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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
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| Morgan Fox |
Hi all and welcome to the first entry of my dairy.
I guess I should give a brief introduction and thank a few people before I go any further. I've had a lot of e-mails in the last few months wondering how I am getting on and how I am finding life as a pro. and keeping true to my character I tend to be a little slow to reply. To all of you a big apology but hopefully this weekly view into the Pro. world will keep you all informed and who knows maybe it will inspire some more riders and get our nation back to where it belongs in the World of cycling. I will try to give you all an insight into the Pro. world and answer any questions you have
I am riding this year for Belgians second ranked team (after Lotto) Tonissteiner/COLNAGO /Credit Agricole to give it's full title. The team has been on the go for 9 years under various names ,Selle Italia, Saxon, etc. and is run by one of cycling's most respected Directeur Sportifs Gerard Bulens, a man who's ambition is to further the careers of young riders and a guy who has brought the likes of, Johan Verstreppen and Ludo Dierckxsens (Current Belgian champion and 99' TDF stage winner) both with Lampre , Marc Streel (Belg. TT Champ), among many others to fruition. Back to the team, 17 riders, 7 nationalities , 1 assistant D.S. Willy Geukins, 5 Soigneurs/Masseurs, 3 Mechanics, Colnago bikes, Campagnolo equipment, I.T.M. Millennium bars ,stems ,seatpost, Mavic wheels, Sapim spokes , San Marco saddles, Time shoes and pedals, Vittoria tyres, TA Specialities chainrings, bottles and cages, Fiat Cars and trucks, Vermarc race clothing, Bronson jeanswear - leisure clothing, Limar helmets, 3 Action Sports drinks and a pile of other minor sponsors.
We have a great calendar of racing this year and I have to say that when I saw it at the start of the year my heart skipped a beat. Races that I dreamed of as a kid ,Het Volk, Liege Bastogne Liege, Fleche Wallone, Ghent Wevelgem to name just a few, races that then seemed to belong to a surreal fictional world in a place that seemed so hard to get to that you had more chance of getting to "The North Pole" in your underpants.
That was then and this is now, and thousands of km's later I am finally where I want to be and racing with the guys I want to beat, There is no time for "awe gazing" as you accidentally brush off Musseuw on the way to the Kwaremont or you have to lean on Tchmill to get your leader to the front in a Gallop - while trying to fend off the friendly but purposeful pushing of Van Petegem, Bartoli, Steels & Co. That is life in the peleton and I have to say it hasn't phased me one bit. There is a strange kind of respect that exists in the Pro.bunch its hard to describe, pushing is tolerated to a point, a slower rider will generally let you through in a sprint, not like in the amateurs in Belgium where the slower guys try to use the barriers to stop you coming through , and there is always a 5 minute truce declared at the start of a race for calls of nature and any "truce breaker" is mercilessly abused by one and all . For each rider it is his job not his hobby and we all work for the same company "the sponsors and the TV" and just like in your normal workplace you respect your colleagues.
I wouldn't be at this early stage of my career had it not been for the help of a number of individuals, To my Family and especially my tireless mother who has managed to bring up a mad house of 6 boys and not a single girl and still managed to be there with her support and singular approach to all despite being a distribution manager in a large Multi-national company. To PJ Nolan for giving me the encouragement and faith to continue despite some serious setbacks and mostly via mobile phone from the cab of his tractor while spreading slurry at all hours of the day and night. For Ciaran O'Callaghan (International Cargo Services) for being a lot more than my 1999 sponsor and now a trusted friend. To Kieran Mc Quaid for giving me a bike in 1998 when my bank account was screaming for attention, To the Dolan family in Dundalk for getting me through college, to the staff and clientelle of the North gate Inn in Athlone (my Dad's local) for their support. On the foreign front to all my "Aussie" buddies who will appreciate this site, Fons Feremans my coach, Melchior Schroyens from DCM my amateur team, Harry and Amelia Willems ,and to Luc and Nancy Ceusters who have taken me under their wing and made my life, so that all I have to do is push the pedals.. and to everyone else who has helped me in any way -- too many to mention without this sounding like an Oscar speech .
Thank You one and all...
In the next entry I will bring you up to date with my season so far and my ambitions for the year ahead,
Till next time, Keep on truck' in
Morgan
IrishCycling.Com: Would like to thank Morgan for allowing us to share his diary
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