A veteran of the road and cyclocross scenes, Anthony Doyle says the urge to compete keeps him going year-round (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Anthony Doyle may be heading for the autumn of his career but the veteran Wexford rider says there’s life in the old dog yet.
The VeloRevolution man took a fine early season win back in March when he led home a really strong five-man escape at the Harry Reynolds Memorial.
He beat Javan Nulty (DID Dunboyne) and Mark Downey (Standard Life NRPT) on the line.
That would prove to be one of two wins this season, with the second victory coming in June when he edged out Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne) in the Bikeworx Series in Mondello.
While those two triumphs came in Dublin and Kildare, Doyle has he has his eye fixed on winning an event in his native Wexford.
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“For sure the Eddie Tobin Memorial is something I'd love to win,” he said of the event in Bunclody.
“Eddie was the chairman of Slaney CC when I started racing 27 years ago. He did so much for me and the other young guys who all started back then.
Claiming victory in the Harry Reynolds Memorial in March, head of a strong man's breakaway (Photo: Gary Guildea)
"He passed away beside my parents after a 5mile TT down home 12 years ago. I often think of him and it would be amazing to pay tribute to him by winning it.
“If I had my best legs on the day it would definitely be a possibility for me to win.”
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Doyle is a rider who dedicates himself entirely to the bike.
And when the road racing season ends he goes straight to the cyclocross scene, though he plans to do less this year.
“I'm realistic, I'm not 20 anymore,” he explained.
“I haven’t stopped racing since September last year, which is hard on the body.
Flat out: Doyle is a fan of short, sharp criterium races and has been a winner several times in Mondello.
"For me, at my age, recovery is tougher so I see myself doing a lot more driving and managing; stuff for the team.
"In saying that, I love ‘cross. It’s so intense; more honest. And it’s a purer effort than the road. It’s way harder as well, I think.”
While a schedule of moving from summer to winter racing would tax many a rider half his age, Doyle takes the year-round effort in his stride.
“Mentally, it’s not a problem for me, all the racing. I rarely switch off from the sport but physically it’s tough.
"Managing the fatigue and balancing other things in life isn’t easy. It would definitely be easy to overdo it and burn out big time.
“My 'off season' was the drive home from the vets' champs this year," he said referring to the rescheduled road title decider in Westmeath in September immediately after which he lined out in the first cyclocross events of the 2014-2015 campaign.
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