Former Leeds Utd player and international triathlete, Bryan McCrystal (leading) is doing well in his first Rás; seen here two weeks ago on his way to stage victory in the Tour of Ulster leading Roger Aiken, alongside whom he rides this week for Louth Charter Prague. (Photo: John McGlaughlin)
By Brian Canty
First-time Rás rider Bryan McCrystal is only new to cycling, but on the opening three stages the Dundalk man has acquitted himself very well and today was second county rider home, being denied the award for the day by former international Micheal Fitzgerald.
Riding for the Louth Prague Charter team, McCrystal has for several years had an itch to ride the Rás. And now that he’s in the race he’s determined to make the most of it.
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But he admitted the action is “five notches above what I’m used to".
McCrystal, it must be said, is no spring chicken at the age of 32 years and his back story is a pretty amazing one.
For four years he was a professional footballer with Leeds United, making it as far as the reserves but no further before injuries cut short his time there. He returned back to Dundalk and started working in the family jewellery business. Next Monday he goes back to making wedding rings.
But in between his Leeds days and his current 9-5 job, he played in the League of Ireland for several years with Dundalk FC. But again, injuries ended his tenure there and three anterior cruciate ligament (acl) reconstructions later he took up cycling. He hasn’t looked back since.
Soon he became engrossed in fitness and training and before long he was a triathlete; progressing to international level for good measure.
But the Rás appetite was never satisfied and though he’d watch it feverishly every year, he never got a chance to ride. Until now.
“I’m a footballer by trade, I played League of Ireland and I was with Leeds United as a kid, for four years. I just wasn’t good enough though. I came back and played with a few League of Ireland clubs and up in the North and played with the Irish youths from 17 to 19. But I just got a load of injuries. I had three acl replacements and cartilage problems and I just got sick of it. So I started running and biking and now I’m at this”.
“Cycling is my first love, though. I like running as well but I wouldn’t be as good at it. I couldn’t compete. In triathlon I bike away from people and hold my own in the run.”
“But cycling is the sport of the three disciplines I’m best at. I’ve been wanting to do the Rás the last three or four years. There was no other races planned for me so ‘why not’ I said.”
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He had been down to start the National Half Ironman Championships last Saturday but when he got a slot on the Louth Prague Charter Rás team he couldn’t refuse.
And after three stages he explains how things have been going: “It’s tough. I had a couple of punctures on Sunday. I got back on after the first one but the second one.... I finished in the main bunch behind the winning break. But it’s tough, it’s tough.”
“It’s about five notches up from what I’m used to. I’m still getting used to the road race dynamics. I’ve been racing the last seven weeks and did the Tour of Ulster a few weeks ago (where he won a stage).”
“This is just flat-out from the word go and if you’re not on a wheel, you’re gone. If you miss anything, that’s it. The average is about 29 miles an hour. It’s just flat out from the word go and boys are jumping off the front at that pace! It’s crazy.”
That hasn’t stopped him having a go, however.
“I was in a break yesterday but nothing really worthwhile. Too many lads looking at each other. It was very big; it wasn’t small enough for people to work together.”
However, his 18th place today suggests he has real power and is finding his feet nicely in all the chaos of a big An Post Rás bunch.
Alongside him in the Louth team is one of the most consistent and talented Irish amateurs, Roger Aiken. The former international has been up the road and active throughout the opening three days, being part of the three man escape today that lasted 100km. McCrystal said he wants to learn what he can off him.
“Roger is just motoring. He can just go and go all day. I’m just trying to learn so much from him. He’s just a different class.”
The team are down to four, though, after Ray O’Shaughnessy crashed hard and was carted off to hospital in an ambulance. He was brought down on the road to Nenagh and was forced to abandon because of his injuries.
But the team will ride on and expect to see the big man from Dundalk in the thick of it.
Their’s is the all black gear.
“We haven’t the budget for logos,” laughed McCrystal when it was mentioned.
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