Great to see a top pro not forgetting where he came from and greeting people from the domestic scene so warmly; Chris Juul Jensen is a class act.
Anyone who has raced, or been around racing, in Ireland at any point over the last 40 years or so will know the Howard family from Stamullen in Co Meath.
Gabriel, known as Gaybo, was a great rider in his day, winning a stage of the Rás in 1965.
And in the years since he stopped competing he’s organised races and generally mucked in – including performing MC in his inimitable style – all over the country.
Kay is similarly committed; working tirelessly behind the scenes to help keep Irish races on the road. When you want something done right, you ring Kay Howard.
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They are best known for organising a number of brilliant races every year based in Stamullen and the surrounding area.
But their work goes way, way beyond those events, not to mention acting as organisers, mentors and the backbone of Stamullen Road Club.
So we were delighted to see the warm embrace Tour de France rider Chris Juul Jensen greeted them with when he unexpectedly saw them in the crowd after his TT ride yesterday.
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Gaybo's and Kay's son Seamus - a very tidy rider himself - was also there with girlfriend Phebe.
Juul Jensen is a Dane riding for the Australian Orica-BikeExchange team on the Tour. But he was born in Ireland and grew up in Co Wicklow of Danish parents.
He cut his teeth in the races Gaybo and Kay organise and despite his star having risen hugely since he saw them last, he was straight over to them for a really warm and genuine greeting.
It’s great to see the friendships forged in the Irish cycling community endure even with the passage of time.
And it's refreshing to see while Chris Juul Jensen races under a Danish flag now and is in the top tier of world cycling, he knows where he came from and who helped him as a kid.
Howards get greeting they deserve!
Juul Jensen spotted the flag and was straight over to the people who helped organise the races he started out in.
Gaybo Howard on the Rás in 1965, the week he took victory on stage 2 of Ireland's national tour.
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