IrishCycling asks 20 questions |
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20 THINGS YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK ……… PAUL DOYLE
1. What is your age and date of birth? I am 32, and was born on the 22nd of August 1970. 2. And your club? Tile choice/ Deeside cycles TRT 3. How did you get started in cycling? What do you like about the sport? I started cycling many years ago, it was in my blood as both my parents are cyclists. The reasons I like the sport….every aspect of it has its own appeal, from the buzz of racing to just spinning along on a quiet road. Even when the form is bad you can cheer yourself up with a cool piece of technology, that I convince myself at the time will make the difference. 4. What was your first win? What was your best, and why? My first win was years ago on stage one of the Tour of Wexford, I won a three up sprint from Peter Daly and a guy called O’Loughlin from Blarney. I held on and won the overall as well. My best win..... I am still waiting but my options are narrowing! National Championships are very sweet victories and every one has its own circumstances. 5. How often do you train? I could tell you but then I would have to kill you! Just kidding, I try to train/race every Saturday and Sunday but am restricted midweek, with maybe 1 turbo session and 1 road session. I would like to think I do a regular weights program but I would be fibbing. I would like to do more 40/50km midweek racing as it works well for me, and when the track league kicks off again I will use that for the top end stuff. 6. What is your favourite training spin? Any spin in the Wicklow mountains so long as its 25 degrees, there is a few bodies to chat to and we stop for regular refuelling. 7. What is your best result / performance to date? This one is hard….it’s not that I've won many races but each win/result was worked hard for and so has its own merits. I honestly can't say, do I lose marks for not answering the question? 8. What is your ambition in life? How do you plan to work towards that goal? My ambition in life is early retirement with an obscene amount of money in the bank…my plan is still a bit hazy so I am open to suggestions! 9. Who is your favourite professional cyclist, and why? Hmm, Obviously Kelly and Roche as they where the king bananas as I grew up and they have achieved immortality. More recently I admired Pantani for his aggressive tactics but he is now a fallen idol and the whole drugs thing really takes the shine off. I think what Paul Kimmage achieved as a professional deserves respect. 10. Who is the biggest influence in your life, and why? Jeez, man, I don't think the leaving cert was as hard as this interview! Probably anyone who owes me the most amount of money at the time, as I do everything possible to extract it from them. I suppose I have to say family and friends but I tend to be quite independent. I like to collect as much info and decide from that with most things. 11. How do you relax? I chase my fifteen-month old son around the house until all hours. 12. What is your favourite film/tv show/book/cd? I don’t really have specific favourites for any of the above; I like films with high body counts, tv show…probably current affairs, books….very short ones with lots of pictures and as for cds, I like them loud like the Prodigy. 13. Apart from Ireland, where have you raced? I have raced in the UK, Holland and France. 14. Who do you think will be the next Irish rider to win a Tour De France stage? That’s a bit obvious, don't you think…Mr Scanlon, and probably sooner than would be expected of a pro in his early career. 15. What is your favourite race? I like most track events and really enjoy racing in the velodrome in Manchester. On the road I would say that the now-deceased Tour of Fingal was a great race, flat out with no time for scrubbers. Now the Stephen Roche crit would be a favourite, for the same reasons. And it still attracts a crowd. 16. Who is the best rider you have competed against? What impresses you about him? Another toughy, I have raced against many great bike riders both abroad and back home….. I can't say I have a favourite really, but guys who are aggressive and just get on with racing whether they win or not, well they earn my respect. 17. Have you tried mountainbiking? How did you get on? Yeah, not recently but its great craic and a serious workout. I remember when mountainbiking was starting and we would meet at the Yellow House for Peter Purfield’s spins…there must have been about 40/50 guys there every Sunday. It was a blast. 18. What qualities makes you a good cyclist ? Massive thighs and the lungs of a horse. 19. When the time comes, would you encourage your kids take up the sport, and if so, why? I will encourage him (them, if more come along!!) to be active and participate in sport definitely but cycling is too demanding to force on anyone if they are not interested. I would like it if cycling was their choice, of course, as I learned a lot about myself and others through it and made some good friends. 20. Describe yourself in one sentence? Some who tries to not take himself or others too seriously, I hope…
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