With a new team and major exams out of the way, Cale Coen is hoping to convert his obvious promise into results on the road in 2015; seen here on the front in the colours of Castlebar CC (Photo: Pawel Sadowski – Shutterstills.com)
Teenager Cale Coen has joined the Ballina-based Fitscience team for 2015, keen to erase the memory of a very difficult final year in the junior ranks balancing study for his Leaving Cert with training.
The 18-year-old announced himself as a rider of real promise in the Junior Tour of Ireland; making the podium on the time trial stage.
He lost out on taking the yellow jersey by 10 seconds to Michael O’Loughlin on that opening stage.
That was as good as it got for him, but with a better training plan in place for next year he believes he can do well.
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“This year was disappointing from a results point of view but realistically, with my exams this year it was pretty much what I had expected from the season,” he said.
“The big moment for me was coming second in the time trial,” he said of that Junior Tour ride.
Cale Coen on his way to second place in the Junior Tour of Ireland opening time trial in Co Clare (Photo: Stephen McMahon – Sportsfile)
However, he said being unable to race from April to June because if exams was frustrating.
“The national championships in Blarney were always one of my main goals each year,” he said.
"I had a bad day in the time trial on the Saturday and in the road race I had to pull out because of a mechanical.
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“So that was a very disappointing way to finish off the season.”
An aspiration to race abroad this year also did not come to pass, though Coen he is hopeful of taking the plunge in the years ahead.
“It’s always the goal to go abroad and test yourself against the best but I know myself I wouldn’t have been capable this year,” he said.
"I was nowhere near my best but that’s something I’ll be pushing myself to make sure of for next season.”
On the front: A good rider never afraid to give it a lash, Cale Coen is looking to move this career up several notches with his move to Fitscience (Photo: Pawel Sadowski – Shutterstills.com)
And he is hopeful his move from Castlebar CC to his new set-up can aid his development.
“I moved to Fitscience because it’s one of the top teams in the country,” he said.
“They have top class testing facilities in their base in Ballina and they have some really good riders.
"It’s an exciting team set-up and I’m really looking forward to the next season with them.
“I’m hoping to be in good form for the early season races and move out of the A3 ranks as soon as possible.
“And from there I’d love to do well, particularly in the stage races.”
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