HomeInterviewsCraig Maclean - Totally Focused on Beijing
It would have been his 13th Worlds; but for the first time since 1996 there will be no one from Granton-on-Spey on the British track team, when the series kick off in Manchester in a week-or-so. VeloVeritas caught up with Craig Maclean on the day ‘The Guardian’ told us that he won’t be pulling on a GB ‘speed suit’ for the team or individual sprints.
Craig is a multiple British Champion and record holder.
Can I just check your palmarès, Craig?
“Worlds Team sprint: Bronze 2001, 2003 and 2004; Silver 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007; Gold 2002, plus Olympic team sprint Silver in 2000, and Worlds Individual Sprint: Silver 2006?
“If you say so, Ed! I’ve ridden every Worlds since 1996, this would have been my thirteenth participation, so maybe it’s as well I’m not riding.”
Tell us about the injury.
“I tore a glut (gluteus medius muscle) in the gym, last October and whilst I could still ride my bike, there’s 2000 watts of difference between riding your bike through the lanes and doing the type of work that you need to do to train for the Worlds.
It meant I missed a lot of foundation work and by the time I had recovered I went straight into the World Cup series, trying to get speed but without having done the base work.
My form hasn’t really built because you’re trying to go well all the time; if I had gone back to basics I wouldn’t have had the speed that’s required.
This is a time when you are constantly under scrutiny, to get points for Olympic qualification from the World Cups and to get selection for the Worlds.”
I read that you had withdrawn, rather not being selected?
“I was offered a trial to ride as second or third man in the team sprint and also for the individual sprint and keirin, but even if I had won selection, it would have been a compromise.
It would have been great to ride at Manchester and win a medal, but I’ve won a lot of Worlds medals, now the Olympics are the main thing.
I’ve actually started foundation training for the Olympics — I did that right after I made the decision not to ride and I’m now totally focused on the Olympic trials, which will probably be in early July. Its more gym based but there’s no substitute for riding your bike and I’ll be doing base work there too.”
You don’t become a World Champion without power.
So, Jamie Staff has your place as lead off rider?
“For a wee while anyway!”
Will you watch the Worlds?
“I’ll watch the individual sprint – that would be helpful from a tactical point of view. But its tough watching the team sprint, I did it once before and it wasn’t enjoyable — I’ll maybe watch the recorded highlights on TV.”
Who are the teams to beat in the team sprint?
“France, definitely, Germany and the Dutch have come on. The Dutch really only have three guys, but that can be a big positive; I remember when it was just Chris, Jason and me, we were totally focussed on the job, there were no selection worries, you knew that it was just the three of you and what had to be done.
If you have to keep fighting for a place I think it can get to a point where it’s almost counter productive because you’re thinking about selection all the time, rather than the race.”
Craig: all or nothing for the Olympics.
Can you talk about the new hardware?
“I’d talk about it, if I knew about it! We’re kind of out of the loop on that, I don’t think that the bikes will be radically different but there are developments with skinsuits and helmets. They leave it ‘til late with things like that so as the other teams can’t see them and copy them.”
Has this injury set you to thinking about ‘life after the bike?’
“I’m actually very positive just now, I’m totally focussed on Beijing, to think beyond that would be negative — it’s all or nothing for the Olympics!”
Glad to hear it Craig!
We’re sure you’ll join us in wishing Craig every success in his preparations for Beijing, and would like to thank him again for taking the time to talk to us.
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport.
In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.
Two course records obliterated within days of each other over the Easter weekend? It could only be that man John Archibald (Ribble Pro Cycling). It’s good to see he’s put a disappointing Worlds pursuit behind him - and the margins he’s breaking course records by takes VeloVeritas back to those ‘Obree Days’ when every weekend produced another ‘wow!’
When Taylor Phinney crossed the finish line at the end of the Giro prologue, a big sigh went up here at VeloVeritas – ‘there goes our Giro prologue winner exclusive!’ Sky's Geraint Thomas had been top of the leader board until Phinney used those amazing genes of his to great effect and the Weshman had to make do with second place.
VeloVeritas caught up with Harry Tanfield a few days after his move to the Swiss/Russian squadra Katusha hit the browsers. The thing about a Harry interview is that no matter how big the result he never gets too excited - and signing with a World Tour team for two seasons doesn’t seem such a big deal for the 23 year-old from Great Ayton in north east England.
Talent isn’t the only quality you need to ‘make it’ in cycling, Lady Luck plays a big part; 'right time, right place', but of vital importance is persistence. As Winston Churchill said; ‘never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never.’ Former British Junior Road Race Champion, Jacob Vaughan must have read that quotation.
Rapha-Condor-JLT’s 21 year-old ‘Yorkshire man in black’ Tom Moses has been making the headlines these last few weeks. In the opening race of the British Cycling Elite Road Race Series (what was wrong with ‘Star Trophy?’) recently, the Tour of the Reservoir, Moses tried to steal the second stage victory and overall GC with a late attack but was ridden down by Scotland’s Evan Oliphant (Raleigh). This year he’s moved across to John Herety’s team with the ambition of catching the eye of a Pro Continental squad for 2015. We spoke to him between his Normandie and the Reservoir results...
Today is ‘D Day’ for Alex Rasmussen, will JV let him put pen to paper and welcome him back to the Garmin fold? Or will the man from Odense and his manager have to go back to the drawing board to get the talented Dane back in the peloton? The way the UCI has handled the case would be laughable, if it had not been so tragic for the versatile and likeable Dane.
Gordon Murdoch (East Kilbride RC) added the opening GP win of 2007 - in a freezing, wet and windy Rosneath event - to the 2006 season-closing Anderside GP event. Weighing a stone less than last season and with a new team providing fresh motivation, he was the most resilient rider on a day better suited to sitting by the fireside than climbing Whistlefield Brae three times.
We look at the popularity of Sportives in this article. In 2014, both the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia will visit the UK. The 2011 World Road Race Champion was a British rider and the current Tour de France champion is British also.
We humbly ask for your help to support our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed Hood. Ed suffered a devastating stroke in February last year and faces an uncertain future.
As a result of the stroke, Ed has lost his ability to speak, and to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He’s working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time.
Ed ran his own business installing windows but will not be able to work again and his financial future is uncertain, so please consider joining us to make a contribution to the GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure Ed's future. Thank you.
