Chris Juul Jensen sent this package containing new cycling shoes and a host of other goodies to Limerick man Mark O'Callaghan during the week. The Orica GreenEdge rider might be riding Tirreno-Adriatico next week but he still had the class to dig out the Aquablue man who was in dire need of new shoes - as a story we published in January pointed out.
By Brian Canty
Six weeks after we published a story about the tattered cycling shoes that Mark O’Callaghan was refusing to replace, a WorldTour rider has put out a generous hand of friendship to the Limerick man just as the domestic season is getting underway.
Aquablue's O’Callaghan was adamant he wasn’t going to trade up for his “savage comfortable” Diadora moccasins that were held together with tape.
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And as part of our efforts here on stickybottle to always try to cover the eccentricities of the Irish scene - and not just the serious news - we did a story on the shoes; one that O'Callaghan approved of but not all of our reader's interpreted in the manner intended.
Irish-born Chris Juul-Jensen of Orica-GreenEdge - who won the Tour of Denmark last year - saw the story and has now sent O'Callaghan a set of brand new, top-of-the-range Specialized Audax shoes.
“Chris picked up on the article on stickybottle and out of the kindness of his heart – or sympathy - he posted me a class set of Specialized shoes as well as a new pair of Bollé sunglasses and Craft mitts,” said the delighted 19-year old.
The shoes retail at around €250 while the glasses are around half this so with the gloves and a set of Shimano cleats included, O’Callaghan has saved himself around €400.
“What a champion,” said O’Callaghan of his new best friend.
“They arrived in the post during the week but I was in college doing exams so I didn’t get to see them until I got home yesterday. They are class, so comfortable.
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“They’re a bit like my old Diadora ones which were all black as well, though that was because of all the insulating tape I had to use to keep them closed,” he joked of the old shoes he became so attached to.
Juul-Jensen even included a personal note to O’Callaghan which read;
‘Dear Mark,
“I hope they fit. Enjoy! Good luck for the 2016 season. Give it welly.
“Chris JJ.”
Juul Jensen was born and bred in Wicklow and lived there until his mid-teens before returning to Denmark where his parents are from. But clearly, he still has a strong affinity with the old sod.
He turned pro a few years ago for Tinkoff-Saxo and his since moved on to his current Australia-based employers.
Here's a longer feature piece we did with him last year.
The note that accompanied the package sent by Juul Jensen. What a guy!
It might not yet be time for these in Ireland but when the sun appears, Mark O'Callaghan will be the smug guy behind these badass Bollé lenses.
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