Eoin McCarthy (yellow helmet) has endured bad luck in the colours of team and country so far this year but believes his fortunes can improve soon and is ready for the Rás.
The lot of a young Irish rider in Belgium is often a difficult one, but representing your country and building to get the best out of yourself makes it worthwhile, writes 'Terra Footwear' rider Eoin McCarthy from Fermoy.
Wow! May already. Just over a week or so until the An Post Rás. Where has the time gone? Since my last update I’ve had some more bad luck, mishaps and even managed to sit on the tarmac, again! However, shit happens - you live, you learn & you move on...
Being honest, my season so far hasn’t been as good as I would have liked or wanted. And it’s really gutting after putting in so much hard graft this winter. However, I still have a lot of positives. I’m feeling a lot stronger and I’m determined to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. My best is still far away.
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Firstly, the Nations Cups.
I was very happy and excited to get the call up for the U23 Irish national team for three U23 UCI Nations Cups events between April 6th and 13th. We did the Ronde van Vlaanderen in Belgium, then La Cote Picardie in France and finally we travelled to Holland for the ZLM Tour.
To prepare, I did some kermesses just for race kilometres. No better way to build form in my opinion. As soon as I was called I made that period my big early season goal and worked towards it fully.
I was pretty happy with how Flanders went for me. I wasn’t on a good day at all and although the race didn’t really get going until after 100km, I was still suffering. There was a bout of illness getting passed around our Terra team house in Zottegem a few days before I left and I’m certain I had caught it, but only mildly.
It was fantastic to use my local knowledge to negotiate my way through the peloton in Flanders; to know most of the roads and bergs made things a lot easier. It was an advantage that eliminated a lot of stress.
I did my best for our leader on the day Conor Dunne and helped keep him out of trouble before the Molenberg, which was the crucial part of the race after 109km. I then made it to the finishing circuits with the smaller front group of 50-60 guys from 140 starters, before getting dropped with 15-20km to go in the 170km race - on the monumental climb of the Eikenberg.
I decided to call it a day instead of riding the last lap solo, to try and limit my losses and recover properly for Picardie, which started a few days later. In hindsight I would have ridden the last lap. Bloody hindsight.
Not much to report on Picardie.
I was super motivated and was given the protected rider role along with strong man Ryan Mullen. All I had to do was try and conserve as much energy as possible until the finishing circuits and do my best to be involved when the real race kicked off.
But only 5km into the race I was slightly concussed and sitting in the van. I had my second crash of the year.
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It’s still a bit of a mystery to me about how it actually happened. But it got really cosy in the middle of the peloton and after a the squeeze and the sound of brakes screeching, I suddenly felt a big push on my back. Then I smashed into the kerb and face-planted into some gravel. Wouldn’t fancy it again. Race over. I was gutted.
After a few days of stiffness and light training rides - I still wasn’t feeling the best. Crashing definitely does take it out of you both physically and mentally.
Unfortunately I then had to sit out of the ZLM Tour while the others tackled the race. I was so upset with how my campaign had gone, but it was time to move on. I had a great 10 days with a fantastic bunch of guys.
Thanks again to Brian, Dave and Adrian for looking after us so well - also a big thanks to my team-mates Ryan, Conor, Conor, Jack, Cormac and Daniel. I had a fantastic time.
After the Nations Cups, I went home for a few days to see family and have a mental break before coming back to my base in Belgium. It's always great to get home but I was also eager to get back and get racing again. Since then I've ridden four kermesse races and done some top quality training.
I have no real results to brag about as of yet, unfortunately. In almost all of my races I have been between 30th-40th place, on average. I still can’t quite crack the kermesse racing style. I’m strong enough to be in the top end of the results but mostly it’s just a matter of luck; something that hasn’t really been on my side this year.
It’s a massive gamble in every race and sometimes I feel as if I'd have a better chance at winning the lottery. This year, however, I feel I’m a lot stronger and more active so I’m sure it will all come good - still a long way to go.
Next, I plan to do my own mini-stage tour of kermesses to put the finishing touches on my An Post Rás preparations. It’s hard to tell how the form will be - but I won’t ever be fully satisfied either way. The weather in Belgium has been immense in the past weeks so let’s hope that hangs around until next Wednesday the 15th when I fly back home.
I’m over the moon to be finally lining up in the Rás. Growing up, I always followed the race and now I finally get to be a part of it. I’m really looking forward to getting racing on Irish roads again, and this time with the Visit Nenagh-DMG team. I’m very grateful to be given the chance to ride for such a good group of guys and want to thank Rene van Dam for making it possible. Fingers crossed for good weather and a great eight days of racing.
Stay tuned.
Eoin
PS Think I may have jinxed the weather. It's now pissing it down with thunder and lightning. Oh well.
This post originally appeared on http://eoinmccarthycycling.blogspot.be/ and has been published here with the permission of the author.
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