An emerging strong rider with a very good finishing kick, Simon Ryan of Arcane Cycling team is hoping for a clear run at the most famous finish line in Irish cycling.
By Brian Canty
Simon Ryan has proven himself a capable operator on the domestic front in recent seasons, forging his way into a number of dangerous breaks in the An Post Rás.
If the situation was right, the 22 year-old Tipperary man believes he could compete for a stage win.
He says that in coming seasons he is intent on mixing it as much as he can in the hope that one day he gets a run at the most famous finish line on the home scene.
“For me the Rás is the big season goal,” he said of his plans for 2015.
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“It’s the only time of the year when Irish guys can show themselves against the pros on some of Ireland’s hardest roads.
“Every day is like a one-day race, so you have to take every opportunity to try to get up the road.
“Some of the mountainous days; it’s just a case of survival for me. But I do try to get away and mix it with the pros on most days.”
He described the May eight-day fixture as “a tricky one”, citing his stage 2 experience this year when horses ran out onto the road in front of him as he was moving clear and into a breakaway with UCD CC’s Eoin Morton.
Simon Ryan has already been up the road in the Rás and has settled on the race as his big goal for next year (Photo: www.blackumbrella.ie)
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"So every day you just have to play all your cards and hope for the best.
“I know I’m fast enough when it comes to sprinting to be capable of a stage win. But it’s just getting to the finish and being in the right position; that’s the hard part.
"There aren’t many Irish domestic races that finish in big bunch sprints so it’s hard to practice it and have that experience.
“So you’re kind of thrown in at the deep end when it comes to a Rás sprint finish.”
Of the early season encounters, he believes a race like the Carrick Cup on St Patrick’s Day has his name all over it, but concedes Paidi O’Brien is a name now engraved into the event’s history.
“I finished second to Paidi two years ago so I’d like to get one over on him,” he laughed.
“I would love to give racing in Belgium a go but that costs money. A few good friends have said it’d be my style of racing; technical and fast.
“But I’m also planning on racing in England over the winter on the track.”
Ryan rode well on the track at home this season, taking four medals from the national championships; silvers in the omnium, kilo and team sprint and bronze in the team pursuit.
“It’s something I want to pursue further and try push for a place on the national track set up,” said Ryan.
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