Ireland's Gallagher lands coaching, performance deal at World Tour level

*Stephen Gallagher and his business partner Dan Fleeman have landed a very interesting coaching and performance contract at the highest level of the sport (Photo: Dig Deep Coaching)*

Stephen Gallagher, the last Irish rider to win Rás Tailteann, has landed a coveted coaching deal at World Tour level and will work with Canyon SRM Racing in the season ahead.

Gallagher and his colleague, and also ex-pro, Dan Fleeman have been running the Dig Deep Coaching consultancy for many years. Having worked on the Zwift Academy in recent years, their firm will now provide coaching services to Canyon SRM Racing, one of the best teams in women's cycling.

Stephen Gallagher: “When my son died I was lost, but the bike and the people in the sport were my saviour”

Gallagher said he was "excited" that Dig Deep Coaching had been appointed as the official coaching partner of Canyon Sram, explaining the company would be "performance coaches working alongside the most talented women’s riders in the world".

"Alongside coaching individual riders, our roles will be working alongside the DS group, team staff and external coaches and developing strategies to assist with performance periodisation to maximise team and individual performances in 2022," he said.

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"We have been privileged to spend time at the two pre season training camps in Mallorca and Spain, the work and dedication by all the riders and staff is testament to their passion for the sport and drive to succeed. We look forward to being part of this journey."

Canyon SRM Racing is a huge team, with top riders and great brands supporting the squad, and Gallagher and Fleeman have done very well to land the new coaching deal with them (Photo: Canyon SRM Racing)

This year Canyon SRM Racing features riders such as Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Chloe Dygert, Alice BarnesTiffany Cromwell, Sarah Roy and Shari Bossuyt, among many others.

Gallagher (41) rode for seven years at Continental level, with Endurasport.com-Principa, Flanders-Afin.com and Giant Asia Racing Team. He spent three years of his career at An Post-M Donnelly-Grant Thornton-Sean Kelly Team, up to the end of 2009. He won Rás Tailteann with that team in 2008 and retired from competitive cycling in 2011.

Gallagher represented Ireland at the World Road Championships and also competed at the Commonwealth Games for Northern Ireland. As well as launching a very successful coaching career when his racing days ended, he also worked as a consultant on the Giro d'Italia's visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic back in 2014.