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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
Dear Editor,
Congratulations on your site's excellent coverage of the 2009 FBD Insurance Ras. It really brought to life the trials and tribulations of these great athletes in sometimes terrible weather conditions.
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| Sam Bennett outsprinting the best to win the 7th stage of this year's FBD Insurance Ras into Clara, Co. Offaly - Picture courtesy of Stephen McMahon |
For me, the highlight of the week was the performance of 18 year old Sam Bennett. He showed his class, finishing in the top ten on six of the eight stages, and brought tears to many eyes by winning stage seven into Clara. On the day when Philip Deignan finished fifth in a stage of Giro d'Italia and Daniel Martin and Nicholas Roche were doing the business in Spain. How wonderful for Ireland to have four world class talents like these young riders!
Unless you happen to be a member of the Board of Cycling Ireland or work for the Performance Unit of the Irish Sports Council that is. Despite being a European Junior Champion on the track and obviously a huge talent on the road, Sam Bennett isn't regarded by CI or the ISC as world class. He's not regarded as an international standard athlete either (that is at the same level as David McCann, Paul Healion, Martyn Irvine and David Peelo). Sam is regarded as a Development athlete, and receives 96 euro per week. During the Ras, Sam damaged a pair of Lightweight wheels. If these need to be replaced, that's half of his grant gone.
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| Sam Bennett on the FBD Ras podium after the final stage in Skerries |
With people losing their jobs left, right and centre, maybe we shouldn't be too perturbed about a young lad getting a poor deal. He's young. He'll get over it. However, I for one am very disturbed to learn that our only ever European Champion will not be riding the European Track Championships this year due to lack of funding. The Cycling Ireland track coaches who have put in so much time and effort must be gutted too.
I understand from his mother that Sam was willing to change from full-time to part-time study for next winter so that he could train and compete with the track endurance squad as long as he was carded at international level (12000 euro per annum). Why does he need the money? Because the track team live out of suitcases travelling to Ghent, Aigle, Manchester, Newport, Beijing and Copenhagen. The Board of Cycling Ireland said no. Why???
A lot of people reckon that Ireland's economic boom had its roots in Italia 90. The feelgood factor caused by Ireland's success on the world soccer stage permeated through business and boosted our economy. We have an Olympic Games on our doorstep in three years time. Every effort should be done to put resources towards those who have the potential to win a medal. What do we do in Ireland? Force a European Champion to retire at 18 years of age? When the equivalent of the dole would see him through.
To the Board of Cycling Ireland: Hang Your Heads in Shame.
Yours in Sport,
Ger Holden
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