Damien Shaw might be the eldest member of the An Post Chain Reaction team but manager Kurt Bogaerts reckons there is still the chance for him to take a “big international win”.
Damien Shaw will soon pin on race numbers for the first time this year, possibly at the Etoile des Bességes four-day race in France next week.
Having ridden for An Post-Chainreaction last year, he comes into the new campaign fully aware of what is in store.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts has helped the Mullingar man a lot over the last 12 months; offering him a place on the team first and foremost while also pointing out to him in no uncertain terms where he needed to improve.
“He knew what international racing was at the end of last year,” said Bogaerts.
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“It was very crucial he wanted to do the Tour of Britain in September; to know exactly what he needs to do training-wise and weight-wise.
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“To be able to perform on a higher level he now knows what he needs to do,” he added.
Shaw actually made the break on day one on his debut in Britain. But thereafter it was, in his own words, “more beatings than highpoints”.
And that was particularly the case when the road went up, but also in the fight for position in the bunch.
“I said to him ‘look around, where are you suffering?’,” continued Bogaerts.
“He’s a clever guy, you don’t need to say much. The question was simple; ‘do you want to give it another go and if you do you’re not going to waste my time and your time.
“When I got my answer I’m keen with him because he’s a good guy and I like him.
“He’s very strong and we can do something. He wouldn’t accept a challenge for the second year unless he was 100 per cent motivated to do it.
“You see his figure and his fitness and I think he got the message,” Bogaerts added, speaking at the recent team training camp in Calpe and assessing the winter Shaw has had.
Of what he hopes for Shaw this year, the manager added: “Targeting the An Post Rás of course. He will start in Volta ao Alentejo (Portugal, February 22nd) and then at the end of an international race try and go for a big win.”
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