Gerard asks 20 questions

20 THINGS YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK ………  DAVID McQUAID

NAME ;  DAVID McQUAID

1. Age:   21

2. Club: UCD at home because I have a sports scholarship and VC Roubaix in France

3. GC: How did you get started in cycling?

    DMcQ:  Family connections and involvement

4. GC:  What was your first win?

    DMcQ:  First ‘proper’ win was the Garristown festival race as an under 16

5. GC: How often do you train?

    DMcQ:  I train every day when I’m full time. When I have college in the early months it’s only when I can.

6. GC: Favourite training spin?

    DMcQ:  Wicklow Mountains in the sunshine or the Dolomites in the sun, taking in my favorite climb.

7.GC: Best result / performance to date?

    DMcQ: Winning the Naas Classic a few years ago gave me a boost. I have had one or two good rides in a green jersey too.

8. GC: Ambition in cycling?

    DMcQ:  My thoughts as to where I’ll get in the sport have changed dramatically in the past 2/3 years. From dreams to realism. Only I know what I think and that’s the way it will stay. You need so many things to happen at once to get and keep a good pro contract.

9. GC: Favourite professional cyclist?

    DMcQ:  Sean Kelly, Jan Ullrich.

10. GC: Pet hates?

     DMcQ:  Untidiness, being hungry, Italian egos.

11. GC: How do you relax?

      DMcQ:  Music, drink, sport, read, friends and more drink, daydream.

12. GC: Do you think 3^rd Cats should be re-introduced?

      DMcQ: They should be re-introduced, but we don’t have the numbers.

13. GC: Apart from Ireland, where have you raced?

      DMcQ: Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, Portugal, Rhodes (unfortunately) and the UK

14. GC: Who will be the next Irish rider to win a Tour De France stage?

      DMcQ: Gary McQuaid

15. GC: Favourite race?

      DMcQ: At home I like  a  few, Naas, Stamullen, Shay Elliott, but I really want to go to the Espoir Worlds this year as the course in Portugal is one I have ridden on before and suits me to a tee. Ehhh, but that’s months away

16. GC: Best rider you have raced against?

      DMcQ: Casagrande

17. GC. Have you tried mountainbiking?

      DMcQ: Yes used to do it at the weekends when I was about 14. Did one race around then too. Hard going, from the start. Not my scene. Also crashed pretty bad when the bike decided to disappear !

18. GC: What makes you a good cyclist?

      DMcQ: Talent and enduring motivation.

19. GC: Would you let your kids take up the sport?

      DMcQ: Of course, and they’ll bloody be good too! But they will do any sport.

20. GC: Describe yourself in one sentence?

      DMcQ; Don Juan Long John, and good humoured, but terribly impatient!