In the forest of Arenberg during the 2011 Paris-Roubaix riding for HTC-Highroad; Matt Brammeier's career has now been given a major boost and he sounds psyched for the year ahead (Photo: Sirotti)
By Shane Stokes
Could Ireland have the highest-ever number of riders in this year’s Tour de France? That became a possibility in recent days with the news that Matt Brammeier will join MTN Qhubeka on a two year deal.
Speaking to stickybottle, the 29-year-old said he would do what he can to be in the race.
“You never know,” he said, when asked if a Tour ride could be possible this July.
“Of course you look at the team and they have a lot of big stars and strong riders. But every squad needs riders to do a job and to pull on the front. To do lead-outs and stuff.
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“The selections aren’t going to be made now for the Tour de France, they will be made after the first half of the season.
“I can only go out there and perform and do my best. I can hope and dream about doing the Tour de France. Of course it is in the back of my mind.
“To be honest, it is not really going to change anything about how I am riding. I just want to do my best for the team and if they decide that they want me to be there, that would be cool.”
Getting the job done
Riding on the front at the 2012 Three Days of West Flanders in the colours of Omega Pharma-Quickstep.
Should Brammeier be selected, he would ride for the team’s sprinters on flatter stages and then try to set up the all-rounders and climbers on other days.
He is a proven diesel engine but also a rider with a good punch, as attested to by his four Irish road race titles.
The team has sprinters such as Gerald Ciolek, Matt Goss, Theo Bos, Tyler Farrar and Edvald Boasson Hagen.
And having worked in the past for Mark Cavendish at HTC Highroad and Omega Pharma QuickStep, Brammeier could prove invaluable if he is in good form.
That said, the team composition must also include the African riders it was set up to help them to develop. And so a better picture of the exact line-up will emerge closer to July.
Ireland could have another four riders in the race: Sam Bennett’s Bora-Argon 18 team also got a Tour wildcard this week.
The Sky team of Nicolas Roche and Philip Deignan plus Dan Martin’s Cannondale-Garmin squad both have automatic entry due to their WorldTour nature.
Time will tell if it comes to pass, but were Ireland to have five in the event it would be a reflection of how far the sport has developed in recent years.
“I am where I need to be at this part of the year”
Leading the breakaway in GP Scheldeprijs in Belgium in 2013 when riding for the Continental team Champion System.
Right now, though, Brammeier’s thoughts are on the more immediate future. He has worked hard in recent months despite the uncertainty about his contract situation.
And he believes that he is where he should be heading into the season.
“My form is good. I have not really had any issues at all,” he said.
“No real illnesses. I had a bit of a stomach bug last week, I lost a couple of days, but apart from a couple of days here and there, everything has been going really good.
“I have been training really well with Marco [Pinotti, his coach]. There has been good weather out in Spain and everything, so I can’t complain.
“Nothing has gone wrong. I am happy with where I am and am where I need to be, I think, at this part of the year.”
Brammeier has been hampered at times in the past two years by injury and illness and was off form for a long period of time last year due to undiagnosed dental problems.
He got these rectified and went on to ride well towards the end of the season, netting eight on a stage and sixth overall in the Tour of China I and then finished 16th overall in the Tour of China II.
Leg imbalance
On his way to victory in the mountains classification at the Tour of Langkawi this year when riding for David McQuaid's Synergy-Baku.
Having got both consistent racing and also a solid winter behind him, he is aiming higher than before in terms of his form for 2015.
He also reports that a previous imbalance between his right and left legs caused by being hit by a truck while training several years ago seems to have largely settled down.
“I am happy with that now. There is still a bit of imbalance, but I think everyone has an imbalance here and there,” he said.
“Of course it will always be something to work on. I had thought it was muscle strength but now I feel it was more on a neurological basis. We had to work out what it was.”
With the issue identified and work having been put in to address it, he’s now in a maintenance phase.
“There are a few little things that I have to do on a daily basis just to keep everything in shape. To keep some muscles switched on and stuff.
“But it is just something I have had to learn to live with and deal with on a day-to-day basis before it causes problems. I don’t have any issues at the minute; everything is good.”
2015 season and objectives
Winning a pro kermesse in Belgium in the national champion's colours in 2013. Brammeier has the ability and time to win big races.
