A former stage winner and Irish team rider on the Rás, Roger Aiken is putting his eggs all in one basket for a concerted assault on next year's race with his new squad Team ASEA.
By Brian Canty
While he will not be on the start line to defend his elite men's title at the National Cyclocross Championships next Sunday week, Roger Aiken's appetite for competition has not diminished.
Having switched from Banbridge CC, with whom he has plied his trade for many years, the new Team ASEA man is determined to make an impact on the road next year.
And having lit up the An Post Rás last year and won a stage in the race back in 2005, it is that event that is already getting his full attention.
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Indeed, his decision to miss the cyclocross season now nearing an end was made with the Rás in mind.
“I’ve big motivation for next year,” he told stickybottle.
“I sacrificed the cyclocross and maybe another Irish title for the road season because I want to do a good Rás," added the man who has won the elite men's ‘cross title for the past two years.
"I want to be at the sharp end of it and enjoying it again."
Winning the opening stage of the FBD Rás into Emyvale in 2005 from Morten Hegreberg of Norway (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan - Inpho)
And while forced out of the Rás early this year thanks to the stomach bug that swept through the peloton, he believes his epic ride last year - when he was the county man of the race and constantly on the attack - can be replicated.
“I don’t see why I can’t do as well as I did in 2013; I feel quite good and very comfortable at the moment.
"Some years in the Rás are easier than others; you could be going your best and the results mightn’t come because of who you’re up against.”
Aiken won a stage into Emyvale in 2005 and he’s in no doubt about what he wants from the 2015 edition.
“I think there’s more out of a stage win; crossing the line first is what it’s about," he said weighing up a strong overall performance against getting a stage victory.
"You need to win the thing overall to get the same satisfaction as a stage win.”
Aiken up the road and on the front in the Rás last year, he went very close to a stage win and was one of the main aggressors all week (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
He went close this year on the third stage from Lisdoonvarna to Charleville, but his late attack from the day's escape was reeled in and he finished in 8th place.
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He was then forced out before he could get another proper crack at trying to win.
“You play your cards as you see fit; I took a chance a few kilometres out,” he recalled of his stage 3 efforts.
“It’s not every day you’re coming to the line like that in a break. It’s not something you can plan for.
"You just do what you think is right. And for me attacking a few kilometres out was the right thing to do.”
Aiken, with pink forks, riding the 2008 Rás on the Irish team. The national Rás team that year was a very strong one and included his Aiken’s big cyclocross rival Robin Seymour as he prepared for to represent Ireland in the MTB race at the Olympics. Also in the team and pictured here were Michael Concannon and strongman Paul Griffin. Dave McCann was team leader (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan - Inpho)
On next year’s plans he said: “I want to concentrate on the road and give it 100 per cent.
“I decided I wasn’t going to do cyclocross in the summer; I wasn’t feeling great.
"Doing cyclocross and then making the transition to the road has caught up with me and I needed the break this winter.
“I've a great opportunity with ASEA so at the moment I’m just doing a few spins during the week and a few miles at the weekend in preparation for next year.
“I’d be commuting into work three days a week which is 36 miles in total per spin. And that’s good for me at this time of year.”
Riding the 2010 World Cyclocross Championships in the green of Ireland; Aiken is a four-time elite men's champion, having won the title for the past two years.
The plan for the new team is to ride Kerry Group Rás Mumhan and the Tour of Ulster as preparation for the Rás, as well as the Des Hanlon and the VisitNenagh Classic one day races.
“I haven’t raced Rás Mumhan for 10 years ago but we’ll probably have a full squad down there this year," Aiken said of the Easter showdown in Kerry.
"I think we’ll stick the team together for stage races,” he added in reference to the new squad that also counts among its number Ali Macaulay, Chris Reilly, Joe Fenlon, Bryan McCrystal and Damien Shaw.
“It makes no sense having three at one race and three at another. There are a lot of races down south I’ve never done that I’d like to do.
"I’ve been off the road season a while but I’ve big motivation to get back.”
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