Swiss nod legit, insists McQuaid

UCI President Pat McQuaid has ensured doubters his nomination from the Swiss Cycling federation for a third term as head of the sport’s governing body is legitimate.

The Irishman, speaking on Newstalk yesterday, reiterated that despite not getting an Irish nomination, he is at peace with the nomination from Switzerland, where he has lived since 2005.

“My information is that the nomination is secure,” he replied when quizzed about whether that latter nomination was facing a legal challenge.

“My legal people have told me it’s secure. The Swiss federation has decided and it has given me a nomination,” he explained. When asked if he was the man to lead the UCI, given the lack of support from his home federation, he replied; “First of all, I left Ireland eight years ago so those people in Ireland don’t know me best. Secondly, I feel it is the democratic right of the federations of the world, the ones that I worked for over the last eight years to make the decision whether I should stay on as UCI President or not and their opportunity to do that is at the UCI Congress next September when I stand before them, along with Brian Cookson, and let them decide because they’re the people I work for. I haven’t been working for Cycling Ireland. As a matter of fact I’m unable to work for them, because I work for the UCI.”

Meanwhile, Matt Brammeier blasted to a record breaking fourth national road race championship victory when he outsprinted French based Philip Lavery (AC Bisontine) and domestic amateur Damien Shaw (Aquablue)at the end of yesterday’s title race in Carlingford. This trio had pulled clear of a 16 man lead group with two laps of the 14km circuit remaining and despite both Lavery and Brammeier having been out front from the second lap, managed to stay away to contest the medals, with Banteer sprinter Paidi O’Brien (Planet Tri) leading home the chasers for fourth ahead of Ronan McLoughlin of An Post almost a minute later.

Holder Brammeier had been planning his final sprint throughout the race and dived up the right hand side of the road with 200m to go, to win by a couple of bike lengths.

“Philip was going really strong and I was worried about him,” said Brammeier. “I knew where the wind was coming from and I knew I had to be on the right hand side of the road but tactics don’t really play much into it after such a hard race. It’s who’s got the most left in the tank. I knew whoever kicked and hit out first would win. I made sure it was me.”

Jack Wilson of An Post took the U23 title, finishing in 13th place outsprinting silver medallist Cormac Clarke of Newry 14th and Belgian based bronze medallist Connor Dunne (VI Tekniks) in 15th.