The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Barrett has sights set on the top
Scartaglin cyclist Seán Barrett made the most of lockdown and is now ready for a return to competitive action
CYCLING is one of the most inspiring sports in the world. It is not only inspiring it is also brutal, punishing and full of pain and suffering. It is a sport of blood, sweat and gears. It has edge of the seat drama with speeds of 50 miles per hour, hair raising descents, death defying sprint finishes, falls and crashes.
Add in racing with the Nicholas Roche, son of World and Tour de France champion, Stephen, performance team in France and you experience the adrenaline that pumps into every muscle on the lean and toned body of East Kerry cyclist Seán Barrett.
Regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in Irish cycling, the 17-year-old Scartaglin native has had a phenomenal rise to stardom since he first took up the sport nine years ago. Currently representing O’Leary Stone Kanturk Cycling Club, he is coached by former Rás Tailteann cyclist Danny Curtin who oversees his punishing and energy sapping training regime that includes 220 miles per week plus 10 hours of Strength and Conditioning in Cork once a week and three nights per week at home.
Factor in his travel to England for specialised training in The Velodrome twice a year for indoor track training and it is clear that this young athlete is on a mission to succeed in this gruelling sport where only the most dedicated and committed reach the top.
“My long term goal is to become a professional cyclist. It’s a dream, and its one I can achieve. My objective for 2020 is to avail of specially designed training in France to improve my capabilities as a cyclist on the international scene.
“I am also aiming for selection on the National team and race internationally at junior level. As another step towards my goal to become a professional athlete I hope to be selected on a Developmental team in 2021. In 2022 my goal is to be selected on a UCI Pro Continental cycling team. If all these goals can be accomplished it will help me achieve my dream job as a full time cyclist,” Seán said.
Ultimate and clearly focussed dedication to his chosen sport rests lightly on the shoulders of the Castleisland Community College student. Despite the Covid 19 restrictions, Seán still trained and built up the mileage in his pursuit of peak fitness and his next major goal, a place on the Irish Junior team for the European Championships which takes place in France between August 24th and 28th.
“When the 2km restrictions came in I was determined to continue my training and improvise my training route. I could no longer go on my four and a half hour training spins all over Kerry covering up to 140km in the process.
“Now I was confined to a short, hilly and extremely quiet 3km circuit close to my home. To enable me cover the regular 140 km distance, I had to cycle this circuit on 45 occasions, which demanded a new found mental toughness.
“The first three hours passed with ease, however, as the boredom set in, it was very tempting to turn off and return home. When this demon entered my mind I would think of all the work I had put in over the weeks and months, the sacrifices I had made and the goals I had set for myself.
“I had to go through this ritual each day until the Covid 19 restrictions were finally lifted and this new found freedom allowed me to travel within Kerry.”
Training during Covid 19 was vital for Seán’s progress. Each week data from a Power Meter on his racing bike is sent to Cycling Ireland for analysis. This unit stores vital information on his training including the distance travelled, pressure exerted on the pedals, heart rate, speed, wheel revs and training route gradient.
His training and racing requires different bikes and currently Seán has four with a total value of over €25,000. Cycling is an expensive sport with a set of racing wheels costing over €2,500.
“I have been relatively lucky to date with just minor damage from crashes. I damaged wheels in one race and during the Junior Tour of Ireland damaged a chain set valued at €2,500. My parents, Helen and Tom, have sacrificed a lot to help me achieve my goals and ensure I have the best equipment to keep me safe and successful,” Seán said.
Winning came naturally and in his early years he won Kerry and Munster underage events. These would become the foundation for the continued learning of various skills associated with the sport and his list of future successes. In 2018 he represented Ireland in the European International Youth race in Austria.
“It was an emotional time when you represent your country. Out of a field of 130 top International riders on Stage 1, a Time Trial, I was just five seconds off the leader. On Stage 2 and 3 I finished in the peloton, while on Stage 4 I finished 36th overall.
