Richard Barry

Hello again!
Now that I've arrived home after over two weeks away here is the update from our second international race in as many weeks. After the Italian World Cup we flew to Poland to race the UCI C1 event, The HTC (Hetman Tandem Cup). This is a 4 day stage race based in the Polish city of Lublin which is approximately 200km south east of Warsaw. In a late pairing change I remained as Ciarán's pilot (I was initially to switch back to my usual stoker) but it was decided that due to bike set up etc. it would be better if we kept up our partnership for this race.

Lublin was a fantastic change after staying in Montesilvano for a week. The city is small but vibrant, with plenty of excellent coffee shops, a bustling centre and in general full of good vibes. It's certainly a place I'd love to go back to as a tourist for a proper city break. On top of that the hotel was fantastic, the food was fantastic, and the hospitality of both the organisation and the hotel staff (shout out to the Hilton Hampton!) was excellent.

We arrived the day before and were able to recon the technical TT course and the stage 3 circuit. These two stages would prove to be decisive in this race for us so we were glad to get a view of them before the racing began.

STAGE 1 AND 2:
Stage one was a 24km consisting of 7 laps of a reasonably technical circuit. Due to travel logistics we used the full road set up but this course didn't penalise it so much given it's more techical nature. The lap consisted of two 800m straights joined together by several tight but fast turns. This TT turned out to be pretty rapid and we finished in a time of 35'34'' and we won the stage by 30 seconds! This was a great start for us- we knew we could be in the mix for the overall win and winning the opening stage confirmed this to us. However 4 days is a long race and there was still plenty to navigate especially considering this stage was the easiest of the four.
Stage 2 was an 84km stage consisting of 14 laps of a 6km circuit. It was a hot day on exposed roads. The circuit had one short steep climb each lap (500m approx) which led to an exposed head crosswind section for a further 2.5 km. A right turn led us onto a tailwind descent with a series of 3 sharp bends at the bottom leading into the finish line. This stage would prove to be more tricky but it was also a stage where we could use our team mates. The result didn't matter so long as one of the two Irish bikes were in the hunt for the stage. The Polish national bike immediately attacked the climb on lap one forcing a selection of 4 bikes which ultimately was a 2v2 situation. 2 Irish bikes vs 2 Polish bikes. This was an ideal situation for both of us as it simplified the race situation so long as we rode together to keep the others at bay. There were also 2 time bonus primes during the stage. One at lap 4 and the other at lap 8, with 6,4,2 seconds going to the first three over the line. These were going to be fiercly contested especially with the GC lead beng pretty close. Ciaran and I managed to win both of those to increase our lead in the standings. This was effectively phase one of the race over for us. Phase two was now in play and that was to play our cards and hopefully one of the Irish bikes could win the stage. On lap 10 we attacked hard with only one Polish bike able to follow. However when we hit the crossheadwind at the top of the climb our speed dropped, and with the an unco-operating bike with us we knocked off the attack. This allowed the other two bike back in but immediately Conor and Ben attacked forcing a move with the second Polish bike. this suited Ciarán and I down to the ground. Our closest rivals for GC were with us, while the second Polish bike were 90 seconds behind us. We could afford to leave them gain 30 seconds before we would even think of keeping the time in check and this would also give Ben and Conor a great chance to take a stage. In the final 2 laps we did ride to keep the gap manageable but not to bring back Conor and Ben. They would hold the gap with their breakaway ciompanions all the way to line and just miss out on the stage win by a mere tyre width! We managed to win the sprint for 3rd and increased our lead into stage 3 to 40 seconds.
Stage 3 and 4
Stage 3 was a similar type of circuit to stage 2 with the climb being slightly longer. However this time there was a tailwind which would certainly change things. The speed would be higher and twe were hoping the chance pf making a solo move stick would be higher. The only spanner in the works was the rain. It was absolutely pissing down. 12 laps totalling 75km awaited us on what was (as we say in Ireland), a grand soft day. Once again time bonuses were in play on laps 4 and 8 which could well prove important for the overall GC. Our aim for this stage was slightly different though and it was now Conor and Ben willing to help us out to defend GC. Once again the same four bikes broke away after the first climb and this made the situation clearer and easier to handle. After securing the bonus sprints as we had done in Stage 2, phase one was once again complete. However Ciaran and I were on a different day today. Everything we did seemed easy. It was like the bike didn't have a chain- no effort seemed to hard and even though we had been riding at the front we ere in cruise control. On lap 9 we hit the climb HARD. Immediately we had a gap. Pedalstroke after pedal stroke our advantage increased. With 2 laps to go we had 20 seconds. We were oblivious to the rain and wind and fully focussed on bringing it home. With a lap to go we now had 40 seconds. Crossing the line to take the stage our gap had gone out to 1'10'' and we were now in a really strong position to win the overall. It was a brilliant feeling crossing the line, joy and relief flooded us. WE knew stage 2 had been a sticky day for us but having a bit more of a cushion going into the final stage allowed us a little relief.
Stage 4. It's not over until it's over. People were congratulating us already but if one thing that bike racing has taught me is that it's not over until it's over. People were asking how were we going to get our trophies home, to which I responded, "We've not won anything just yet." Stage 4 was a crit- 30 laps in central Lublin on damp to drying roads. A slippy crit on a tandem is not exactly how I would've likde to finish off a race like this and did nothing to help the pre race nerves. However once the race started we were flying. Our closest rivals were piloted by a fellow Cyclocross rider so we expected it to be full gas from the gun. We were not disappointed and it was full gas from the when the starters whistle blew. After one lap it was just our two bikes. In order to be safe and secure the GC we went to the front and just kept pushng full gas all race with the Polish bike in our wheel. We weren't looking for turns, our sole aim was to stay safe and finish the job off and the "easiest" way to do this was just a full effort for just over an hour on the front. With 3 laps to go the the other bike told us they weren't going to sprint after sitting in the wheels all stage- they were going full to stay there and were just happy to cross the line with us. I thought this was a fantastic gesture. Again the stage win wasn't our aim for that race so it was real sign of respect from them. I never thought the city centre wet crit would have been my favourite stage of the race but I was proven wrong. It was class. To win the stage was the cherry on top!.
Epilogue:
I'm back at home just less than a week and the previous two weeks racing are yet to fully sink in. It was a great experience with pleanty of paralympic qualifying points scored. More than that though it wwas another great experience representing Ireland on the international stage in a really supportive team environment.

