Darren Rafferty's new contract with World Tour team EF Education-EasyPost may have been announced right after his overall victory in Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta-Mont Blanc (2.2U), but it was a done deal long before that win.
Team boss Jonathan Vaughters said he had been speaking to the 20-year-old Irishman for some time and when the team got Rafferty in the laboratory earlier this year, they were blown away by what he was capable of. They found Rafferty's physical capabilities were way beyond any of the junior or U23 results he had achieved to that point.
Vaughters explained Rafferty demonstrated metabolic and power values, as well as oxygen consumption, that marked him out as a "headline" rider. And though big results - on major mountains in Italy - soon followed, Vaughters said the laboratory results were such, he knew he had to sign Rafferty.
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“We started talking to Darren a little bit last year and then really started to focus on him this spring,” said Vaughters. “We brought him into our laboratory to test everything from metabolism to Vo2 max to aerodynamic qualities early in the year.
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"And at that point, which was pre-Baby Giro, the decision was pretty much made to take him onboard because he showed incredible metabolic values and incredible oxygen consumption and power values. The only question we still had was that his results in junior and U23 races thus far had not actually been as incredible as his physiological values are.
"It turns out that the reason for that is that the races just weren’t hard enough. As soon as he went to the Baby Giro and went up the Stelvio, it became very apparent that actually his race results in that hard of a race absolutely match the lab results.”
Rafferty placed 3rd on the Stelvio summit finish stage at Next Gen Giro, laying the foundations for his eventual 2nd place overall. And at Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta-Mont Blanc - one of the most prestigious U23 races in the world - the Co Tyrone rider once again climbed with the best; this time going into yellow and retaining it for a huge victory.
Vaughters already has one Irishman in his team in the shape of Ben Healy, who has been extended great freedom to race in his attacking manner, securing major results including a Giro stage win back in May. The American says Rafferty too will be given the freedom to race for himself, adding his physical make-up clearly marked him out as a leading signing for the team.
I honestly believe that we have recruited the best talent out there for 2024," Vaughters says. "Darren is the headliner on that. He showed a lot of love for what this team stands for, the way we conduct ourselves, and the way we develop young riders and felt that it would be the best home for him. He just genuinely liked the personality of the team and it is super to have him on board.”
