Mícheal Fitzgerald; the former international and national champion is revelling in his Rás comeback; fighting for the county rider awards and believing he has a stage win in him for Visitnenagh.ie
By Brian Canty
Three days down on the An Post Rás and Mícheal Fitzgerald (Visit Nenagh.ie) has scooped two county rider prizes - not bad for a 38-year-old on the comeback trail.
But then again, as a former top class international, national champion and five-time Rás stage winner, he's no ordinary county rider. Better known as 'Fitzy', he believes there is a stage win there for him this week.
He was 13th today on stage 3 into Listowel in what he described as one of the most dangerous sprints he's ever been involved in.
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"I was too far back by the time I opened up; it was a really, really messy sprint," he explains.
"It was really dangerous. A kilometre into it was seriously dangerous. I've been in a lot of them now and that was one of the worst I ever saw," he added.
"There's loads of guys up for it and any of the Continental teams who have anyone there in the final - if they have a sprinter - they're all doing their best to get him to the front. And what happens then is, if you don't have a good wheel, as they get tired they fall back and it's hard with them getting in your way.”
"I was trying to get on Sam's (Bennett) wheel but there was a lot of fighting for it, so then I was wasting energy trying to fight over it so I said I'd stop doing that and try and just get a bit closer myself instead."
But getting up that far in the bunch, hitting 60kph, is no place for those of a nervous disposition.
"I was doing grand up until the second last corner. But there was a bit of grabbing on the inside, myself and a Scottish guy got tangled in each other. But once we got going again I did my best. So, I ended up 13th. But look, I could have..." he exhales.
The chance was lost, but there is more to come he believes.
"Well look, it still is my ambition to win. I'm going to try again and I'll try in Skerries too so we'll see how it goes."
His comeback to the Rás has been impressive so far and after three lightning fast days, it's a credit to him that he's still there, fighting for the podium. Of his return to racing following retirement in 2007, he says: “The only reason I came back really is my kids are five and three and they’re settled a bit now. I love riding the bike. Another thing, you know, life is short. My mother died of cancer when she was 56. My father has cancer. I just said ‘look I might as well do it now while I can, while I’m young'. So that’s it basically.
“I had been talking about coming back the end of last year and we decided definitely to go ahead. So the second Sunday in January, I started back training. I set out a programme. Now, if you were to look at my results from the year (so far) I have none. But I was knackered by the time I got to the Sunday races (from training). But once I tapered off I actually feel good now this week.”
It's been over a decade since he raced the Rás, and the speed on the climbs was quite a surprise, he says.
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"The first one outta Nenagh today, I swung out of that. But when I could see the top of it I backed off a little bit because I was going too deep. I was trying to keep it back for later in the day, so I just gauged my effort. I knew I'd end up in the cars but I got back on easy enough. But after that then, the last KOH at Athea was fairly savage because there was some racing for GC going on. I managed to suffer on and bury myself.”
"I'm still 78kilos. If I lost another two maybe I'd fair out a bit better. Tomorrow is just to get through the day and we'll go for it again Thursday."
"To be honest, I wouldn't have taken the week off work if I didn't think I could win a stage. And I never liked riding the Rás without trying to do something in it. For me, it's like being a French guy wanting to ride the Tour de France; this is our national tour. It's a great race, it has a great history and it's great to be involved in. You can't be involved in anything better as a racing cyclist.”
“The Rás is a great, great race, you hear lots of legendary stories. It is hard, no doubt about it; it is a hard race. We did 29 miles an hour average yesterday, the same the day before. That's fast going. I've ridden the Tour of Malaysia with big, big names in it and never was there a day that fast."
He said he knows he won't be far away if he's up there in Skerries on Sunday.
"I can get into the shake-up. I don't know until I hit the front if I can actually do it. I could fade in the last 10 or 15 (metres) because I haven't been racing at this level for so long. Even in Sunday races you're never pushed to that level. But I'm going to try.”
"I think I just need to mark one of the good guys that's up for the stage as well and hopefully try and get the more straight forward run in to the finish, the most uninhibited run to the finish and then you could get it."
Today's stage was marred by some bad crashes, one of which claimed the yellow jersey Peter Hawkins (IG Sigma Sport).
Fitzgerald recalls what he saw: "Before Patrickswell there was a bad crash, there was a UCD fella on the ground and he didn't look too good; it was a real messy crash. There was another just outside Rathkeale. There was a new traffic island, we were in the left-hand gutter and some guys didn't spot them and went straight into them at around 50 (kph)."
While not unsurprised by how well he's going - he knows he will lose time tomorrow on the climbs of stage 4. He believes Irish riders’ attitudes must change if they are ever going to do anything at the Rás.
"I was hearing so much the last few years that Irish guys can't mix it with the pros. You can; you just need help on how to go about it if you really want to.”
"I've done more training than I have racing. I did two days in Rás Mumhan because I didn't want to be away from the kids that long - because I knew I'd be away this week.
“But I just do all high intensity stuff and when I do my long distance spin it's at 160-170 heart beat. I only do 12 hours max (per week) but when I do my threshold stuff I do it properly - hard. And I recover two days before a race on Sunday. My sprint training is done like the world depends on it. I do it properly. I repeat them and record the data and see where I'm at and compare it to different weeks. You just have to be structured properly.”
"It's a pity from what I've been hearing from guys riding it the last few years. There's a lack of belief there I feel. If you believe you can do it, you will go out and do the right training for it. If you are hungry to win a stage of the Rás, great. But then you must think how to do it. You have to sit down and train properly and go and ask people.”
“There's a lot of good coaches, ask coaches what you can do. Nowadays there's so much information you can look up, how many watts you can put out for 200metres to help you win, what does it take? You can find that out easily by looking and see where you're at. It's easy enough, if you believe you can do it, if you sit down and really try. People can believe and not try, or try and not believe. It can be done.”
"People say they're working and they don't have the time to do it right; 10 hours would do anybody if they do a good race on Sunday. And if there's not a race on, do a good Sunday spin instead. When you go out, use the time wisely, make a plan, and go make a name for yourself!"
