The An Post Ras 2014

Writing this blog I am now a “Man of the Ras”. Since I started cycling I followed the Ras every year as a kid and I couldn’t wait until I was able to compete in this beautiful event myself. Let me tell you, it certainly didn’t disappoint. In all my years racing a bike, I don’t think I’ve ever done a race in which I enjoyed more than the 2014 edition. It was super 8 days! 

Now I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on my race, I would like to put some words to it. So here’s my recap on the Ras and the weeks around it.

Myself, Robert and David at the depart in Dunboyne.

I can’t even compare this years race with my 2013 campaign, this time I could actually compete. Being able to eat sure does help! Last year I had a gastro bug before, during and after. It really wiped me out! That was a hard blow, but since then I was determined to come back and give it a good crack. So even being in Dunboyne healthy this year I was already improved on my previous edition. The start was made extra special this year and that was due to the fact I had two of my first cousins in the peleton alongside me. Robert-Jon was riding for An Post-CRC and David and I both rode for “Team VisitNenagh.ie-DMG”. 

After staying the night close to Dunboyne, we all met as a team on Sunday morning. This years team consisted of Rene (our legendary manager), John and Liam(Our temporary mammys for the week), David, Denis Dunworth, Mike “Turbo” Storan, Mark Shannon and myself. A fantastic group of lads! I was super excited and well prepared travelling back to Ireland after finishing up in Tour de la Manche the week before, so I was keen to see how my condition was going to be starting Stage 1. I was confident and feeling good - it was time to rock and roll.. 

After an amazing send off from Dunboyne we raced towards Roscommon in horrid weather conditions - full on rain all day. Such conditions made the, already nervous, stage dangerous. And there were lot’s of crashes! The biggest was 25km to go. Just as I thought I was avoiding it I got rear-ended and smashed into the big pile of riders on the deck. Luckily I wasn’t hurt, just opened up some of my wounds from la Manche, however my bike didn't come off too well (See pic below). After waiting a few minutes for a bike change I started my kamikaze chase back to the front. I had great legs so I got back with 4km to go, after that I didn’t get involved in the sprint but just spectated on the finale in which my cousin Robert won. I was so extremely proud, but also a little pissed that my wheel was smashed! Things could have only went better from there… 

Robbie winning Stage 1!

Stage 2 from Roscommon to Lisdoonvarna was special day for the McCarthy family with Robert wearing the yellow jersey of race leader for the stage. It turned out to be a lot harder than expected, and I think it caught many people by surprise. Again it was very dangerous due to the rain. After 70km of racing things started to heat up and the racing turned very aggressive. From there to 100km was full on racing. During this period I was very active and attacked with the eventual stage winner to the front group of 40 or so riders. I thought I had made the final selection as I was in such a strong group but I thought wrong. Everything came back together after about 10km and I then made a silly mistake and took a breather. I unfortunately missed the next groups going away. I finished in the main peleton. This turned out to be my worst day of the race. 

The next morning in Lisdoonvarna at the start of Stage 3 I was a man on a mission - I wanted to get in the breakaway. I knew it was a day where it could succeed and stay until the finish, plus with the stage finishing in Charleville I had extra motivation. I tried, but didn’t succeed. I was one of the very first attacks and found myself in a group of 7-8 riders for the first 10km, but I knew it was doomed as none of the bigger teams were present. We were caught and almost immediately the winning breakaway went clear. Shit! The thing that made it less annoying was the fact Robert was in it. The Kiwis controlled for the rest of the stage so it was a pretty easy day after that. I then tried conserving as much energy as possible as the following days were going to be tough! The race hadn’t even started yet… 

Stage 4 turned out to be the best day of my season thus far. It was the first, and arguably the hardest of the mountain stages. 185km from Charleville to Caherciveen with 10 categorised climbs, the last being the category 1 of Coomanaspic with only 20km to the finish. I was recovering very well so the night beforehand I was confident I could do quite well. My goal was to pick up the county rider prize, and that I did. I had a pretty cruisey race, An Post did me a big favour and let me sit with them so that made my race as stress free as possible. In the finale I was positioned in the top 20 for the start of the higher categorised climbs. I fought hard, and dug deep to get over the last climb with race leader Patrick Bevin of New Zealand and from there we were 30 seconds behind the front with under 20km to go.

The chase was on! (Fun fact: I even reached a new max speed on the descent - 105km/h! Fast!) I sat behind the Bevin train, swinging for the next 10 minutes. I watched in amazement at the strength of his ride. He rode me back to the front of the race without even asking for help. He didn’t flinch, just rode like a motorbike! From the bottom of Coomanaspic to the finish it was full gas racing, just how I like it! Roughly 30 guys contested the sprint for the stage win, Bevin winning! I was 12th and won the first county rider. I was very happy! Over the moon - not because of my result, or even winning the prize - but because I had lived up to my goal. I said to all my team, my family, that today I will be first county rider - and I was. That was the nicest feeling! 

On the podium for 1st County Rider Stage 4

My biggest fan!

The time between the finish and start of every stage seems to disappear in a stage race, especially if your having fun like I was on the Ras. The time between the 4th and 5th stage seemed to go even faster than normal! Another tough day awaited us for stage 5. We were departing Caherciveen and again entering the rebel county with the finish being in Clonakilty. 20km into the stage was the first categorised climb out of Waterville so it was full gas from there until about 50km to go, over the category 2 Caha Pass and through Glengarriff. Real hard racing! I positioned myself pretty well so never came into too much trouble. I didn’t quite have the legs to go with - what turned out to be - the Ras winning move. 10 or 11 guys jumped clear after the descent of Caha pass and were never seen again. The yellow jersey then sat up and we were riding “piano” almost all the way to the finish. I placed 25th in the second group on the road. 