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Next week Brammeier will head to a team training camp in Mallorca. He’ll get to know the riders a bit better there, then go on to Australia.
He is due to ride the new Cadel Evans Great Ocean road race on February 1st, after which he will then do the Jayco Herald Sun Tour between February 4th and 8th.
The rest of his programme will be decided soon, but he is keen to do some of the top one-day events.
While he is committed to working for the team leaders when required, he also hopes to get, and take advantage of, opportunities for himself.
“Without looking at a definite programme I don’t know about my personal objectives just yet,” he explained.
“But definitely a Grand Tour is something I have never done before and something I really want to do this year.
“I think I can be really good there because I am pretty confident in my endurance and stuff. I kind of get better after a week or so of racing.
“It is just something I have always dreamed of doing, always wanted to do. I think it will be a big opportunity for me this year if I can ride a Grand Tour.”
MTN Qhubeka is applying to ride two such races; it has already secured a Tour de France invite, and is also pushing hard to get a repeat slot in the Vuelta a España.
Indeed Brammeier’s signing was part of a general strengthening of the team in order to have the numbers and quality to be able to field a two-tour programme.
To that end, the team will also sign up another African rider in the coming weeks.
Grand Tour goal
In the national champion's jersey riding for An Post-Sean Kelly in 2010.
“A three week race is one of my goals, and also the Classics,” he continued.
“Just to try and do a good job for the guys. I have a few more years racing in my legs since the last time I did them, so hopefully I can go a little bit deeper.
“But, of course, performance-wise there has to be something in there for me personally as well. I can’t just go the year just wanting to help others.
“I think it is unhealthy not to have performance goals for yourself. It is definitely something I am going to have to look at with the directeurs.”
Speaking to Brammeier it is apparent that he is fired up about the season ahead.
After two years with Continental teams, he is psyched about being back at the Pro Continental level of the sport, riding alongside team-mates who have been the winners of some of the world’s top events.
The fact that he has a two year deal is also a big motivation for him.
He knows that he doesn’t have to worry about 2016, and will instead be able to concentrate fully on doing the best job possible without having to search around for a new squad next autumn.
That’s a huge weight off his mind, particularly as the last time he was with the same team for more than one season was back during his An Post days in 2009 and 2010.
“They have been really smart with the guys they have signed”
Having signed a two-year deal, Brammeier sounds determined to make the most of his chance with new team MTN Qhubeka.
MTN Qhubeka appears to have a lot of momentum on its side.
It was given a Vuelta wildcard last year, has snagged a Tour invite this time around and will continue to push to get into more big events.
In addition to that it has made a range of new signings which clearly boost the standard of the squad.
That too gives Brammeier encouragement, as does the charitable goals of Qhubeka, the team’s co-sponsor.
It provides bicycles to underprivileged communities in Africa and enhances their lives due to the transportation benefits and also sets a lot of people on a path of cycling that they might not otherwise have.
“I have worked together with a similar charity over the last few years and find it hugely satisfying to help out such an inspirational cause as Qhubeka,” he said.
“It’s pretty special to know that we can help change people’s whole quality of life and broaden horizons by simply racing our bikes and promoting this cool project.”
He knows that the better the team does, the more the Qhubeka name and mission will become known.
That too is a motivation for him and, looking at the line-up, he believes the team is looking set for a lot of success.
“I think they have been really smart with the guys they signed,” he said.
“A lot of the guys are hungry for success. Most of them didn’t really fit 100 percent into the teams they have been in.
“There are six, seven, eight, nine, ten guys who can potentially win big bike races. Not only the Euro guys, but also the Africans they have on the team.
“I did a bit of racing with them in the last couple of years. There were times when I was thinking ‘fucking hell, these guys are good. Who is this guy? Who is that guy?’
“There is so much potential there. You could just see riding by them in the peloton that they are just raw talent.
“Just being in this environment and having the last couple of years racing with this team and slowly growing and growing; I think this year they are really going to have big opportunities to make that big step up and show people that potential.
“Of course it is an exciting thing for me to work with those guys in the sprints and the Classics and things like that. It’s the stuff I love to do. I am excited to get stuck back into that role.”
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