Olan Barrett has been riding very well this season and says he has surprised even himself (Photo: www.blackumbrellaphotography.com)
By Brian Canty
There’s hardly been a more consistent rider in the peloton this year but Olan Barrett of Aquablue isn’t complaining despite his lack of any victories so far.
Recruited to the team from Fermoy last winter, Barrett has excelled in his new role as a super-domestique with the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan-conquering team.
On Sunday, in what was his home race in Fermoy, Barrett finished a close second to Paidi O’Brien after the duo broke away on the opening lap – with the help of three more - and stayed away to the finish.
“I was happy enough, I suppose I had the wrong man with me at the end there,” is Barrett’s appraisal of how the day panned out.
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“We came to the line together, we had a two-man sprint but I was never going to be able to get rid of him. I tried once or twice out the road but I couldn’t shake him,” he explained.
Barrett, a stage winner in the Corkman Three-Day last year, did all he could to try and win his first race in the top category.
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“I attacked him with about 12 kilometres to go but he was glued to me, so we rode for another five kilometres and I tried to jump him again two or three times but I wasn’t getting rid of him. At the end there was close on a minute to the three behind,” he added.
Having made the breaks in almost every race this year so far, while also serving his team leaders Timmy Barry, Daiman Shaw and Sean Lacey well, one has to wonder how he’s transformed himself this winter.
“Everyone says I must have done savage hours but what I’ve been doing is training with power, so very specific stuff. It’s all been done for me by my brother Stephen. He never tells me ‘Olan go out and do four hours’. He’ll tell me ‘go out and do two hours but in the right zones’. Like zone three for half an hour, zone four for half an hour, and zone two; so very specific stuff. No junk miles in there.”
At present he’s racking up anything between 12 and 15 hours a week on the bike but with plans to do the An Post Rás next month he knows he has to. And while some mightn’t be surprised by how well he’s adapted to the top tier of racing at home, he’s left scratching his head a little.
“I’m a bit surprised at how much I’ve improved this year, to be honest,” he says.
“I didn’t expect it really but I seem to be lucky in the sense that I’m getting into every break so far and just seem to have the legs as well but I can’t seem to get that elusive win but hopefully it’ll come.”
“I did a good ride last Sunday (week) in Waterville (Ras Mumhan Stage 3); it was right up my alley. In the gutter all day, it was designed for a fella with a bit of horsepower and I loved that stage to be honest.”
“The plan now is to do the Rás but the hardest thing will be to get on our team. But if I don’t make the Aquablue team I hope to make it with another team, but the preference would be with Aquablue. I’ve the week booked off work anyway.”
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