Wheeling in the years as father, son bid for Rás title
“He has no real interest in cycling,” Philip insisted as people admired the physique of the younger Cassidy after the penultimate stage into Drogheda.
But next Sunday a proud father and his 19-year-old son will line up side by side in the colours of the Lee Strand Meath team as Philip, now in his forties and the oldest Rás winner to date, once again rolls back the years.
“I don’t have any ambitions this year other than to get through it,” he said.
“But it’s great to be taking part and if I can sneak a stage it would be a huge bonus.”
However, he admitted yesterday that he was as well prepared as ever.
Though fond of the odd pint, he has not taken a drink all year, and his streamlined physique shows it.
“I was worried in Rás Mumhan when I got sick and could only get in one stage, but I recovered quickly,” he said.
His son Mark was also getting in the preparations for his debut in Irish cycling’s showpiece which his father won for the first time in 1983 before going to the Los Angeles Olympics.
Father and son raised eyebrows when they fought out one of the big early season races and last weekend Mark finished second to twice national champion and two-time Olympian David McCann.
That was sufficient to convince everyone that he is ready for next week’s assignment which will involve some of the top riders from eastern Europe, Germany, Scandinavia, the US and Britain, as well as Ireland.
The Lee Strand Meath team will be without the services of Eugene Moriarty, who rides for the national team.
The Cassidys will be joined by Cork man Aidan Crowley, Stephen O’Sullivan and Philip Finnegan.
It will be Philip Cassidy’s 18th appearance in the event.
This year he and 144 other riders will face 12,000kms and 29 major mountain climbs before one of them holds the trophy aloft in the Phoenix Park.
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