Robert Power and Richie McCauley during the 1994 National Road Race Championships in Castleisland
One of Waterford cycling’s favourite sons Robert Power is back in training again and plans to race next year.
The Olympian and former national champion told stickybottle he feels his form is coming around in recent weeks, after returning to biking last February with the initial aim of losing weight and reconnecting with the sport.
Over the past ten months he says he has been drawn further back into cycling, and having lost almost three stone in weight, he feels he may be close to the level of fitness needed to race next season.
“I definitely feel the last few weeks when I’ve been out it’s not just a case of hanging in with the lads. I’d maybe be able to mix it a little bit. I’m not getting carried away though, the longest spins I’m doing are three hours, maybe a little bit more than that.”
Advertisement
“But I feel I would certainly like to be at a few races next year, start them and see what happens. We have some good lads in Dungarvan CC that I think have a bit of potential. Some of them are mad keen for me to come back.”
“So at least I could help them with learning how to race, how to go about it properly. It would be great if I could get into the bunch and even just do that. I had the likes of Bobby and Larry Power in my day…. We have a young lad called Cian Dwyer who I think has some talent and the belief; he maybe reminds me a little bit of myself when I was young.”
Power was the best rider in the country in his pomp at different times in the early 1990s and rode the team time trial for Ireland at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
He is a former national schoolboy, junior and senior champion, having won the senior title in Castleisland in 1994.
He won two stages in the FBD Ras – into Middleton in 1991 and Boyle in 1993 – and finished third overall in that race in 1993.
Related News
Now working as a photographer, he is a father of three – aged 10 years, 7 years and 18 months - and says his commitments off the bike would not allow him a full assault on the racing season.
“Been there, done that,” he says of the prospect of riding at the highest level. However, having turned 40 last July, he says he is happier now with his physical condition than he has been for years and believes with his current fitness level he may be able to “do things” in some races.
“I feel that would be possible. But as for riding things like the Shay Elliott or Ras Mumhan and the like, not a chance. I might take a couple of pictures of the lads alright but that’ll be about it,” he laughed.
However, he was definite that he will race again next year and says the love for the sport and the draw of competition has returned.
“This year when I only had eight weeks training done I went and did the Paris-Roubaix sportive. It started fast and I was able for it. Then after six sections of cobbles there was only me and (Sean) Kelly. I looked around and a lot of others were gone; now, they got caught behind crashes and so on and we all got back together again, but even at that stage I surprised myself a little. We were with people like Paul Butler, Kurt Bogaerts, and Ciaran McKenna. I really enjoyed it.”
“Then after that I cracked on and did a few sportives here. I did the An Post rides in Waterfordand in Burren and also the Sky Ride. The weight has come down. I need to get it down a little bit more. But there is a bit of form coming back, yes definitely there is. Someone said on Facebook myself and Ciaran Power were riding the Gorey….”
Power winning a stage of the Tour of New Caladonia 1991
Power winning the stage into Midleton during the 1991 Ras
Topics
