Anthony Walsh racing in the colours of Chicago-based Astellas Oncology this year. It has been a very tough season for the Dubliner, who has been plagued with crashes and is currently laid up with serious injuries.
By Brian Canty
Former UCD rider, Anthony Walsh has set his sights on returning to Ireland to race next year after a one-year stint living in Toronto and racing for the Chicago-based Astellas Oncology team.
It’s been a season of ups and downs for the 29-year-old Clontarf man but following a horror crash at the beginning of September the qualified barrister has been laid up with some of the worst injuries of his life.
Walsh crashed hard in a crit in Detroit on Labour Day, September 6th, and broke his collar bone and shoulder, as well as having a lung collapsed from the force of the impact.
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“It happened at about 60kmph but seems like it happened in slow motion," he says.
"A lad tried to go through a gap which most sane people wouldn't even consider attempting, the small gap got a lot smaller as riders jostled for position. He got his bars tangled and down he went. I was just behind and didn't even have a chance to break."
He’s had the requisite operations to ensure he’s on the mend – the most recent of which was last week. But his season is well and truly over.
“Yeah, that’s very disappointing. I was due to be in Vegas this weekend to finish out my season at the US crits finals but the sick bed with broken bones seems a long way from the bright lights of Vegas."
Walsh reckons he’s crashed around eight times this year, a result of the high number of crits he does, which forced him to change his goals throughout the year.
“It's been a frustrating season punctuated by crashes,” he said.
“My target of a good GC ride in the Rás didn't materialise. Crashing in Delray Beach early in the season meant I was lucky to be even on the start line in Dunboyne."
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“The last crash was just before a race I'd been building towards for a while (Bucks County UCI 1.2) so it was especially frustrating. My form has been really good at times this year but the crits really didn't give me the ideal platform to showcase it."
"I've had some decent results but couldn't manage a win; a few podiums and a few top 5s but my form merited better."
As regards next season, he said once he is healthy he’d love to race at home.
“Right now with broken bones it’s hard to think about next season,” he confessed.
“I've a good offer from a US team but I won't be staying out here. I don't like the crits."
“When the races are good out here they are really good but there just isn't enough of them. I want to get back closer to home for next year. I love the racing back home and haven't raced there in a few years - I've really missed races like Tour of Ulster and Rás Mumhan."
Though he’ll leave North America with plenty of war wounds, he has few regrets. And for any aspiring Irish riders, he has this advice.
“I don't think it's a great place for those guys to come," he said.
"Last season in France you could get four top class races a week if you wanted them. Here, that's not an option. I also think the pathway from Division Nationale teams in France to the ProTour is more established. Whereas the US or UK seems itself to be a destination rather than a step on the ladder."
"You just need to look at (Philip) Lavery this season - he stepped away from a 'pro' UK team to an 'amateur' French team, his level has gone up and hopefully things work out at Cofidis for him now."
“The prize money out here is amazing though. I reckon someone like Paidi O'Brien could make a ton of cash out here but it's hard to fight against the Unitedhealthcare lead-out train if you were freelancing it without a team.”
In his spare time now, which he has plenty of, Walsh runs a coaching service which he said has been a great distraction.
“A1 Coaching has been amazing (www.a1coaching.net). It's great to have a platform to pass on some of the training techniques and tips which I've learnt from working with great riders and coaches through the years."
"I had to cap the amount of athletes I was taking a few months ago but we've just started to expand again so I am looking forward to working with a new crop of lads. It's been massively rewarding watching lads reach their goals and hopefully that can continue,” he said.
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