IrishCycling asks 20 questions |
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20
THINGS YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW BUT WERE AFRAID TO
ASK
MARK
SCANLON
1. Age and date of birth? 21 years of age I was born on the 10th of October 1980. 2. What is the name of your club? VC La Pomme, Marseille 3. How did you get started in cycling? What do you like about the sport? My father bought me a bike because he saw that I was interested in cycling. What I like about the sport is that you only get out of it what you put in. 4. What was your first win? What was your best, and why? My first win was the Traders Cup in Sligo when I was ten. The World Junior cycling championships in Valkenburg is my best win asking why would just be stupid! 5. How often do you train? I train every day, which normally adds up to give me a 24 - 26 hour week. 6. Favourite training spin? My favourite spin is Sligo - Strandhill - Collooney - Ballygawley - Dromahair - Sligo. It is the worlds rolliest 40 mile loop! 7. What is your best result / performance to date? Same as answer no. 4, the World Junior Championships in Valkenburg in 1998. 8. What is your ambition in life? How do you plan to work towards that goal? Too serious a question - next one, please!!! 9. Who is your favourite professional cyclist, and why? Obviously Roche, Kelly, Earley and Kimmage. Out of todays pros it would definitely be Laurent Jalabert. He has been around so long and has never lost his aggressive riding style of attacking anywhere and everywhere. 10. Who is the biggest influence in your life, and why? Over the last two years, there have been 3 in particular. The first is Siobhan O Loughlin, my girlfriend. She helps me to relax and enjoy myself when I get a chance. The second is Tommy Evans - he took me out of my coffin and not only put me back on the path to winning races but was actually the man riding for me in those races. And the third is my coach, Padraig Marrey. He pulled me aside last winter and told me what I had to do to win races and get a stagiare this year. Almost 12 months later have done all he has told me to do now, I start as a stagiare on Sunday with Ag2r. 11. How do you relax? I go out with my girlfriend and my mates in Sligo, and forget about cycling until the morning after. 12. What is your favourite film? Pulp Fiction - the chain of events are so well written. 13. Apart from Ireland, where have you competed? I have raced in Australia, Japan, Belgium, Holland, France, Italy, England and Wales. 14. Who do you think will be the next Irish rider to win a Tour De France stage? Denis Lynch but he will have to learn to sit on first! 15. What is your favourite race? The Rαs it has a brilliant atmosphere and its great to be able to understand every word the speaker is saying about you. Although this can be a disadvantage when Gabriel Howard is the speaker! 16. Who is the best rider you have competed against? What impresses you about him? Tommy Evans, because just when you think he is out the back for the day he will coming screaming by with the veinage of his forehead pressed against the stem and send you out the back for the rest of the race. Frederic Rostaing (VC La Pomme DS) calls him Le Guerrier the Warrior. 17. Have you tried mountainbiking? How did you get on? Yes, I finished 4th or 5th in a round of the national league. 18. What qualities makes you a good cyclist ? Stamina and the ability to hurt for a long time. 19. When the time comes, would you encourage your kids take up the sport, and if so, why? Yes, I would recommend my kids to take up cycling - it is a great sport, with a good social side to it. 20. Describe yourself in one sentence? I am someone who is determined and who knows there are more important things than cycling. |