“On Stage 5 I finished 27th overall and was one of just two Irish juniors to make the time gap in the last two stages. These results, for me, highlighted my progress and how far I had come in the sport. They were also the motivation factor I needed to become a better athlete.”
Clearly focussed on all aspects of cycling, Seán trained at the Derby Velodrome in England during 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. This was rewarded when he achieved track accreditation in 2017.
Championship medals came fast and furious in 2018. At the National championships he won a gold medal with his team winning the road race, time trial and crit. He added to these accolades at the Munster Under 13 TT championships winning a silver medal and gold in the Under 14, silver Under 15 and gold Under 16.
He also competed in the Cork County road race championships at Under 15 level where he won a silver medal adding a gold in the Under 16 category. His successful season also featured stage wins in the prestigious Ras Mayo and numerous wins and top finishes in regional races all over Ireland.
“2019 was a year of development and further racing experience for me. Racing on the continent brought a new cycling experience where I took on cyclists who were all aiming to become professionals. I raced in Belgium in February and came sixth in an Elite race.
“The following month I was in Holland and finished 10th in an Elite race. One of the highlights for me was racing with the Nicholas Roche performance team in Trophee Centre Morbihan Nation’s Cup in France during the summer.
“Despite the stiff competition I finished all stages in the group. I was one of the four finishers out of a team of six. The experience I gained in that race I put to good use in August when I won the Sieger BSR Radsporttag race in Germany. All memorable and career building experiences for me.”
Returning back to domestic competition in Ireland, Seán participated in the Kanturk three day event were he finished first Junior and second Overall from of a field of 140 in the A2/A3 grade race. Adding to his growing reputation he won the Cork County Junior Championship and was second Junior at the Lacey Cup in Tralee. The home crowd had plenty to cheer about during the Johnny Drumm Cup in Currow where he was second Junior and third in the A3 category.
“Racing on a regular basis keeps you sharp and enables you to take on the elite of Irish cycling. In the 2019 Blarney Grand Prix I was second overall in the A3 section, while in the Newbridge Grand Prix I finished fourth overall.
“Other major events that summer included the Denis Kennedy Memorial Race in Tipperary where I was second overall. A good day at the Sliabh Luachra Junior Race saw me finish second overall and winner of the King of the Hills. Two races in Leinster included the Gorey Three Day, finishing in the top 20 and sixth in GC at the Orwell Wheelers stage race.”
Barrett also competed at the National Junior Championships in Derry where he finished ninth overall in the Time Trial and was second in the First Year Junior category.
He continued his gruelling race commitments in the Junior Tour of Ireland where he finished tenth Irish rider from a field of 140.
At the highly competitive Charleville two day three stage race in September, Seán finished 12th in stage one following mechanical problems inside the first 10km and a puncture in the second lap which resulted in a 35th place finish position.
He bounced back the next day to win Stage 3 which guaranteed him a third place overall finish in GC. Earlier this year, Seán was selected to join a French team, VC Pontivy. He raced in the season opener in Marzan taking sixth overall in a field of 170 riders.
“My plan was to move to France for June and July and race with VC Pontivy. In August I would have been racing with the Dutch team, Tempo Hoppenbrouwers-vero, a team I was racing with last summer.
“These two racing experiences in France and Holland would have assisted my selection on the Irish Team for Paris Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders as well as some more high profile UCI races.
“I would also be competing in races here in Ireland with my own club O’Leary Stone Kanturk on my return but unfortunately Covid-19 put an end to all these plans. While I am very disappointed, I still need to train and ensure all my hard work will get the results I am aiming for.”
Seán has also been selected on the Cycling Ireland Road and Track Athlete Development Programme.
“This is a programme focused on developing talented athletes to prepare for competition at senior and elite level. This is a great opportunity for me as I am receiving guidance from relevant sport performance specialists. My goal is still the same.
“I want to become a professional cyclist and all my training and sacrifices are aimed at this achievable goal. Hopefully I will be back on the road and racing very soon. All the indications look good as we appear to be getting to grips with Covid 19.”