Drogheda teenager Daragh Cambell has an exciting month ahead in the shape of a trial in the US with the junior sqaud of Pro Continental team Novo Nordisk (Photo: Amy-Norah Farrell)
Drogheda Wheelers junior rider Daragh Campbell has secured a trial with the US-based Novo Nordisk Pro Continental team.
Campbell was diagnosed with diabetes back in 2008 and is now set for a period with the junior squad of the all-diabetic pro team. He leaves Ireland for the US tomorrow morning, Sunday; a fantastic development for the teenager.
He said he had been in touch with Phil Southerland since he was diagnosed with the condition five years ago. The American is the founder of Novo Nordisk, which before the current season was called Team Type 1. The team already has one Irish rider in the shape of Limerick man Stephen Clancy, who is riding his first year with them at elite level.
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“Originally the team was a mixed line-up of riders who had diabetes and those who didn’t,” Campbell told stickybottle.
“I was in close contact with Stephen Clancy when he started his time in the team and then in January of this year they advertised looking for riders interested in being part of a junior team. I applied straight away and then within two months I was invited over for June.”
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Campbell leaves tomorrow for Georgia. He’ll train and race with the team for the next month, travelling to a number of locations in the US including North Carolina and Wisconsin. He will compete in stage races and also focus on criteriums with the development team.
He will then return to Ireland with American, French and Scottish riders from the team to ride the Junior Tour of Ireland next month.
“I’m obviously hoping to do well while racing over there,” Campbell said of the US trip.
“I've really put in some good training over the year and I’ve picked up some good results. I think I’ve clearly improved between last year and this year.”
He added he was looking forward to learning more about getting the maximum from himself despite his condition and also in joining the team’s ethos of raising awareness and helping educate others about diabetes.
After coming home for the Junior Tour, he is hopeful of returning to the US to be part of the team set-up again for later in the summer, and working with Clancy.
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