Scott McGill on worlds selection: I might not get this opportunity again for the rest of my career
American sprinter has drawn interest from several teams for 2023, including Human Powered Health.
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Scott McGill has called his selection for the 2022 UCI Road World Championships both ‘surreal’ and an opportunity he might not ever receive in his career again.
The 23-year-old American was initially listed as the first reserve for the US men’s team but with Neilson Powless set to decline a place and Lawson Craddock struggling with visa issues a spot opened up for McGill.
Just a few weeks ago McGill was still chasing his first win as a professional rider but the Wildlife Generation athlete picked up two stage wins and the points classification in August’s Volta a Portugal before being named leader of the US team for the Maryland Cycling Classic. That outing on home roads didn’t go to plan but now McGill has the chance to wear the stars and stripes for a second time with the worlds men’s road race a fortnight away.
“I knew that there was a pretty good chance that I would go because when the first announcement was made I was told that I was first reserve. Then with the relegation system, COVID, and the fact that it’s in Australia, I thought that there was a pretty good chance of being selected. It wasn’t a surprise when I was told but it was still a tough decision to go. It’s expensive for one race but I figured I had to go because I might not get this opportunity for the rest of my career. I have to take advantage of it now,” McGill told VeloNews from his home in Baltimore.
“Maryland was a pretty big disappointment because the race didn’t go so well for me but hopefully I can turn it around and do a good ride at the worlds to end the season well but at the start of the year I didn’t even think about making the worlds selection, so it’s a bit surreal to be in this position now.”
The complete roster for the world championships won’t be announced by USA Cycling until Monday but VeloNews already broke the story that Keegan Swenson will line up in the men’s race after a dominant campaign in mountain biking and gravel.
McGill isn’t sure of his role yet for the men’s race but it’s likely that he will use the event for experience and a chance to test himself against a WorldTour level field.
“I’m a bit nervous but there’s not real pressure on me like there was for Maryland. I felt pressure at that race and I’ve never been in that position before in terms of being listed as one of the favorites for the race. It’s still a challenging course and I hope that I’m in good shape to survive. I still don’t know my role yet but we’re getting there nine days before the race, so there’s plenty of time to figure that out,” he said.
Whatever happens in Australia it looks as though McGill could be on the cusp of a new team for 2023. VeloNews has heard that several WorldTour teams and second division rosters have looked at McGill’s recent run of form with interest.
The American rider has begun working with a major European rider agent and VeloNews understand that Human Powered Health is one the teams in the mix for McGill’s signature. At this point, nothing has been signed but he did state that a conversation between him and Jonas Carney from Human Powered Health had taken place.
“I don’t have a contract yet. I talked to Jonas [Carney] at Maryland but I don’t have a contract yet.”