Wow! Apologies for the delayed weekly post but it has been a more hectic block of European racing and travel than I initially thought it would be.

The best place to start is to go back to Saturday the 2nd of May (which may as well be a month ago at this stage). I flew out to Italy to join up with the Cycling Ireland Para Squad to pilot Ciaran O'Toole for round 3 of the World Cup. His main pilot had college exams so I got the call up to go. The one thing about the logisitics of this event is that we would have a long lead in to the actual racing itself. Our first race wasn't until the Time Trial the following Friday so I had plenty of time to get used to a new bike (very different from the one I'm usually on) in both road and TT set ups. Also it was really important for CIaran to get used to a new Pilot and my style of riding as well as me adapting to Ciaran on the back. Luckily we've been away on training camps and other race trips together so we know each other well, but this was the first time we would be on a bike together.

The Lead In:
When I found out about the long lead in to the race I was delighted. An extra few days in Italy would be fantastic. Good food, excellent coffee, and wonderful roads are all the things I enjoy. Turns out we were in what I would call "fake Italy". Montesilvano was clearly once a wonderful place to holiday and definitely has the potential to be that place again. Unfortunately it's prime was likely in the 80's and it seems not to have moved on much since then. However he craic in the hotel with the squad was mighty (even if the hotel food wasn't- checking if your chicken was cooked fully did get a bit tiring). As I said early the positive of the lead in was that Ciaran and I could really dial in the bike and and learn from the other more experienced riders on the Elite Squad which was fantastic Mitchell and Damien (the Elite Male Tandem) were particularly helpful and always offered words of encouragement and advice throughout the week.

