Everything is just Hunky Dory !

Some weekends are better than others , but this past weekend is one that I will remember for a long time to come . Saturday morning began with a 2 hour spin up the mountain road at 6.30 am with the orange sun rising up along the mountain beside me . The Comeragh mountains in Rathgormack were spectacular and the road was deserted . There was very little wind and it really was the ideal morning for a spin on the bike . A quick shower , breakfast with Ciara and the kids and off down to work .

Perhaps it was the good weather , perhaps our price restructering was kicking in , but it was really busy all day long in the shop . Always a good thing . Then around 3 pm Milan san Remo began to appear on twitter and a link on www.cyclingfans.comprovided a live video feed . We were too busy to get a chance to watch it but the twitter updates were viewed at every available opportunity . First came the Cipressa then The Poggio and finally that big group of 50 or so riders approaching the finish . Cav then took the gallop in a truly dramatic manner that had us jumping up and down in the shop . This clip shows just how good it was ;

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCAUo-oUlj4]

Yesterday , out on the bike Sean Kelly pointed out something that I had missed . He said that Haussler had done everything spot on but that his team mate Hushovd had gotten greedy . When Haussler took off Hushovd should have gone up beside Cav . This would have been enough to delay a reaction and given Haussler enough of a gap . Instead Hushovd hung back in the hope that Cav would have brought him up to Haussler and then he could have come around them both . He never counted on Cav kicking and not being able to go with it and this cost the Cervelo team the race .

Still on a high from Milan san Remo , after we closed I went home to watch the Irish rugby team try to win the Grand slam for the first time in over 60 years and enter the history books . It was real nail biting stuff and the kids were looking at us as if we were mad , jumping up and down shouting at the tv. All laura wanted to know was what time Fifi and the flowertots would be on . I wasn’t quiet sure but did know that it was definitely after the match . It went right down to the final kick of the game and the Irish team deservadly took the victory . ( perhaps I am a little biased ) .

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFbe7vvEqjA]

After the game , just as the celebrations were beginning Declan Kidney was interviewed whilst still on the pitch by cyclist and sports commentator Tracy Piggot . What he said was so humble and sincere that it was easy to see how he manages to bring the very best out in the players . He concluded the interview with a statement that seemed to be destined for every ear in the Irish Nation . He said that ‘ In sport , just as in everyday life , if you keep on trying right up to the very end you never know what can happen ‘ . He is an example to us all , and a true Hero .

Then I stayed up late to watch Bernard Dunne fight for the World Boxing title . One of his main sponsors is Martin Donnelly , a great supporter of Irish cycling . A sponsor of the junior tour and the Sean Kelly team . Dunne fought as if his whole life depended on it but in the fifth round looked as though he was out of it , as many commentators would describe the Irish economy at present . But he fought back and never gave up and just as Declan Kidney said he kept on trying right up to the very end until the final moments of the penultimate round when he knocked out his opponent to become the Champion of the World . Moments later he said that the one thing he said all week was to Believe . He believed he could become the World Champion , and he did !

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXmnMt4dELs]

The interview goes on to see him thank many including his ‘Da’ , Harry Hawkins and Hunky Dorys , one of the sponsors .

All of this really seems to fit . Cav never gave up , threw his bike at the line and won one of the biggest races in the world by just a few millimeters . The Irish rugby team under the guidance of Declan Kidney never gave up , always believed in themselves and became the greatest Rugby team in the Northern Hemisphere and made history . Bernard Dunne , never gave up , believed in himself and became World Champion .

If we as a Nation follow these sporting icons , never give up and believe in ourselves we too can emerge stronger than ever before . There is lots to look forward to and everything will be  Hunky Dory again !

Barry

www.worldwidecycles.com