Martyn Irvine battles the wind, rain and the gradient on the Glen of Aherlow during stage four of the Suir Valley 3-Day last Monday. The former world track champion has said he would love to come back and give road racing another shot. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Former track world champion Martyn Irvine made a low-key return to the peloton last weekend at the Suir Valley Three-Day where he donned the McNally Swords CC jersey and finished the race 52nd overall.
Having done just three weeks training coming into it he knew not to expect much.
But after a few front group finishes – including on the final stage in terrible conditions - he went home on Monday night wanting more.
Despite not pinning on race numbers and doing any structured or sustained training since November last year, the Newtownards man was rarely troubled all weekend.
Advertisement
“Four Sundays ago I started turning the pedals again, just an hour or two,” he said of starting back training.
“My hands were sore, my shoulders, it was horrible,” he laughed.
Following that he started doing some steady intervals and though he was far from “super fit” he was still able to push the watts; though not able to hold them.
Still, it was encouraging and after a club race two Wednesdays ago he decided he “wasn’t that bad”.
Irvine looked to be enjoying himself during the Suir Valley last weekend and is excited to be back in the bunch again.
“I said it to the guys in the Swords club we’d go down to the Suir Valley,” he explained.
The stages weren’t massively long but he was still unsure what to expect.
“It was constantly fast, it wasn’t slow, it wasn’t as aggressive as before, it was a different race for me.
Related News
“I’m normally jumping around up the front so it was new to me; I was in the last 30 riders, normally I’d be in the front 30.
“I’ve never done that but I happily sat at the back. I was happy out,” he continued.
“It was pissing rain; as long as I didn’t get cold and avoided all the crashes I was happy.”
Only for the criterium on the Sunday night which he didn’t finish - but was given a time nine minutes behind the winner - he would have been far higher on GC.
“I started at the wrong end; at the back. I love battering around town centres as hard as I can but I started last man so it was inevitable I’d be spat out.
Irvine looks so fresh he could probably go around again! The McNally Swords CC man cruised around on three of the four stages and never looked in real difficulty. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
“It’s hard to say how I’d have done if I was fitter; there were four or five strong guys then a good few strongish guys. The speed was fast but I got over the climbs okay…
“It wasn’t as fast as years gone by. I got over the climbs in the group pretty nice.”
So, low-key it may have been but it was an official comeback by one of the most decorated Irish riders of this or any generation.
“I’ll do something,” he hinted of his immediate plans. “I kind of wanted to come back slowly.
“I wanted to get a good base; I never got a lot of base miles because of the track. I want to get a long base.”
That begs the question of why and what’s the plan for 2017.
With Aquablue looking set to go ProContinental – and confirmation of that expected by the end of the month - a rider like Irvine (31) would be seen as a great asset.
“I’d come back if I got a good contract,” he said.
“I love road racing. In the past I’ve tried to do everything but I’d love to come back and race in anger again.”
Topics
