Former UCI president Pat McQuaid was back to work at the Tour of Britain, as part of the Trinity Racing backroom staff.
The Irishman, who served as the head of the sport’s governing body between 2005 and 2013 before losing a highly charged and controversial presidential election to Brian Cookson, is at the Tour of Britain driving the camper van for his son Andrew McQuaid, who owns and runs Trinity Racing.
“It’s a new role for me. My son Andrew is owner of Trinity Racing and I’ve been here as a driver. Number one it’s been good to see old friends and a lot of old colleagues, like Mick Bennett, the organizer here, who I’ve known for so long,” Pat McQuaid told Cyclingnews at the Tour of Britain.
McQuaid now resides in the south of France but has attended races. Since his departure from the UCI he has often been seen bringing his dog to events and mingling with riders. But this is his first work role in the sport in almost a decade and he appears to be enjoying the environment with the young riders’ enthusiasm rubbing off on him.
“It’s also particularly good to be with a group of young lads who are really enthusiastic and ambitious. There’s a great buzz around them. I’m at the start and the finishes. It’s interesting alright and going through Wales the other day in a camper van was gorgeous. The number of times I’ve raced in Wales and could hardly see the front wheel, most times but it’s nice to the countryside.”
McQuaid was a successful amateur rider in Ireland and briefly raced as a professional for the Viking Cycles team in Britain. Before his time at the UCI, McQuaid took a variety of roles in the sport from road coach to race director of the Nissan Classic.
His role at Trinity isn’t as intense but the 72-year-old is enjoying the slower pace.
“It feels good. I’ve been involved at a grassroots level for many, many years and well before I was in the UCI. Being around this level is like the old days, when I was neither an organizer or a national team coach. It’s great to be here without all the stress and the pressure. Absolutely I’m not missing any of that from the role that I had in the past. It’s great to just see the ambitious young riders as they take on their futures.”