The Time Trial:
By the time Friday's TT rolled around we were more than ready to race. Ted and Lindsay had our bike in top shape and Neil Delahaye (Our coach for the week) had our race plan nailed. Everything was set up for us to execute the best performance that we had on the day. The course (see the file uploaded for Friday 8th) was flat as can be with only a slight rise over a bridge every lap. It could be broken into two distinct sections though. Section one of the ramp was the technical section with a left hand bend after the start, over the bridge, into a u-turn, back over the bridge, and through a chicane. Once through the chicane it was three kilometres dead straight to the turn around and three kilometres back in the same road with a ninety degree right hander just before the finish. We had a total of three laps totalling twenty four kilometres. Despite the forecast of rain, the sun was high in the sky and with temperatures up in the mid twenties this race was going to be hot. Nerves were building throughout the warm up and as we rolled onto the start ramp I just couldn't wait to get started and settle into doing what I've done so often; Ride a bike as fast as I could and not let CIaran down after his brilliant results the previous week. The beeps went and we were off the ramp and into the effort. Adrenaline carried me through the first half when reality started to bite. With two kilometres to go I saw God but somehow we managed to keep some sort of speed to the line. I can't remember the last time I had gone so deep but it was worth it. 16th on the day (our of 36 starters) and more importantly just two minutes down on the winners. It was a real confidence booster ahead of the road race that was to come on Sunday.
The Road Race:
This was where we had a chance for a top 15 result to back up Ciaran's 10th place last week and we were excited for it. We were less excited about the eight thirty start time. This meant coco pops at five thirty (in our room, eating out of a plastic bowl, using a plastic spoon. Bike racing is glamourous). Unlike the TT it was pissing down rain as we headed out on our warm up lap. We rode with Damien and Mitchell hoping to learn from their experience and line choices. Two kilometres in distaster struck. The went into the chicane (taking care with the wet roads) when the bike went from under them and they hit the deck hard. We just about avoided them, coming to a stop upright. Helping our team mates off the ground in the warm up wasn't part of the plan. Damien had sliced his hand open and Mitchell had a hard knock on his elbow and hip. In short it didn't look as if the race would go as well as they were hoping for. For us it was a shock but at least we learnt how treacherous the lap would be, particularly in the early stages.
Tandem racing is hectic at the best of times but this was next level. With thirty six bikes on the start line, coupled with the weather, this was going to be insane. Thankfully Damien and Mitchell had been patched up and their bike had escaped any damage and they were with us too. The first lap was carnage. We got caught behind two or three separate crashes (I lost count) but somehow stayed upright. However we were left chasing to try and get back to a big group ahead. A French bike that had crashed early joined us in the chase and we managed to close what was at one stage a minute gap to find the safety of what was now the group racing for 10th. Damien and Mitchell had made the selection and were now racing for the win, putting to bed their disastrous early morning crash. Things settled down a bit after that first hour of mayhem (outside of another one or two crashes on wet roads- quite frankly I had almost become immune to them at this stage). Our group got slightly bigger as riders dropped back from the front or came back from behind, but then would shrink as riders got dropped again or crashed again. With six kilometres to go we were now racing for eleventh (A spanish bike that came back to us just went straight through without saying goodbye). We switched our race heads on as at this level every place counts. There was a brief lull with five kilometres to go where we gave our first attack. The French bike that has chased with us previously closed us down with the others following on their wheel. (Shout out to that pairing though- they crashed out of our group after chasing back with us, then rode back to the group again). There were a few more jumps but nothing major and as we went through the three kilometer to go mark, we made a plan to launch at 1.5km to go. The French National Team bike beat us to it though (they were 2nd in the TT) and immediately got 10 bike lengths which in Tandem racing in particular a huge gap. The Kasakh bike did us a favour though by giving everything to close them and stringing the group out into one long line. I knew the second they stopped we needed to launch and launch hard. Sure enough with one kilometre to go they stopped, and as the group stalled Ciaran and I left everything we had left out on the road. We had a gap immediately and now needed to see God one more time to hold it to the line. As we hit the last bend I knew we had it. A 12th place finish has never felt so good. Even better than that though was when we saw Mitchell and Damien. They rode a stormer of a race finishing 2nd- their first World Cup podium and an incredible recovery.

Next up for Ciaran and I is the Hetman Cup in Poland! Stay tuned here as I'll upload the race files every day, with a full race recap when I get back home.

Enjoy the last few photos from the World Cup below!