Harry Sweeny's Tour Down Under Performance Defies Expectations, Leaving Him Wondering About His Power Meter!
It's not every day a rider enters a major cycling race with minimal expectations, only to find themselves performing exceptionally well. That's exactly what happened to Harry Sweeny at the Santos Tour Down Under. He openly admitted before the event that his main focus was on later spring races, and he wasn't going to peak for this one. In fact, he mentioned in a team release that he'd be competing with "a few percent less than my peak." Yet, despite this self-imposed limitation, Sweeny was right in the thick of the action on the challenging Stage 2, which famously included the double ascent of the Corkscrew climb.
But here's where it gets surprising... Sweeny confessed with a laugh to the commentators after the stage, "To be honest, actually, the whole summer and also so far, I've been going way better than I thought. I thought my power meter was broken for the last few weeks, actually." He added that he's been feeling good and, crucially, happy, which he believes is a significant factor in his strong showing.
Initially, Sweeny had no grand ambitions for the race. However, a conversation with his team boss, JV, changed his perspective. "I got a call from JV, the boss, and he was just like, 'why aren't you going to ride GC here?' And I thought, actually, it's a good point. Maybe I will give it a crack, and that's about it," Sweeny explained.
While Sweeny and his teammate couldn't match the explosive counter-attack by the UAE duo of Jay Vine and Jhonatan Narváez, Sweeny played a pivotal role in forming a chase group that ultimately vied for third place. His teammate, Leonard, was in the second chase group.
"When we just got over the top, everyone was pretty on the limit, and it wasn't really very cohesive at all. But then, as soon as I attacked after, and we got a group of, I don't know, five or 10 it was much easier to work and people were actually willing to because I think they realised that it was a race," Sweeny elaborated. He also acknowledged the formidable teamwork of the UAE riders, stating, "But I mean, it's hard when there are two UAE up the road, they just work so well together, and hats off to them."
Leonard, who recently joined EF Education-EasyPost, expressed satisfaction with his performance, particularly securing the white best young rider's jersey. "We rode super efficient. We had a really good plan and we stuck to it. So I think we're in a good position with two of us still in the GC going into the next days," he told reporters.
While Leonard sees the white jersey as a "great way for me to start my time with the team," he emphasized that the team's primary objective remains the overall general classification and stage victories. "And then keep this [white jersey] sort of in the back of our minds, and we'll assess the situation day by day, and do our best to work together and get the best results possible as a team," he added.
Looking ahead, Sweeny and Leonard are focusing on the upcoming stages. Stage 3 is anticipated to be a bunch sprint, followed by Stage 4, which features three ascents of the iconic Willunga Hill, before the final stage concludes in Stirling.
Reflecting on Stage 1, where their sprinter Luke Lamperti finished tenth in the bunch sprint, Sweeny noted, "We didn't do our best lead out possible yesterday." He also shared his enjoyment of having diverse roles within the team: "But I really enjoy having a different aspect, something else to focus on. And obviously I enjoy working for other people as well, but it's also nice to have opportunities like this."
And this is the part that sparks debate... Is it better for a rider to focus on personal ambition or team objectives? While Sweeny clearly relishes opportunities for personal success, he also contributes significantly to the team's goals. How do you strike that balance in professional cycling? What do you think about riders who exceed their own expectations so dramatically? Share your thoughts in the comments below – we'd love to hear your agreement or disagreement!
