Synergy Baku Cycling Project aims to develop Azerbaijani cycling
By Gulgiz Dadashova
Synergy Baku Cycling Project aims to bring the Azerbaijani cycling up to Olympic standards, Technical director of Synergy Baku David McQuaid said.
"Our main goal for this team is to develop Azeri cycling, starting with the country's best riders. We aim to qualify starters in road and track events for the Rio Olympic Games. In doing so, perhaps, inspire a new generation of cyclists, "McQuaid said in an interview to the official page of The Tour d'Azerbaïdjan.
The Synergy-Baku Cycling Project presented itself to the world
with the slogan "From Baku with Love." The project has been put
together by Irishman David McQuaid, the eldest son of UCI president
Pat MacQuaid, in conjunction with the cycling federation of
Azerbaijan, with the aim of raising the standard of cycling in the
country.
The Synergy-Baku Cycling team features former Tour de Langkawi
points jersey winner Anuar Manan (Malaysia), Rico Rogers (New
Zealand) and Christoph Schweizer (Germany), the climbers Dave Clark
(Britain) and John Kronborg Ebsen (Denmark), 2012 Olympian Dan
Craven (Namibia), Conor McConvey (Ireland), Kirill Pozdnyakov
(Russia), Oleksandr Surutkovich (Ukraine) and the Azerbaijani
sextet of Elchin Asadov, Tural Isgandarov, Elvin Naghiyev, Ruslan
Mustafayev, Aqshin Ismayilov and Samir Cebrayilov. Jeremy Hunt is
the sporting director of the team.
Touching the fact that the team's performance was rather successful
in Asia tours, he said that the UCI Asia Tour has been growing in
stature and strength for many years now, there are many Asian UCI
teams, it is a very competitive Tour, plus races like Langkawi,
Taiwan, they attract World Tour teams.
"So our results in these Tours have been whilst pitted against the very best squads in the world," he said.
Speaking about the team, he said there are 16 riders in the squad and each rider bringing a specific talent or strength to the team.
"For example, Anuar and Rico would be our key sprinters, Kirill one of our riders for General Classification in Stages Races. As for the Azerbaijani riders, the guys have some raw talent, it just needs to be nurtured or forced out of them through hard, hard training. Post the Australian training period, Jeremy got a good idea of where these guys are. He feels he can bring two guys to Olympic standard, "he added.
Asked about the preparation of at least one Azerbaijani cyclist for the 2016Olympic Games, which was one of the goals for building up Baku Synergy team, he said that here, two riders maybe a possibility. "2013 is a training year in essence, as 2014/15 will feature the qualification events. That is make or break time, "McQuaid said.
Assessing the team's chances to win the Tour d'Azerbaidjan, he said that the contest will be quite difficult.
"It will be difficult, there is no point saying otherwise. Tour d'Azerbaidjan will put together a very strong but well balanced field. But we also have proven ourselves in stage races to date this year, and for Azerbaijan we bring what we know now as being our strongest team, 'McQuaid said. "Every single one of the other 144 starters, not just the UCI teams, but National Teams like Australia etc, maybe competitor."
The Tour d'Azerbaïdjan is a 2.2 event on the UCI Europe Tour which will start in Baku and pass seven Azerbaijani regions. The management of the race is Cycling Federation of Azerbaijan, the Youth and Sports Ministry and National Olympic Committee with the support of UCI.
Tour d'Azerbaïdjan will start on May, 1st in Baku near Heydar Aliyev Center. Having passed 11 laps (157 km) through the avenue named after the national leader of Azerbaijani people, the participants will finish near the Center building.
Starting from the brand new cycle park on the shore of the
Caspian Sea on May 2 the peloton will move towards the Great
Caucasus ridge and finish near Ismayili. The next day, the
participants will head for Sheki from Gabala and passing Uguz.
Afterwards they will go back to Gabala (165 km). On May 4, the
stage will start at Gabala, wherefrom the peloton will move towards
Shamaha and finishes near the famous Pergulin Observatory in 116
km.
The final stage will pass through the central avenues and streets
of Baku, making 12 laps of 144 km length.