By Graham Healy
Already with one win in the bag just a fortnight into the new domestic season, Waterford Racing Club’s Robin Kelly says he wants to remain strong enough to be in the shake-up for victories for the remainder of 2012 and if things went well would love to try racing abroad.
The 33-year-old from Hillview in Waterford City has decided not to ride the An Post Ras this year because it is so hilly but would like to replace that season goal by possibly picking some races abroad “just to try it out”.
“I’d definitely love to race abroad at some point if the opportunity came up, a Premier Calendar race or something like that.” he told stickybottle.
“I’d obviously need to pick something that suited me. I’m going to give it a bit of thought; to go and see where I am against the UK riders.”
Advertisement
Like many Irish people, Kelly has lost his job; just over a year ago when the Teva pharmaceuticals plant in Waterford he had worked in for 12 years closed down. While he is not working at present he’s reluctant to call himself a full time cyclist, saying he would not dedicate all of his time to the bike and that he will work when an opportunity arises.
He said he was delighted and even a little surprised to win the season-opening Ned Flanagan Memorial in Co Kildare a fortnight ago.
“I really went into it with no expectations at all; more with a view towards using it to test my form. It takes away a bit of pressure I’d put myself under to get a win out of the way so early on.”
“I had a lot of decent placings early last year but it took until April for me to get onto the top step of a podium (at the Harry Reynolds Memorial in Balbriggan) even though I probably had stronger form than I have now. I’ve done roughly the same amount of work as last year so I was hoping to be going well at the start of the season, so it’s always a relief to have that confirmed and get one up on the scoreboard.”
A recent training camp in Gran Canaria with his Waterford Racing Club team mates will have undoubtedly helped Kelly to be in good form so early in the season.
While having no intention of riding the Rás this year, he says he benefited from his participation in previous years and will return to the race again.
“Last year was my third Rás, but the first one that I felt in any way competitive at. That being said, it’s a huge commitment and for sure this year’s route would definitely not suit me.”
Related News
He rode his first Rás in his second year of racing in 2007 which went over Mamore Gap and was won overall by Tony Martin.
“It was an eye opener,” Kelly says of it now.
“Even though I am stronger now, I still think I would be spending far too much quality time with Mick Lawless and the broom wagon,” he laughed of this year’s hilly route.
He has so far this year benefited from advice he has received from two experienced former professionals; Ciarán Power and Dan Fleeman.
“Ciarán is always willing to help and share some of his incredible experience with you. For sure, he has helped me a lot and been a big influence on me since I started cycling nearly six years ago. He’s started his own business as a neuromuscular physical therapist and he is very, very good at it. So I’m a regular customer.”
Kelly has only recently started working with Fleeman of Forme Coaching, with the former Cervélo Test Team rider advising him on how to maximise his training using a powermeter.
Regarding the remainder of the season, Kelly has no specific aims.
“It’s very hard to win a race so I tend to target periods where I would like to be strong rather than individual races. Ideally I would like to be as competitive as possible at a reasonably consistent level throughout the season.”
“I was fairly consistent last year. I think I finished fifth in the rankings, so it would be great to improve on that.”
As well as hoping to race abroad at some stage this year, he is also looking forward to helping further develop the recently formed Waterford Racing Club.
“Most of our riders are A3 and A4 so we’re basically starting from scratch. It’s going to be a long, long road and we’ve suffered a blow with serious injuries to two of our more experience riders; Keith Gater and Don Feighery. But we’ve got a great bunch of lads and a fantastic atmosphere in the club.”
“It’ll be good to try and help develop the club and the riders. And if we find ourselves competitive in the A3 and A4 categories by the end of the season, I’ll be very happy because that’ll give us something to build on. Maybe next year we can send a full team to the likes of Rás Mumhan, Suir Valley or the Tour of Ulster... the year after that maybe even the Rás.”
Topics
