WITH the Euros confined to the history books, Andy Murray winning a second Wimbledon title, the sporting theme now switches to the two wheeled variety and the race for the famous ‘maillot jaune’.
Already sprint specialist Mark Cavendish has been exercising his fast twitch fibres, continuing his remarkable record in ‘the tour’ and will be dreaming of winning on the cobbles of the Champs Elysees later this month.
For the best part of a decade cycling has transformed into one of the most popular sports around. Local clubs have grown in number with weekly races, sportives and time trials are a common sight on the roads of the country.
In an era when obesity and a sedentary lifestyle dominates the news, keeping fit is now a way of life. Gyms are opening up in every town and joggers sign up to the new park run phenomenon. Below it all lies the competitive edge – the fuel feeding it all.
The County Derry Post caught up with Foreglen man Nigel Bradley of North West Cycling Club about his cycling career.
After an interest in scramblers and motorbikes in his youth, Bradley parked his passion to follow a career in football with Foreglen’s underage teams where his pace kept many a corner back on their toes up through the ranks.
A hip injury hampered his football development, but it was only a matter of time before the void was filled. Sport is like that.
A family bereavement inadvertently led to Bradley getting back on the bike – the non-motor variety. His late Granda Martin McLaughlin passed away in March 2013. Alongside his brother Marty, they witnessed the care of the nurses.
With newly acquired bikes, the Bradley brothers set out to make their mark.
“We wanted to give something back. So we did a charity event and raised a bit of money for the Marie Curie foundation.”
“After that we started doing sportives and getting more serious.” They now had the bug but racing had to wait.
Australia came calling and a new life in Perth - a home from home. “It was like going into a bar over here now.” Full of familiar faces but it was only a matter of time before Bradley was back in his native Foreglen.
“A lot of people have started to come home as the work has picked up here,” added Bradley.
“I bought a bike over in Australia and got it shipped over to the cousin. I didn’t do that much (cycling) over there. I didn’t know where I was at,” Bradley joked.
Now back home Bradley is settled and ready to enter the real world. “I need to grow up,” as he quickly put it.
Two years after his introduction to cycling Bradley was ready to get out of his comfort zone and now trains five times a week.
It’s not just blood and thunder. There is a structure and a science behind it, with the help of trainer Craig McAuley and daily updates via the Training Peaks app.
“In a normal week I am off every Monday and Friday. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I train for an hour and a half.”
With races on Sundays, Saturday is all about tuning the engine.
“I just go out, spin the legs and put in a couple of efforts just to open up the legs and hopefully a result then on a Sunday.”
Training 10 hours a week on top of a demanding manual job is no mean feat. The elite cyclists making their way around the winding roads of France have a different lifestyle.
“It’s hard enough whenever you have a tough day at work. I’d be concreting and be tired when I come in, then I have to go and do my training whereas them boys (pros), it’s their job.
“They get up in the morning and have their breakfast. Everything is laid on for them, they have the best of everything,“ Bradley highlights.
Does his daily manual work leave Bradley exempt from strength training? “My work is the physical side of it so I don’t really need to go to the gym. He (McAuley) said ‘there is nothing proven that gym work pays off’ and it’s all about the time on the bike.”
Every month the messenger updates are put to one side as Bradley and McAuley meet for a proper chin-wag to plot the next plan of attack.
“We’d meet for a coffee and a chat. I told him my aims. I wanted to get into the A3 (racing category) and get into a 22 minute time trial (10 miles),” Bradley explains.
The graft has since been worth it. The hours on the road, the nights on the turbo trainer and the sacrifices.
Last season his fastest time was 23 minutes 25 seconds but Bradley has smashed that.
“Two weeks ago I took 70 seconds off my time, down to 22minutes 15seconds. It’s my fastest so far so now I’m aiming to get into 21 minutes.”
There’s no point in standing still, it’s time to push on again, it’s all about progression.
Why time trialling? What is the attraction? Bradley enjoys challenging himself. “With racing you can sit in and save your energy but in time trials you are a lone ranger you’re racing against yourself and that’s what challenges me.”
Bradley’s A3 racing goal was close to realisation. With 12 points to his name in the A4 category, the promotion was with touching distance.
A short journey to nearby Feeny saw his A3 breakthrough. “Winning the Danny Boy race got me ten points,” beams Bradley.
An extract from the North West CC Official Website backs up Bradley’s self-assessment. He sees himself as a sprinter, stronger over shorter efforts. The power in short bursts, similar to his turn of pace on the football pitch.
“Bradley struck out for glory with 50 metres to the finish line to out sprint French man Anton La Corre of Causeway Cycle Club.” – NWCC Website.
Well out of his comfort zone it was time to kick on and look for another challenge.
“My first A3 race was the Carn Wheelers classic and I finished in the top 25. I was happy with that. They are longer races and I wasn’t used to that. A4 is around 40 mile but now I was up to 60 miles.”
The underlying goal of A3 was to enter the three day Donegal Rás – the reason why he set out training.
This chapter of the story isn’t a happy one. “I came off in the first stage on Friday evening in the first six mile, broke bits of the bike and got road rash.” Foreglen men are renowned for their teak toughness and Bradley followed the trend.
“I didn’t break any bones so I was able to continue the stage. Saturday morning was the time trial followed by another stage.”
It brought about another setback. “I had a blow-out (tyre) in the first two mile so that was me off the back again. I fought my way to try and get back on but the main group was just too far away to catch.”
Spinning along, out of contention gives you time to think, to reflect on what went wrong. It’s a lonely place. It may not seem like in the moment, but that time is invaluable.
St Patrick’s Maghera football coach Adrian McGuckin had a famous mantra – ‘it’s not what happens, it’s what you do about it.’
It’s so true and Bradley followed suit, with all the training done it was time to refocus and reset the goals.
“That was my first stage race and it didn’t go too well but we have planned to do Wexford now (2 day event) in the middle of August.”
For now the North West crew will continue their preparations. “Our club is more so a racing club. There is about 30 members, about 10 of us are racers and the rest are into social cycling.”
“Whoever wants to go (racing) puts up their hand. Me, Martin (brother), Stephen Mullan and Alan Campbell, we are the A3 racers.”
Bradley needs just two more points to move up the ladder once again, up to A2 but it’s not a priority at the minute. There is a date in Eglinton in September and Bradley has his eyes on the prize.
“I want to stay in A3 to do the Ulsters in September and aim for the A3 title,” Bradley points out.
Two targets have been ticked off, with another two on the horizon. It’s all about ambition and not resting on your laurels.
A long way from the yellow boots and the right side of Foreglen’s attack. The bleached streak through his hair is a thing of the past. The Bradleys are now on a different mission.
Now it’s about following and taking inspiration from Mark Cavendish, firing up the afterburners and heading for the line.
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