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Rider interview: There have been a number of prime riders type Scotland through the years, however there appears to be a brand new group transferring onto the highest rung of the biking ladder. Ed Hood spoke to DSM’s Oscar Onley final month, now it’s the flip of his DSM 2023 teammate Sean Flynn.
Not too long ago we interviewed Oscar Onley relating to his stepping up from the DSM Improvement workforce to the WorldTeam DSM squad. The even higher information is that he gained’t be the one Scot racing on the highest stage of the game with DSM. After a powerful season with the Swiss Racing Academy, Edinburgh’s Sean Flynn can be becoming a member of his countryman on the Dutch workforce, driving alongside huge title riders like Romain Bardet and John Degenkolb.
We caught up with Sean as he ready for his WorldTeam debut.
PEZ: Congratulations, Sean – we thought you’ll have gone to Tudor Professional Biking attributable to your affiliation with the Swiss Racing Academy workforce?
Sean Flynn: I’ve really been in dialogue with DSM because the SEG workforce, the place I used to be in 2021, completed up. I selected to go to Swiss Racing Academy quite than DSM Improvement for season 2022, that was a pleasant expertise however Tudor are at ProTeam stage while DSM are WorldTeam.
PEZ: DSM have a the fame of working a really tight ship the place every little thing needs to be, ‘by the ebook?’
In my view a variety of the tales one hears are excessive, I’ve been working with the workforce for a number of months now and, ‘sure’ there’s consideration to element however absolutely that’s what you count on at this stage of the game? Maybe among the older riders who’ve moved on weren’t so eager on change however I’m somebody who likes construction in what they do and am proud of issues.
PEZ: Have you ever met all of your workforce mates but?
Sure, I’ve met everybody on the workforce camps in December and January, I’ve obtained all my clothes and my bike – the brand new Scott Foil, which is a pleasant machine.
Sean Flynn subsequent to John Degenkolb – Saudi Tour 2023 stage 5
PEZ: An over-used time period however John Degenkolb is a ‘legend’ of the game, a Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix winner.
I’ve spent fairly a little bit of time with him, I’m on the ‘classics group’ with him so can be driving an identical programme – it’s cool to have a man like him to be taught from, he has a lot expertise.
PEZ: And also you’re not the one Scot on the workforce, Oscar Onley is there too now.
Sure, it’s good to have one other Scot on the squad, I solely actually knew him to say, ‘hey’ to till now, as I got here from a mountain bike background so I didn’t see a lot of him earlier in my profession. We’ve not been in the identical coaching teams although, he’s within the ‘climbing group.’
PEZ: What’s the scenario with teaching at DSM?
There are two facets to it, we now have a coach who works with us each day, the coach over sees our programmes and discusses tactical facets – it really works nicely.
PEZ: The place’s ‘residence’ on the continent?
Girona in Catalonia, there are a variety of skilled riders right here, a pleasant group. The climate is nice, fairly dry and considerably hotter than Northern Europe. I’m really in the identical constructing as fellow Scot Mark Stewart, who’s with Bolton Equities Black Spoke, in order that’s good. The coaching roads are good and so are the espresso retailers – the joke is that you need to watch out that every one your coaching rides don’t flip in to espresso store runs! Significantly although, it’s a pleasant place to be, whenever you’re at coaching camp in Calpe the climate is nice however there’s not really so much to do whenever you’re off the bike.
PEZ: How does the 90 days out of 180 have an effect on you?
I’m one of many fortunate ones, my dad is Irish; I’ve twin nationality so I’ve an Irish passport.
PEZ: Trying again at your 2022 outcomes; tenth within the Commonwealth Video games towards World Tour opposition.
I used to be proud of that, it was icing on the cake, after we noticed it was liable to finish in a dash we’d dedicated to serving to our sprinter, Finn Crockett; he obtained the bronze so for me to be within the prime 10 was a bonus. It was cool to be racing towards guys on the stage with a Scotland jersey on my again – I feel we punched above our weight that day.
PEZ: You rode a powerful Tour of South Bohemia; seventh, second and fourth on phases and fourth on GC.
Being trustworthy, that was a little bit of a shock, I knew I had good condition however contracted Covid after the Commonwealth Video games so I got here in recent. I used to be dissatisfied to not win the final stage, I made an error, going too early – I nonetheless have a bit to be taught, I’m good at ‘being there’ with prime 5 and prime 10 finishes however I have to convert these into podiums.
PEZ: You rode the Worlds however that was such a powerful u23 subject – Fedorov, Vacek, Waerenskjold, Kooij. . .
I felt actually robust within the race however we didn’t come away with the outcome we wished, we had been driving for Sam Watson on the day, he’s the most effective u23 riders round however Sam and couple of the blokes on the workforce didn’t have their finest day on the bike and he completed in 14th place. I loved the expertise, it’s all a part of the educational curve on the brink of step as much as Elite stage.
PEZ: Fourth within the u23 Paris-Excursions was a pleasant outcome.
That was most likely my favorite race of the 12 months, I just like the cobbles and gravel – takes me again to my MTB days and I don’t thoughts the positioning fights going into the sectors.
PEZ: How is the preparation for 2023 going?
My season completed late, mid-October so I had a few weeks off then began in November; since then it’s been good, getting in constant blocks of fine coaching. I’m to see the way it unfolds now that I’m stepping up a stage.
PEZ: Are you aware what your programme is for the 2023 season?
We’ve got an concept however we’re not allowed to reveal it; I’ll be driving a number of Classics – Flemish and Ardennes and a few quick stage races; it’s a very good number of races. The workforce and I are eager to see how I settle in; at mid-point within the season we’ll re-evaluate and plan the second a part of the season. . .
# PEZ needs Sean nicely and can be preserving an in depth eye on the outcomes of the races he rides. As we at all times say, good to see younger males, ‘simply doing it! Sean was helped to the WorldTour by The Rayner Basis #
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