A testing season meant Jamie Blanchfield only really got to shine in the national championships, but the grapevine says he is one to watch (Photo: Dc Images)
Few had heard of Jamie Blanchfield prior to his taking a brilliant bronze at the national junior road race championships in Blarney this year.
And fewer still knew he had broken his wrist a week previously, making the performance in the title race all the more incredible.
It wasn’t the only issue the 18-year-old Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers rider had to deal with this year, with a troublesome knee injury plaguing him for much of the season.
But he’s back to full health again and counting down to what he hopes will be a less stressful 2015.
“I was absolutely delighted to get a medal at the nationals,” he said
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Third in line in the winning breakaway at the national championships. Blanchfield had the confidence to go in the early breakaway and when caught by eventual winner Eddie Dunbar (middle) and silver medalist Michael O'Loughlin (leading) the Carrick man was the only one of the early escapees able to stay with them until close enough to the finish to survive to take bronze (Photo: Dc Images)
“It’s nice to get something for all the work and sacrifice. And even if that was the only one real result this year, I’m happy with it.
"I can’t wait to just get a good season of racing after this year and aim to get some good results.
“It’s hard to stay motivated when you keep getting setbacks but I feel my season really only began in June,” he explained of his difficult year.
“I suppose one positive is that I’m really looking forward to next season, it can’t come quickly enough to be honest."
Blanchfield got into road racing after initially doing some mountain biking.
And after a spell with Clonmel CC he moved to the other big Tipperary cycling stronghold of Carrick.
Given this year was very much hampered by injury, it will be very interesting to see what Blanchfield is capable of when he gets a clear run at next season (Photo: Dc Images)
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“I love the club and get along with everyone,” he said.
“When I started with Clonmel I immediately got the bug for it. I just love it.
“Then when I started racing I got to experience a whole other side to the sport and meet a lot of new people.”
He said getting to know many of those stepped in the sport through his club has drawn him even deeper into the cycling community.
"There’s a well of experience there which means I learn something new about the sport nearly every day.
"They’ve also given me a lot of support this year in races like the Junior Tour and the Suir Valley.”
Blanchfield comes home for 17th place on the final stage of the Suir Valley Three Day atop The Nire; a result that suggests with even one more season of development under his belt he should trouble many good elite riders (Photo: Dc Images)
Blanchfield, who cites WorldTour riders Simon Gerrans and Geraint Thomas as his heroes, credits the likes of Carrick stalwarts Martin O’Loughlin and Rory Wyley with helping him develop as a rider.
But he also had praise for another of the real unsung heroes of the sport in this country.
“People like Alice Sherratt do so much for the sport in this country and without them cycling here wouldn’t be what it is.
"The work she does for the Junior Tour and junior cycling in general is huge. And it’s people like that I really respect.
"They give up all of their time to work on events that mean so much to the sport in Ireland and we need more like her to sustain it.”
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