a conversation with...

  The Cycle Sierra Nevada Scholarship was developed as a way to sponsor young cyclists that may not have opportunity or financial capacity to avail of a cycling training camp. In this section we take 5 minutes for a chat with one of the applicants selected for the 2019 program.

BIG Tom Moriarty - IRLELAND

Who are you?

I’m a 16 year old teenager from county Kerry.

What team do you ride for?

I cycle for the O’Leary Stone Kanturk team

Why did you start cycling?

My brother broke his foot and had a rare condition that his foot wouldn’t heal properly. He could no longer play football so he took up cycling and I followed suit.

Have you any sporting backgrounds apart from cycling?

I played Soccer and football until I was about 12.

What type of cyclist are you? Do you compete in other disciplines, other than road cycling?

I’m a road sprinter. I’ve won the National time trial as well and I’d quite like to try track in the future

Favourite piece of cycling equipment/kit?

S-works 7 road shoes

Your greatest achievements on a bicycle?

Probably winning the national road race championships for the 5th consecutive year this August

Your favourite professional cyclist? (past and present)

Alberto Contador. The man is a god, balls of brass and takes the race on with proper old fashioned racing.

Most memorable moment/stage win from professional cycling?

Giro d’Italia 2015 stage 16, Alberto Contador absolutely destroying his completion on the Mortirolo

Your favourite stage race and one day race?

Stage Race - La Vuelta, everyone there is fighting to salvage their season and it often makes for the most explosive uphill battles
One day - Strade Bianche, god only knows what can happen there.

What's your current favourite music album/song?

Probably Eminem’s Curtain Call the Hits, one of the old ones

Tell us something we don’t know about you already and you don’t mind the general public knowing?

I’m a Meme god.

Hopes and plans for the future?

Hopefully one day become a world tour pro