Philip Deignan will remain with Team Sky for 2016. The Donegal man has had a very difficult season with the disappointment of being overlooked for selection for the Tour de France compounded by a broken elbow in June.
By Brian Canty
Philip Deignan will remain at Team Sky for another season after signing a contract extension.
The Donegal man has been with them for the previous two years and though he pondered a move to another team to ensure himself of getting a start in the Tour de France he opted to stay put for 2016.
Deignan admitted 2015 has been a very difficult season with injuries blighting his progress as well as preventing him from starting the Vuelta A Espana, a race he’s won a stage of in the past.
“It’s been quite an unpredictable this season with the race program,” he said.
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“I was a bit unfortunate to crash at the national championships and break my elbow so that put the Vuelta A Espana out of the equation for the end of the season.
“I’ve been doing a few races in France and Germany and a couple of races in Canada recently but I’m just winding down the season now and I’m back home (in Donegal) for a few weeks.”
Having enjoyed a superb start to the season, many felt a place in Team Sky’s Tour de France team was a real possibility.
“It was very close for the Tour de France; I was down to the last 12 riders and I think there were four of us going for the last two spots so it was very, very close,” he recalled ruefully.
Philip Deignan in the green of Ireland at the World Championships in Spain last year. He won't be riding in the Worlds next Sunday but hopefully there are plenty more outings for his country in the years to come (Photo: Sean Rowe)
“I’ve been shifted and moved around a wee bit to fill in for fellas so it was hard to prepare properly for races, but I had a good spell through April at the Tour of Yorkshire onto the Dauphiné in June.
“I would have got into the Tour with any other team without any problem but with Sky having such a strong line-up,, 30 world-class riders trying to make that nine-man team, I didn’t make it.
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“I had a good six weeks there where I had four or five very good performances and it was looking good but it’s about getting that consistency for eight months of the year.”
He added it was “very unexpected to get down to the long list” for the Tour but “with the crash at the nationals where I broke my elbow it just upset the whole second half of the year”
“It’s been a bit of a disappointing year, but we’ll start fresh again,” he offered enthusiastically.
Many observers feel Deignan has the ability to go to a Grand Tour as a protected rider, or perhaps a shorter week-long stage race like the Tour of Suisse.
With his years in the professional peloton now numbering 12 he knows he won’t go on forever and he even said he gave thought to moving teams in order to get that elusive first start in the Tour de France.
“I did think about it but I’ve really settled into the team now and I’m really happy there,” he confessed.
“To go into a new team now, whether it be a French or Italian team would be a big change.
“It’s nice being in that English environment, it’s a good laugh with a good group of guys and I’m happy here and that’s the most important thing.
“When you’re at it 12 years it’s always good when you can enjoy it.
“I go to races with a clear job where my result isn’t important; my end goal is to help the leader and to make sure they’re up there going for the win.
“It’s a role I’ve gotten used to over the years and I’m quite happy doing it.
“My career has gone very fast but I’m pretty happy to be staying where I am for next year.”
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