Philip Deignan at the recent Tour of California, one of a string of stage races where he has shown a massive return to form this year. He will be in Ireland for the National Champs this week after finishing 2nd overall in the Tour de Beauce in Canada, which concluded yesterday.
By Gerard Cromwell
Letterkenny pro Philip Deignan has continued his excellent run of form this year, finishing second overall at the six-day Tour de Beauce in Canada yesterday.
Deignan and his UnitedHealthcare teammate Lucas Euser infiltrated a nine man breakaway group on the final stage and finished a minute and 26 seconds clear of the rest of the field which contained overnight leader Francesco Mancebo of the Five hour Energy team.
Euser took third in the sprint to the line in St. Georges with Deignan sixth.
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Compatriots Philip Lavery and Anthony Walsh also rode the 2.2 ranked race with Lavery, riding as a guest for the H&R Block team, taking fifth on the opening stage and 10th on stage two to finish 22nd overall. Walsh was not listed among the 53 classified finishers on GC for the Astellas Oncology team.
Deignan rode consistently throughout the Canadian race and taken stage placings of seventh on the summit finish at Mont Megantic on stage three, fourth in the individual time trial the following day.
Those performances were good enough to see the recent Tour of the Gila winner finish just 36 seconds behind overall winner Nate Browne of the Bontrager, team with Christian Meyer of the Canadian national team third at 44 seconds.
Deignan also finished third in the points classification while his UnitedHealthcare squad took the team classification.
Now based between Dublin and his home in Letterkenny, Deignan spent the early part of the season in Girona training with his UnitedHeathcare teammates and some Irish riders but opted to come home for the season.
“I only went for the time I knew I needed to be there, which was February, March and April,” he says.
“The team had six guys living in Girona, in an apartment block, so just for going to races, getting to the airport and training with them it was good. I was there for about eight weeks in the spring. I knew I was going to be in US for six weeks and I’d need a little break at home after that.”
“I’m going to be in America again for another two months in July and August so there was no point in keeping a place in Girona year-round. It’s more about getting away from the crap weather in Ireland in the spring.”
Although he hasn’t ridden the National Road Race Championships too often, he is entered for this year’s title race in Dundalk on Sunday and the TT on Thursday, which Lavery and Walsh will also contest.
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Said Deignan: “Obviously the circuit isn’t too well suited to me but, as always, it’ll come down to a dozen strong guys and after 100 miles of hard racing, even if it is on flat roads; anything can happen.”
His recent run of good form has people reminiscing about his 2009 Vuelta stage win and pondering whether the popular Donegal man could make a return to the big time when the Giro d’Italia kicks off in Belfast next May.
Although his UnitedHeathcare squad would need a wildcard to ride the three week tour, with Deignan and compatriot Martyn Irvine currently on their books, the American squad would seem a legitimate choice for race organiser Michele Acquarone and his team when the race visits Ireland.
“Obviously I’d love to ride the Giro,” Deignan admits.
“A Grand Tour spending three days in Ireland, that doesn’t happen too often. When the news first came out about it I was really excited and I’d love if circumstances permitted to be there.”
“But as far as UnitedHealthcare doing it, I honestly don’t know what the team is planning for next year. I think the budget would need to be increased if they were to get a wildcard into the Giro. I really don’t know.”
With three Giros and three Vueltas under his belt already though, Deignan admits the one race he still harbours ambitions of riding is the Tour de France.
“It’s pretty frustrating actually,” he says of the perennial ‘so you’re a professional cyclist, have you done the Tour de France?’ question.
“When I think back to 2010, I was supposed to ride it. I went into the Tour de Suisse with up and down form and I told the team that I didn’t want to go to the race and hang on, maybe not even finish it.”
“It’s really big for any pro rider. I want to see how far I can go and push myself so if the option of coming back to the WorldTour came about and if it was with the right team I’d definitely consider it again. Not to do the Tour would be a big regret.”
On his current form, Deignan’s vast experience and excellent climbing ability could be a big factor when it comes to selection for the Irish squad at the world road race championships in Italy this year and with Dan Martin in the form he’s in at the moment admits it’s been a target all season.
“I’d love to ride it again,” he says.
“Obviously Dan (Martin) and Nico (Roche) are there and they’re the number one and two guys. Dan in particular has to be one of the favourites this year. If you win Liege-Bastogne-Liege you can definitely win the worlds.”
“It all depends on what type of shape he’s in come September. Normally he’s really good at that time of year so I’d love to be there to try to help him whatever way I can.”
