With some great results last year, including big wins and a county rider prize on the Rás, it's all to play for for Simon Ryan in the year ahead (Photo with thanks to Gerry Murray)
By Brian Canty
One of the top county riders in last year’s An Post Rás, Simon Ryan, has set himself a target of at least two wins for the 2016 season – and isn’t giving up hope on one of them being at the country’s biggest stage race.
Though admitting to being way behind on his training, the Mego RAW Cycles rider said he’s “very motivated” to improve on last year and emulate his wins at Rás Luimní and the John Drumm Cup in Currow.
“It has been a very poor winter for me,” he said.
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“Work has been busy the last three months and that reduced my time for training to just the weekends.
“I’m now starting to get back on track but because I missed so much time I’m very keen to get out on the bike now and that’s important as well.
“I've always said that the most important thing about cycling and training is that you enjoy it.”
Ryan is going into his eighth season on the road and unlike other years, he will not be a full-time athlete having decided to let go his dream of turning professional.
“At one point I had the belief I could make it as a pro but even after the performance I had in the Rás last year it just seemed that no doors would open for me.
“I'll be 24 in April and it’s got to the stage that it’s time to let it go,” he explained.
In the Rás last year Ryan was the best county rider on a brutal stage five in the west where crosswinds shredded the field and he was one of just a handful who came to the line, a stage won by Aaron Gate (An Post Chain Reaction)
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“That was probably the stand out point of my year," he said.
“Looking back, there are things I may have done differently but that’s bike racing.
“It comes down to a quick ‘yes or no’ of whether to attack, follow a wheel or stay tucked in. Those decisions can decide the outcome of a race.
“But that’s a good thing, it means you're always learning and wanting to improve and trying not make those ‘wrong’ or ‘stupid’ decisions during a race the next time around.”
With that in mind, it was a valuable learning experience.
“Winning the county rider prize was a great feeling. It was almost like a weight lifted off my back because I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform.
“It was certainly one of the best rides I’ve ever done.
“Okay, I didn’t win the stage but it proved that us Irish are able to compete. It’s definitely a day I’ll never forget.
“If you look at last year’s Rás, a lot of county men played a big part in the race and I think I proved it’s definitely possible for a county rider to win a stage of it.
“But even winning a Sunday race is a big achievement; winning in Limerick and Currow were great moments for me.
“I was in good company on both days and the guys really made me work hard for them.
“I'd love to try and win those again but I've always had it in my mind that I'd like to win a stage in the Rás.
“I remember seeing Sam (Bennett) do it and that gave me the belief that I could one day do the same.”
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