A chapter closes, but the spirit of the race lives on. Dan McLay, a British sprinter with an impressive 11-year career marked by grit and determination, has decided to hang up his racing wheels. He leaves behind a legacy of 10 professional victories and the experience of tackling the grueling Tour de France four times. But what truly defines his journey? Let's dive in.
McLay's career saw him ride for several teams, most notably the French team that evolved into Arkéa-B&B Hotels, and most recently, Visma-Lease a Bike. He played a crucial role in leadout trains, assisting the likes of Nacer Bouhanni and Arnaud Démare. He also had his moments to shine, with his standout victory being the 2016 GP de Denain, a race where he expertly navigated a crowded field to claim the win.
Reflecting on his retirement, McLay shared that he approached each of the last couple of seasons with an open mind, assessing how things were going. The turning point came with a broken collarbone at the Renewi Tour in August. He mentioned, "It’s already been a hard year to get a contract with so many teams uncertain about their future, so I made the decision to call it a day. Since then I’ve had no regrets and am looking forward to the future.”
He further explained, "Being a sprinter, the wins come a bit more than being another type of rider, but it’s true that not too many guys even win a handful of races as a pro.”
McLay's journey began with a dream, a common aspiration among cyclists. He said, "I think I’m like most cyclists in that it was a dream to be pro, and then when I got a sniff of it I started thinking I could do this or that, and hoped that I could win some races.”
He admitted to dreaming of achieving more but recognized the competitive nature of sport, where talent often dictates success. He concluded, "But I’m more than happy with what I did, especially because the wins got harder and harder to come by.”
But here's where it gets controversial... McLay's victory at GP de Denain remains a highlight. He recalls, “I remember being out of position and doing a big kick to get through some gaps and then a few doors opened for me. At no point did it ever feel anything crazy. It was only when I saw the video did I see how it looked and it ended up being this iconic sprint.”
Prior to his professional career, McLay balanced track and road cycling. He even won a junior world title in the Madison with Simon Yates in 2010. He rode for U23 teams in Belgium before Bretagne-Séché Environnement gave him his first professional opportunity at age 23.
He reflected on his early choices, stating, “When I joined Lotto’s development team [in 2011] it was a choice between going there or joining British Cycling’s academy. I chose Belgium because I thought it would be the quicker route to turning pro, but in the end it took me the full four years.” He adds, “Arkéa is the team I spent most of my career at and it became my home. It was a small team at first but I got plenty of opportunities to learn at a lower level without being thrown into massive races.”
McLay also rode for EF Education First in 2018 and 2019. Ending his career with Visma was a fitting finale. He said, “It would have been nice to finish at home with Arkéa, but at the same time I got to play for Barcelona for a year and you can’t ever turn that down. It was pretty cool to work with some of the biggest names in cycling.”
And this is the part most people miss... Looking ahead, McLay, who resides in Estonia with his family, is exploring his options, with cycling remaining a central part of his life. He said, “I’m open to anything and have lots of small ideas but nothing concrete as of yet. I’d love to do something in the sport, but I’m not panicking to dive straight back into it.”
What do you think about McLay's career and his decision to retire? Do you think he could have achieved more? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
