Interview- Dan Mclay Signs for French team

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British sprinter Dan Mclay has signed for French team Bretagne Séché Environnement after a winning 2014 season – French website Be Celt: spoke to him when he signed for the new team

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Interview- Dan Mclay Signs for French team

Based on story on Be Celt

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One of Britian’s future stars in the pro ranks, former Junior Road Race Champion Daniel McLay (22)has signed with Bretagne Séché Environnement. Appropriately, Bretagne when translated in google comes out as Britain and the New Zealand born rider will finally move out of the Under 23 development team at Lotto he has been part of and get to mix it with the best being part of one of France’s top pro teams.

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Dan signing on for another stage in the Tour of Britain with his favourite cap from VeloUK.net sponsor, Prendas

As a junior, Dan won the Junior Road Race title riding for Hargroves Cycles and also a World title in the Madison with Orica-GreenEdge Pro Simon Yates. The 2014 season has seen four wins. His first podium in a UCI race was at a UCI 1.2 Dutch race in March where he was second and the first win came later that month when he won a stage and the Points classification in the Tour de Normandie.

Another win followed in May in the Paris-Arras Tour and then in August, perhaps his biggest win of the year, stage 3 in the Tour de Avenier. Dan also rode the Tour of Britain and top and tailed it with a 7th place in the bunch kicks in Liverpool and London. His end of season racing saw a 7th in the Under 23 Paris-Tours.

After spending three years at Lotto Belisol development team, Dan moves up into the pro ranks proper and French website ‘Be Celt’ spoke with him as the team announced the news.

Be Celt: You join Bretagne Séché Environnement, why this choice?
Dan McLay: “This is a team that has a lot of good riders and a great calendar with classics and high level stage races. It’s a good thing to have been signed in this Emmanuel Hubert team. I’ll learn a lot and give the best of myself”.

Be Celt: Yauheni Hutarovich Armindo Fonseca, Romain Feuillu, Florian Vachon and now you, it is a great team of sprinters
Dan: “Yes, there are great sprinters like Hutarovich who I really appreciate and Feuillu. These are riders capable of podiums in the major events. They are all capable of winning and I would like to live up to what others expect of me. I do not know yet but I can not wait to meet them.”

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Tour of Britain and Dan plays the role of lead out man for the GB teams climber, Tao Geoghegan Hart at the bottom of the Tumble.

Be Celt: You have improved this season, how are you feeling for next season?
“Yes, three times in France, and I also won in Belgium. I have become more experienced at the end of the season and am very confident for next year especially in this team. ”

Be Celt: What are your goals with Britain Séché?
Dan: “I do not know yet. I have not yet met the team. They will define my role when I meet them but I’m here to learn, integrate myself and then to snap a few wins. I like the classics like Paris Roubaix where I finished 2nd in juniors, but I feel just as comfortable in stage races like the Tour de Normandie. I have no pressure, I’m pretty relaxed. I know that I must prove myself in racing before being eligible to bigger ones but I am confident.”

Be Celt: The Tour de France?
Dan: “That yes, is a dream and it will take work to get there. But I keep that hope”.

Be Celt: What is your best memory at Lotto Belisol U23?
Dan: “I have plenty, my best is not the victories but the spirit which prevailed there. A real group of friends and we got along very well. Travel and team spirit during our racing are my best memories ”

Be Celt: You will learn French now?
Dan: “(Laughs) Yes, I will have to speak French, it’s true that I do not speak either Breton (laughs) but I learn very quickly.”

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