Mark Cassidy 2004 - Picture by Peter Purfield
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The number of Irish professionals is set to further increase in 2005 with the news that the promising youngster Mark Cassidy has been awarded a contract with the new Driving Force Logistics team. The Meath rider will join eleven others on the British-based squad, including Northern cyclist Ryan Connor, with the team planning to target major events in the UK, UCI continental calendar races plus the Espoir (under 23) world cup in 2005. Participation in the Tour of Britain is also a goal for the five-nation squad.
‘I am delighted to get a place on the team,’ Cassidy told IrishCycling.com this week. ‘I had been due to race with VC La Pomme next season but due to a new ruling about Elite two riders, it turned out that there was no place available. I thought that I wouldn’t be able to get a good team, but the manger James Louter was talking to my dad about getting a young Irish rider…at first he was interested in Paídi O’Brien, but he is going to another team. So when he found out that I wasn’t going to be with VC La Pomme in 2005, he offered me a contract.’
Shane Stokes: What is the Elite 2 situation with La Pomme – can you clarify that?
Mark Cassidy: Well, Elite 2 is one below the pro level in France. I would have been Elite 3 because Elite 2 is very difficult…there are a lot of ex-pros there. Fred (Frederick Rostaing, VC La Pomme directeur sportif) felt it would be too hard for me…I think the club will only have three or four Elite 3 riders next year and they will be French. So Fred was trying to put me in contact with other clubs in France instead, but then this other team came along.’
SS: Do you have any idea what your programme will be like?
MC: In terms of Irish races, I know the Rás is a possibility and so too the Shay Elliott. But I am not sure about the Rás because the Under 23 Paris-Roubaix is on the final day of the Rás. So it will be one or the other. Other than that, it will be 2.5 and 1.5 races plus under 23 world cup races. The team hope to do the Tour de Langkawi but I won’t be doing that. They should also be doing the Tour de l’Avenir…I’m not sure about that either as it will be very hard. But we’ll decide around the time.
The setup next year is that I will be living near Brighton next year, in a house with other riders. We will be travelling from there to the continent. They will have a training camp in Spain as well.
SS: How is your training going at the moment?
MC: Well, I actually only started training last weekend. I went down the country with my dad (double FBD Milk Ras winner Philip Cassidy)and we did a couple of spins. I took a complete break since the start of October…the only thing I was doing was cycling eight miles to work. But now I am starting back, I will be knuckling down to proper training now.
SS: Your first senior season was very good. You made a good step-up in standard from your second year as a junior. What were the highlights of the season for you?
MC: I suppose it was winning some road races, because I never won races before. Also riding the Rás as well, that was good for experience.
SS: Was the season better than you expected going into it?
MC: Yeah, yeah, way better…my previous year I didn’t win anything. My confidence is way higher now….I won five or six races last year, compared to a time trial win as a junior. My goal for next year is to take another couple of wins – it will be more difficult now because my programme will be a lot heavier. I won’t be riding races in Ireland or England, apart from the Premier Calendar events. They will all be very difficult races so it will be hard to get a win.
I’d like to have a solid season, get a few results in the World Cups. I’m not sure whether that will be top ten or top twenty.
SS: Will the Driving Force Logistics team have a squad targeting those events?
MC: Yeah, they have a team of five. I think they will be sent to the World Cup races.
SS: What about your long-term goal?
MC: Probably to get a better contract within the next two years. Or perhaps to stay with the team, depending on how they progress. Their goal is to be in the ProTour within five years. The manager James Louder seems pretty good, he knows what he is talking about. There is also a nutritionist on the team helping riders with their diet and there will be someone to help with your training programme. So it seems very professionally run. Their set-up is good…you are given loads of equipment and gear so you are well looked after.
SS: Your father raced abroad when he was younger. Has he given you any advice?
MC: Mainly to stick it out, because it can be hard when you are away. It is important to keep going through the tough times. A lot of people get homesick and don’t like it abroad, but if you stick with it, you can do it.
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Driving Force Logistics 2005 roster:
Travis Allen (RSA)
Luke Bettany (Aus)
Mark Cassidy (Ire)
Ryan Connor (GBr)
Jai Crawford (Aus)
Tim Dunford (GBr)
James Flanagan (GBr)
Ben Hallam (GBr)
Michael Scherer (USA)
David Smith (GBr)
Phil Dixon (GBr)
Yanto Barker (GBr)