Caoimhe O’Brien Gets Pro Career Underway

Lakeside Wheelers Lifetime member, Caoimhe O’Brien got her professional cycling career underway recently as she was part of the EF Education Oatley team that raced the the Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Communitat Valenciana in Spain.

The club PRO department decided to give her a call last week to see how her first race went and to find out exactly how she is settling into life in the World Tour.

LSW = Lakeside Wheelers PRO

CO’B = Caoimhe O’Brien

LSW: So, how was your first pre-season training camp?

CO’B: Well, I actually missed the first one before Christmas as I was late joining up with the team but I went to the January camp here in Girona. The pre-Christmas camp is much more relaxed and it is when all the fun stuff happens, it’s when the team distribute all the goodies and new gear plus there are a lot of media engagements but the January camp suited me as it was based in Girona where I live.

The January training camp was very businesslike, with lots of testing from the start and the training rides involved various race simulation exercises. So, yeah, it was an eye opener and I was tired every evening, but I loved it.

LSW: How did it differ from your previous training camps?

CO’B: In general, everything is ramped up several notches from training loads to facilities. The environment is much more professional which I had expected really. But on the other hand, due to the profesionalism it felt much calmer, probably because everyone knows their role and when they have to do it. One thing I hadn’t expected was the amount of people it takes to make these camps happen. In my previous team we had two mechanics, two soigneurs and one Directeur Sportif (manager) but there must have been close to two hundred people in Girona between the men’s, ladies and development teams plus all the staff.

LSW: Was it all work and no play?

CO’B: Ah no, not really, there was definitely some downtime in the evenings. We had great competitions on the PlayStation and playing cards. There was plenty of time to chat and get to know all my new teammates but to be honest, the training was very full-on and hard so I was really tired every evening. I was determined to be at my best for the tem every day so I needed lots of sleep and recovery. But the team has been very welcoming and all my new team mates have been so easy to get along with.

LSW: So, how did your first full professional race in Valencia go?

CO’B: The Tour of Valencia was hard. It was supposed to be four stages but because of very strong winds one of the stages was cancelled. The main difference with the racing at this level is the detail. There was a very strict team plan each day and it is very structured. There is much more communication between team members and the DS. In previous races I was totally focused on my own results but here, everybody has a specific role, it is much more team driven.

LSW: Were you happy with how it finished up after the three days?

CO’B: I was delighted with how it went overall, I settled into it fairly quickly and I could feel myself making progress each day. I was asked to help make sure that our main climbers got to the climbs in a good position which was hectic at times but once I had done this it was a bit more relaxed for me. As it was a stage race I had to do my best for the remainder of the race to conserve my energy and be ready for the next day. It’s a great feeling being part of a team like this and being able to do my bit for my team mates.

LSW: What’s next for you?

CO’B: I have some races coming up in Belgium and Italy over the next couple of months and of course I am looking forward already to coming home in June for the National Championships. That’s probably the next time I will be in Mullingar to be honest.

LSW: What are your main goals for the year?

CO’B: I definitely want to learn as much as I can. It is important for me to earn and keep my place in this team. And of course, I would like to progress as much as I can and see where it takes me.

LSW: Don’t forget to enjoy it if that’s possible

CO’B: Absolutely, I am already enjoying every minute. I know that this is a very special time in my life and I know that it’s not everyone gets to experience this. I will try my best to keep enjoying it for as long as it lasts.

LSW: Thanks a million Caoimhe for taking the time to chat with us and let us know how you are getting on. From everyone here in Lakeside Wheelers and all Mullingar sports fans, we wish you the very best with your upcoming g races and we look forward to following your progress during the year.

Midlands Careers Expo

Mullingar Chamber of Commerce held a very successful careers expo in the Mullingar Park Hotel recently and the organisers were kind enough to offer a stand to Lakeside Wheelers at it. The idea was to show off everything Mullingar has to offer to prospective job seekers including sports clubs. Martin Duffy and Shay O’Toole manned the stand for the day and enjoyed the experience talking to several visitors. Thanks to Mullingar Chamber for the invite.

50th Anniversary

The organising committee for the 50th anniversary celebrations is meeting again on Monday, March 2nd so it is expected that details of schedules, routes, meal plans etc will be available this week. There are still spaces available for the cycle and dinner that evening with special guest, former Tour de France winner Stephen Roche at a cost of 45 Euros p/p so anyone interested should contact club treasurer Martin Nally or chairman, Pearse Murphy to register.

Membership

With the 2026 racing season now underway and the sportive season going to kick in very soon, it is now definitely time to ensure that your membership is up to date. Anyone not yet registered is advised to renew membership ASAP.