Jamie Blanchfield touched down in north-west France yesterday to commence a five-week spell of full-time racing and training. The Clonmel teenager has really emerged as a strong domestic rider in the last two years and is looking to bring his game to the next level.
By Brian Canty
Ireland’s Jamie Blanchfield is to join the growing list of Irish riders racing abroad after linking up with top French amateur side Hennebont Cyclisme in Brittany.
The 19 year-old Clonmel man arrived in France yesterday and will spend the remainder of the season there, racing and training on a full-time basis.
He’s a very decent bit of stuff and under the mentorship of well-known Irish cyclist and coach Martin O’Loughlin he’s made a good transition from the junior to the elite ranks in a very short space of time.
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In 2014 he took a superb bronze medal in the national junior road race championships behind Eddie Dunbar and Michael O’Loughlin, now of Axeon Hagens Berman and Team WIGGINS, respectively.
After completing his Leaving Cert two years ago he enrolled in WIT and commenced an undergrad degree in Sports Coaching and Performance and his plans are to continue with that. He will go into third year in September.
But before that he will give his all to cycling and in the team he will be exposed to a consistently high level of racing, though he is set to miss the Suir Valley 3-Day this weekend.
Blanchfield hasn't always had things so easy and last year his season was seriously hampered by a knee injury but he made a good recovery in the interim.
He rode a good Kerry Group Rás Mumhan and surprised many with his strength on stage two in particular while he also started the An Post Rás this year.
That ended on the opening day, however, as he crashed hard on the descent of the first climb and was forced to abandon.
We'll keep you bang up to date with his escapades in France.
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