Limerick man Ivan O'Gorman and World Road Race Champion Peter Sagan enjoy a lighter moment during the Tinkoff-Saxo training camp in Gran Canaria recently. O'Gorman was with the team for the week in his role as a bike-fitter with US company RETUL.
By Brian Canty
A farmer’s son from county Limerick was this week given the unenviable task of analysing World Champion Peter Sagan’s position at a team training camp in Gran Canaria.
Father of two Ivan O’Gorman has been based in Boulder, Colorado, for the last five years where he works with bike-fitting company RETUL.
He studied Biomechanics at UCLA after which he started work with the company.
Prior to leaving for the US he was a very promising rugby player and represented Ireland at U18 level as well as lining out for Munster.
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But these day he travels the globe tweaking the positions of some of the world’s finest athletes.
Aside from working with Tinkoff-Saxo his services have been used by Orica-GreenEDGE, Astana, MTN-Qhubeka and he is in line to do some work with Dimension Data and Etixx-QuickStep.
“You could get calls from anywhere; I’m going to Nashville, Tennessee next month to work with some triathletes," he told stickybottle.
“In September I was in Hawaii with Craig Alexander," he said of a three-time World Ironman Champion.
"He’s got a coaching business up and running there and we were with a great group of around 40 athletes. That was a lot of fun."
If not doing the actual bike-fitting he teaches bike-fit education with RETUL and Specialized while away from work he’s a keen triathlete and has completed Kona the last five years.
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He even bagged a top 10 result this year.
“It’s great, I love it and I have a huge passion for it,” he said of his work.
“The riders see that passion and they’re respectful that you’re not there to make up the numbers.
“Earning the respect of the DS and the mechanics is another thing because they can be like the mafia! They’ll tear you apart sometimes!”
As for the riders, they’re usually a little more relaxed and none more so than his favourite Slovak.
“Sagan’s a scream, we met him before and he’s just very easy to deal with, very approachable,” said O’Gorman.
“He’s just a character who’s so charismatic and speaks all sorts of languages; English, Slovak, Italian. There’s no bullshit with him, he’ll sit anywhere and will do anything.
“Contador, on the other hand, would have a minder all the time.
“He’s a nice guy and very down to earth but there’s more of an entourage following him. Sagan just goes with the flow.
“It’s just a lovely job and I’m very lucky. It’s a privilege to be able to work with athletes at that level.
“You have to respect how good and how tough they are and to be a part of that is very rewarding.”
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