Power leads the group In yellow in the Suir Valley Three-Day just before he stopped racing
By Brian Canty
Former professional cyclist Ciarán Power has said his days of serious racing are behind him, insisting he’s riding the Gorey Three-Day this weekend for “a bit of fun”.
After a near four-year break from competition since he retired from the pro ranks in 2008, Power is back enjoying the bike and looking forward to helping his team-mates this weekend. But he says he has no personal goals.
“I can’t wait to do it now; it should be a bit of fun. I did it as a first year junior and that’s part of the reason I want to go down. I just want to go with the local lads as well. We’ve a group of 10 or 11 so it’s more about going and having a bit of craic and supporting the lads more so than me getting up because I don’t think I’ll be able for anything special.”
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“I’m going down here for a bit of fun. I’ve been lucky enough in that I’ve got sponsorship of bikes. The lads in Kinetix products have been great in giving me the use of a specialized SL 3 for the year so they’ve given me a time-trial bike for the Gorey as well so that makes it a little bit more enjoyable.”
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Power, twice a winner of the Rás, is now based in Waterford with his wife and three kids, where he works as a neuromuscular therapist (www.ciaranpower.com). Training has taken a back seat and he said he’s still only getting back into race shape.
“I do about two days a week I suppose. Some weeks I wouldn’t be on the bike as much but I’m getting back into it. I wouldn’t have a lot of high end stuff done.”
“I applied for an A3 licence and I had it for about two days and then I think Cycling Ireland realised that I shouldn’t have it so I’ve an A2 licence now. I’ll be just doing some local races. Just to have a bit of fun really, my days of doing a lot of training and a lot of racing are over.”
In his hey-day there was no-one in the country to rival Power and his 13th place at the Athens Olympics in 2004 men’s road race is the highest ever result by an Irish rider at a Games. He ranks that ride as the high point of his career.
He turned his back on racing after his contract with Pezula was ended at the end of 2008 - an event that left a bad taste in his mouth.
“When I finished cycling I kind of had enough of it at the time. I was fed up with cycling when I finished. I didn’t mind not cycling, it just meant adjusting to normal life was tough.”
“I got fed up and annoyed with people’s decisions that were out of my hands really. But sure, it’s done and dusted now, I’m enjoying cycling again so I don’t really look back too much. But I’m working now, like everybody else. I’m home every day now and sleeping in my own bed and all that. There’s a lot to be said for it.”
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