By The thirteenth racer to take part in Road Racing News, recently launched Racing on the Irish Roads – Racers Recollections series is the Isle of Wight’s top roads craftsman, Ryan Whitehall.
His answers to the Irish road racing themed set of questions, are as follows:
Q1: What is your first Irish road racing memory?
“My first memory was watching it on YouTube at 17, I had never been to watch a road race in person or even heard of it before but I wanted to have a crack at it.”
Q2: Present favourite Irish road race?
“By far Skerries, I love them all but that place is a proper stonker. People are ace and the track is really tight and fast.”
Q3: Who is your most respected fellow Irish roads exponent?
“Too many to mention, Eoin ó Siochrú because of his soothing Dublin accent, Roddy Taylor, Shaun Wynne, Geoff Lunn, Kieran Brockie.
Most of all Jack Oliver who was absolutely awesome in the wet and the dry and a rider none of us could get close to.”
Q4: If you could alter one aspect, in particular, within the sport, what would it be and why?
“I’d love to see better media coverage of the events, there’s some great characters within the road race paddocks but seldom are they interviewed or spoken about on telly.
There’s more to the road racing than the top 3 riders in the top classes.”
Q5: To date what has been your favourite Irish roads moment?
“Probably getting back on the bike at Cookstown after last year’s dismount (incident at Armoy).
It was the culmination of a few months of pain with my legs being mashed potato, so was chuffed to bits to be back in the paddock with my mates.”
Q6: Irish road racing summed up in one word, what would it be?
“Stressful”
Q7: Is there any Irish roads event, that you haven’t raced at yet that you would like to?
“Athea? I think there’s talk of it running next year, looks a bit nut’s so we will definitely be taking a road trip down to that one.”
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
