Irish cycling is currently enjoying a bumper period for top riders starting to reach their full potential; Eddie Dunbar, Ben Healy, Fiona Mangan, Megan Armitage, Mia Griffin, Dillon Corkery, Darren Rafferty and Lara Gillespie, to name but a few.
But one man whose name has been missing of late is that of Archie Ryan, a generational talent for Ireland. He perhaps had the biggest season of all last year - enjoying the most rapid progress - of any Irish rider. He took 4th overall in Tour de l'Avenir and enjoyed victories at Ronde de l'Isard and Tour de Slovaquie; the latter while on debut for the Jumbo Visma World Tour team.
Ryan, a 21-year-old competing with Jumbo Visma Development, rode his final race of 2022 on October 2nd - the last stage of Ronde de l'Isard. And now, some five months into the European season, he is yet to race in 2023.
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He suffered from knee issues for a couple of years, though we got a good look at his level last year when he returned to full health and was able to race unimpeded. However, those problems flared up again late last year as he began his winter training and they have seen him sidelined until now.
Thankfully, it now looks like he is back on track as he has been given the green light to train again. And while no date has been set for his return to racing, he is at least back on his bike. That is news many cycling fans will be pleased to hear if the volume of queries into stickybottle about Ryan in recent months is anything to go by.
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The Wicklow rider says he's really keen to come back to racing, adding it "feels fantastic" be to out on his bike again and training once more. "I've had quite a tough time," he said. "There were weeks when I had to return after twenty minutes because it was still impossible to ride without pain. Now I can start to build in peace and quiet."
He explained when he took a winter break late last year he suffered illness, followed by more serious issues with his knee.
"After the season, I got sick, which meant that I had to stay off the bike for longer than I had hoped," he said. "When I got back on the bike in mid-November, my knee started bothering me. From that moment on, it was a long nightmare trying to solve the problems. I have seen many specialists, worked with my physiotherapist a lot, and started swimming to keep fit. I am glad there is a light at the end of the tunnel."
In remarks published by his team, Ryan did not specify any target date for returning to racing but his eagerness to get back into the bunch in coming months was clear.
"I am hungry to come back and work towards my highest level", he says. "Last season was a great year. Hopefully, I can get back to that level. But I'm already enjoying the one hour I get to sit on the bike. I'm just glad the nightmare of the last six months is behind me."
We wish him the very best as he comes back.