The anxiously awaited Seskin hill stage from Clonakilty to Carrck on Suir was next on the cards. For me I couldn’t wait for this one. When the route was announced I was already itching for this stage, especially as its on roads so close to my home. It was a pretty straightforward apart from one real hard crosswind section which caught a lot of people - including me by surprise. It was a  professionally ridden stage. It was fast at the beginning, breakaway went clear, the Austrians controlled the pace and (almost) brought the break back for the finale. The weather turned with 50km to go, from warm, nice conditions to cold and wet - just shit! I was underdressed and suffered terribly from the cold. I targeted a top 10 on the stage I firmly believe if it had stayed dry I could have done it but by the time we hit Seskin I was like a statue, my body wouldn’t respond the way I wanted it to. I shut down. I started the climb on Mark Dowling’s wheel but once I tried to follow him I couldn’t. He was 7th, I was in the 30’s. I was disappointed. And bloody cold! I quickly forgot and focused on the hard stage 7 that was in front of me! 

Second wheel near Mahon Point, Cork

I must admit I surprised myself with my climbing form in this years Ras. I wasn’t so sure how I’d compare with the top guys, and I wasn’t too far behind! Stage 7 was going into the Wicklow mountains. With a category 2 and two category 1’s in the space of 30km - it was set to be another epic stage! It didn’t start very well for us with our team car breaking down within minutes of the start in Carrick. Thankfully we found a quick replacement. Massive thanks to Martin O’Loughlin, I guess it’s good to have friends! 

It was good day for me, I put myself in a good position and went over the last climbs of Corrabutt Gap and Mount Leinster with the front group. 

It's not easy! Summit of Mount Leinster

After the descent it regrouped as some groups came from behind, but it left me in a group of 30 guys to ride to the finish in Baltinglass. The breakaway was still away and there were no county riders present in it, just a handful (if even) with me in the select yellow jersey group. The breakaway never came back, so the stage results were gone. I knew then the county prize was available so that was my goal. It was a bit of a lottery as everyone was sprinting in our group. A race within a race! I was 2nd. By one placing. By one bike length. Ouch! That one was a kick in the balls. Congrats to Dowling however, a classy rider… 

Waking up the morning of the final stage was a bitter-sweet feeling. In a way I was looking forward to crossing the finish line in Skerries, but in another thought I didn’t want the race to end. Give me a stage 9! The morning started well for me - before the start of the stage I was informed I had won the C-Factor jersey. A new category for a wild card rider who the Ras organisers thought was one for the future and put the best effort in, both on and off the bike. So I was already guaranteed to be on the final podium in Skerries. A nice bonus! 

The morning after the night before! 

The last stage turned out to be one of the fastest. It all kicked off once we got to Skerries. The crowds there were amazing! Like nothing I’ve witnessed before. Passing through the finish line I could no longer hear the sound of wheels in the peleton, but just the screams from people lining the barriers. It made the hair on my arms stand up! The last time over the Black Hills I was just a little too far back to make the front split of roughly 20 guys. I finished just seconds behind them in the second group of around 15 guys. That was it, all done. My 2014 Ras was a wrap, and to be honest I was quite content with how my week went. I know I didn’t get any amazing results, but I showed I was well able to contend - and most importantly I achieved my goals for the week. I proved to myself that I can one back here in the future and contest. 

Rene and I on the podium to collect my C-Factor jersey

A massive thank you goes to Rene van Dam for sticking by my side throughout the whole year and giving me another chance to ride with his team. To all the lads on Team “VisitNenagh.ie” thanks for your support and laughs throughout the week, would have been nothing without you guys. I can honestly say it was one of the most enjoyable weeks I’ve ever had. You can’t beat that Irish banter! Already looking forward to next year… 

My results from the An Post Ras UCI 2.2:

1st - Chapeau Classification

9th - U23 General Classification 

4th - County Rider GC

34th - General Classification

46th - Stage 8

2nd - County Rider Stage 7

27th - Stage 7

37th - Stage 6

25th - Stage 5

1st - County Rider Stage 4

12th - Stage 4

54th - Stage 3

78th - Stage 2

120th - Stage 1

Love racing at home. Most beautiful place on earth!

After the Ras I spent a week at home visiting family and friends. I rode my bike but nothing hard. It was bliss! I took it as an opportunity to recover and refresh for the busy months ahead. Since returning to Belgium I have been training well and ridden some kermess races but haven’t got anything special from them result-wise yet. My best was a 15th place in Horebeke 1.12B. For now I am going to keep riding hard and hope to pick up some nicer results in the near future. 

I am currently in the Rhone-Alpes/Savoie region of France for 10 days. I am here with my team - Terra Safety Shoes - for “Tour des pays de Savoie” a UCI 2.2 ranked race which is a 4 day (5 stage) race in the French Alps. We have come down a week beforehand to ride some of the route, and try to adapt a little to the mountains. We are staying near Le Chambre roughly half way up Col du Glandon. This is an amazing part of the world, just wow! 

Having a blast with the Terra gang in the Alps... 

The next big goal for me after Savoie is the National Championships road race at the end of the month. I am hoping I can contest the u23 title, so I am looking to do a strong ride! Stay tuned in the near future for further updates on how my season is progressing. Thanks for reading!

Eoin