Ciaran Power challenged the big guns in the sprints of the 2000 Giro and remains one of very few Irish riders to finish his first Grand Tour.
By Graham Healy
Following on from Stephen Roche’s final Giro d’Italia appearance in 1993, there followed a barren period for Irish cyclists at the race which would be finally broken by Ciarán Power in 2000.
Following on from some impressive performances at the Herald Sun Tour in Australia the previous year, Power was approached by a new low-budget British team with big ambitions, which would be sponsored by Linda McCartney foods.
Their plans were to enter a British team in the Tour de France within their first few years. As a stepping stone though, they wanted to get an entry into the Giro d’Italia.
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Incredibly, in their first season, they did just that thanks to a number of impressive performances early in the season. Power was amongst those who shone, with some good placings in Tirreno-Adriatico and Settimana Internazionale.
Ciaran Power (centre) sprints to 5th place in the bunch gallop that settled stage 3 in the Giro d'Italia 2000
A few weeks prior to the race start, Power was announced amongst the nine-man line up for the team.
Upon hearing the news, he said in an interview that he was looking forward to the experience, but his primary aim was to just get through the race.
Joining him would be a couple of experienced riders in Max Sciandri and Pascal Richard, but most of the team were taking part in a three week tour for the first time.
It was an inauspicious start for Power, as he finished in 155th place in the prologue in Rome. But the race would go much better for him thereafter.
The following day, he would help his team mate Tayeb Braikia to a top ten finish. And two days later, Power would contest the finish himself.
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In Athens in 2004, representing Ireland at the Olympics and claiming 13th place; Ireland's best result in an Olympic bike race.
After 177 kilometres of that third stage from Paestum to Scalea in the south of the country, the race ended in a hectic sprint.
Mario Cipollini, after being led out by his Saeco train, was first across the line. Power was not far behind, finishing in an incredible sixth place.
However, Cipo was judged to not have held his line, and the win was awarded to Jan Svorada instead. This elevated Power to fifth.
Afterwards, the Waterford man explained how he got up near the front.
“As the last 3kms came up, I started to feel pretty good, and when Cipollini came past me on the back of the Saeco train, I jumped on his wheel.
“I didn’t really have the confidence I needed in the sprint, but the next time I am in that position, I will win.”
However, Power and team mate Bjornar Vestol would struggle in a big way just a couple of days later.
They were both suffering from stomach troubles, and were left behind by the race. They struggled on and made it to the finish, just inside the time limit.
Power recovered from the illness though, and would go on to have another top ten finish on Stage 16 from Brescia to Meda, as well as notching up two other top twenty placings.
The race was a success for the team, as the Australian, David McKenzie won a stage.
After a tough last few days in the Alps, Power managed to make it to the finish in Milan, where his brother and father were at the finish to meet him.
He finished in 122nd place overall, in what would be his only Grand Tour appearance, and he remains one of just a handful of Irish cyclists to finish a Grand Tour as a neo-professional.
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