the memories throughout my youth career. The photo on the left it is taken at the starting line of the U12 Ulster championships which I ended up winning a silver medal.
The middle picture was the final moments of the U14 Irish Criterium championships, clearly my expression shows my delight at getting gold!

 

 

The photo on the right would be my most memorable moment of my youth career – representing Ireland at the Youth Olympics which was an amazing opportunity as a first year U16 travelling to the best racing in Europe. Unfortunately the trip was not a great success for me as I was struck down with a bug and was not able to perform to my best, however that was a day in which I learned a lot within the sport. You cannot control the uncontrollable and I just had to battle through the race knowing that I wasn’t at my best, yet I was determined to learn as much as possible and take the experience in my stride.

But then it was time for a change I was growing up and it was now time to race with the bigger boys as a first year junior. Although it was a huge step up from youth to Junior I was willing do what I needed to do and get stuck in.  My first year in the category my dad offered me a lot of wisdom. He was a former Olympian at the 1986 Olympics in Los Angeles and i took onboard everything he had to say as it would only make me the better rider. I continued working hard and picking up some great results such as winning the Ras Donegal and Stage one of the Junior Tour. All my effort and determination was rewarded when I was offered a place on Cycling Ireland Summer Track programme for the World championships in Glasgow. I absolutely loved riding on the track and it was showing I had a natural flair when I qualified by lapping the field. Seeing my name at the top of a world championships leader board really was something special and a moment I will never forget. I went in to the final race to go out and chase a world champions medal however after my exploits in the qualifying round I had taken a lot out of my body and only managed placing 15^th in the final results which I was truly disappointed with. However when I sat down and revaluated that I was racing some of the best in the world I thought I was the luckiest person ever to be given such an opportunity. I came away from worlds track in great shape and a few more great results later in the year I got me selected to represent Ireland at the World Road Championships.

This was huge experience for me going to an event were I would see my idols cycle past me and to be living in the same environment and eating dinner with some of Irelands most talented cyclist – Dan Martin and Nicholas Roche this was truly surreal. Although this trip was more for experience than getting results, I finished 48^th in the Time Trial which was really disheartening.  It was time to move on and up to a bigger and better 2014 season.

I had a very slow start to the 2014 season which meant not as much training at the start of the year in building for my goal in July the European Championships. I had based my whole year round it which meant not as much road races or endurance in the legs. I was resting to keep my body fresh as I could carrying no injuries until when I really needed to ramp the training up. After completing my school studies this allowed more time to train and focus on my goal. I was invited to Cycling Ireland camps in Majorca where we would follow a strict training programme in getting us ready for the Europeans. I worked hard and was very motivated in everything I was doing because at the end of the day I was going to the Europeans to get a medal and that was all I knew. We arrived in Portugal and the work had all been done in the preparation camps, now it was just a matter of resting and giving it my best.

All of this hard work and commitment paid off in the end. The race included an insane pace where I had also managed to crash I thought my chances were slim. But to find out I won a silver medal was surreal and standing on that podium getting the medal around my neck it finally sunk in just what I had accomplished. A emotional moment of goose bumps and tears – never to be forgotten. Working towards something that meant so much to me I was not going to let the crash get me down so after a hard fight I got back on my bike with so much support from the crowd it really gave me the push I needed to just keep going.

I can’t thank everyone enough at the Irish Cycling Federation for giving myself and all my team mates the opportunity to perform on the world stage and with all the hard work from the coaches ….. I was so proud to a part of such a strong community of workers.
I also would like to thank my family and friends for supporting through-out this year, it has truly been inspirational and it was your support that kept me going. Just coming home and letting the medal sink in seeing how much it meant to everyone was such a good feeling.

So that’s you up to date with my younger years now its time to move on to my most recent months, leading up to my 2016 season with the Track Programme and joining my new team Velo Club Toucy. This is only the beginning of my blog and I hope I can take you all on my journey to being a professional cyclist.

Until next time,

 

Mark Downey