Eoin Ahern left Dublin almost two weeks ago, cycling down through France so he could be on Alpe d'Huez's Irish Corner 10 for today's penultimate stage of the Tour de France. The 27 year-old did scant preparation and battled some severe weather conditions - but he looks in pretty good spirits here. Fair play to him!
By Brian Canty
Irish fans have long been known for their dedication to supporting our sporting heroes but 27 year-old Eoin Ahern’s story is up there with any tale of patriotism.
The Dubliner left home last Monday week, took a ferry to Cherbourg and made his way down through France battling scorching temperatures and thunderstorms, all because he wanted to be on Irish Corner 10 to support Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche on today’s penultimate stage of the Tour.
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Oh, and he did it all on his bike; a “fairly bog standard hybrid” by his own admission.
His inventory is a fairly simple one and includes a one-man tent, a sleeping bag, two panniers, a change of clothes, one change of cycling shorts, a few jerseys, a handlebar bag and his tricolour.
And when stickybottle caught up with him, he’d just about made it to corner 10 of cycling’s most iconic climb.
“I started on Monday July 13th and took a ferry overnight to Cherbourg,” he explained.
“I arrived in France on the Tuesday morning and gave myself nine days to get down to Grenoble.
“To do that I averaged around 130 kilometres a day; not killing myself, sleeping in campsites or wherever I could find.”
Day 11: My view this morning, halfway up Alpe d'Huez. Can't wait for le Tour to pass my tent tomorrow! #DublinToHuez pic.twitter.com/ZWx93Y9lwe
— Eoin Ahern (@AhernEoin) July 24, 2015
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Indeed, his trip was one he did little planning for and only decided the week before last he’d actually go.
“I’ve met the odd Irish person here and there but for the most of it I’ve been on my own,” he said.
“I just basically winged the whole thing. I only decided a week before I left that I’d go so I hadn’t much planned.
“I’d just sit down the night before and get a fair idea of where I wanted to go and just take off in the morning.
“I had a couple of weeks holidays in work and was going to travel the Wild Atlantic Way buy I’ve been into cycling and always wanted to see the Tour.
“So I just thought of this and went for it. I’ve got here without too much difficulty, aside from having my tent stolen!
“I was packing up one morning, about to leave, the tent was ready to go by my bike and when I turned my back it was gone.
“I was freaking out but it turned out a couple of kids had played a prank at me!
“I don’t even want to repeat what their parents said to them when they saw what the kids had done.”
Asked what he expects this afternoon Ahern said he has no idea given it’s his first time “but if the amount of Irish is anything to go by it should be chaotic.”
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