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The Irish Post
April 26, 2014 | 45
RACING/CYCLING
SPORT
Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin will both compete in the Giro d’Italia
Negotiating Easter’s chocolate hurdles and avoiding the pizza trap IT CAN be tough being a jockey at this time of the year with the temptation of chocolate but, thankfully, I’m one of the lucky ones when it comes to watching my weight. When you’re doing it this long it becomes second nature. I have been looking after my weight since I was 13 — I was 10st 6lb back then and I’m less that now. You reach a point where you realise that if you want to become a jockey you need to clamp down and be careful. The hardest part is from 16 to 25 because of the obvious
The Jockey’s Journal With Dougie Costello
temptations. If you’re not in circles with other jockeys you can struggle but you need to be really determined. A lot of my friends were builders and if you go on a
night out with them you’re looking at 10 pints and then stop off in Supermacs afterwards. And you can’t just do that. On the flat it’s a lot more intense. Jump jockeys enjoy themselves a bit more but work hard to lose the weight whereas flat jockeys have to maintain that balance all the time. I’ve thankfully never been a big fan of alcohol and I like to keep my diet healthy but I do have two vices: chocolate and pizza. One night last week we met friends on the way home
and I had a 16-inch pizza all to myself. But it is getting a lot easier now — jockeys get help from the PJA with regard nutrition. Back when I started and was riding in pony races, I was struggling with the weight — my uncle said the best way to lose it is by eating dried toast and steamed rhubarb because you’ll spend the rest of the day on the toilet! I’m off to Perth this week for their festival. I’d recommend it to everybody to go there. It’s beautiful this time of year, you feel like you’re in a different country
to Scotland when the sun comes out and a lot of racing people treat it as a holiday. Trainers, owners, jockeys will all stay up there for a couple of days and it’s a really enjoyable time. Then we have the end of the season on Saturday but instead of it starting all over again right away, we have four days off this year. It comes around quickly and if you’ve had a good season you’re chuffed to be on a good number come Saturday but by the following morning you’ve to start from scratch again.
This week’s selections: ■ Strobe at Perth (Thursday or Friday) e/w — won up there last year. ■ Mossey Joe, Bet365 Chase Sandown, Saturday win — 11yo but if ground is good it will suit him. Last issue’s results: ■ £5 e/w Eagle Rock, 3.15, Friday, Musselburgh — 9th ■ £5 e/w Mesolilla, 2.40, Saturday, Haydock — 5th Net return: £-20 Current kitty: £2.604.44 Profit to date (since June 2009): £2.504.44
FAMILY AFFAIR: Cousins Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche compete together for Ireland
Dan Martin rubbishes talk of family rift with Roches BY NEMESHA BALASUNDARAM BIRMINGHAM Irish cyclist Dan Martin has said that the media have attempted to “invent/ create a family feud” with his uncle, Irish cycling legend Stephen Roche following controversial comments made by Roche last week. In an unusually frank interview with journalists in Derry, Roche claimed that his Birmingham-born nephew “became Irish because it suited him” and also spoke about his rift with Martin’s father, Neil Martin, who is also a former cyclist. Suggesting that his nephew had chosen Ireland rather than Great Britain to advance his career, Roche
added: “No disrespect to Dan, he basically became Irish to get on the Irish team to go to the national races. “Which is good. It goes to show you that without Ireland helping Dan, Dan wouldn't be where he is today. He wouldn't have got any exposure or any international races. "But Dan was always British. Then he became Irish because it suited him." The Irish Post contacted Martin this morning regarding Roche’s interview, but he refused to comment on what he labelled as a ‘misinterpretation’. In an earlier tweet he said, “Always amused at the irish press attempts to invent/create a family feud. Love my family @nicholasroche
@stephenj_roche #pettyjournalism” Martin, 27, whose mother is Roche's sister Maria, has represented Ireland since 2006 and is competing in the Giro d'Italia next month. In a recent interview with the Irish Post he discussed why he made the initial decision years ago to race for Ireland instead of Great Britain and his pride in doing so. “It was easy to ride for GB when I was young; I went to school in the UK. National series, national championships, national team was all based where I was living, but Ireland was always close to my heart,” he said. “I’ve always supported Ireland in every other sport and the Irish
Federation were always asking me to be Irish and once I moved to France there was no reason for me to stay English anymore.” “I mean I was considered as English in my first year in the U23, but became disillusioned with how impersonal the British Federation was and the lack of respect that they show you. When you’ve got another Federation that’s really desperate to work with you that’s very appealing. “I haven’t looked back since. I love riding for Ireland now, it’s definitely important to me, the nationality I’ve taken on.” Speaking in Derry last week, Roche also revealed tensions existed between
Martin's father Neil and himself. These dated back over 30 years, when Roche gained a place with a leading French team. Neil Martin had also been riding with the team, but was let go, around the time Roche was recruited. Roche said he learnt later that this had caused friction and claimed that Neil Martin had "a chip on his shoulder". Neil Martin has previously denied any bitterness over what happened, but has said he believed Roche could have done more to help his career. Roche's son Nicolas, 29, is also riding in the Giro. The race will be in Ireland for three days. Two stages will take place in Co. Antrim, with a third seeing riders go from Armagh to Dublin.
April 26, 2014 | 45
RACING/CYCLING
SPORT
Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin will both compete in the Giro d’Italia
Negotiating Easter’s chocolate hurdles and avoiding the pizza trap IT CAN be tough being a jockey at this time of the year with the temptation of chocolate but, thankfully, I’m one of the lucky ones when it comes to watching my weight. When you’re doing it this long it becomes second nature. I have been looking after my weight since I was 13 — I was 10st 6lb back then and I’m less that now. You reach a point where you realise that if you want to become a jockey you need to clamp down and be careful. The hardest part is from 16 to 25 because of the obvious
The Jockey’s Journal With Dougie Costello
temptations. If you’re not in circles with other jockeys you can struggle but you need to be really determined. A lot of my friends were builders and if you go on a
night out with them you’re looking at 10 pints and then stop off in Supermacs afterwards. And you can’t just do that. On the flat it’s a lot more intense. Jump jockeys enjoy themselves a bit more but work hard to lose the weight whereas flat jockeys have to maintain that balance all the time. I’ve thankfully never been a big fan of alcohol and I like to keep my diet healthy but I do have two vices: chocolate and pizza. One night last week we met friends on the way home
and I had a 16-inch pizza all to myself. But it is getting a lot easier now — jockeys get help from the PJA with regard nutrition. Back when I started and was riding in pony races, I was struggling with the weight — my uncle said the best way to lose it is by eating dried toast and steamed rhubarb because you’ll spend the rest of the day on the toilet! I’m off to Perth this week for their festival. I’d recommend it to everybody to go there. It’s beautiful this time of year, you feel like you’re in a different country
to Scotland when the sun comes out and a lot of racing people treat it as a holiday. Trainers, owners, jockeys will all stay up there for a couple of days and it’s a really enjoyable time. Then we have the end of the season on Saturday but instead of it starting all over again right away, we have four days off this year. It comes around quickly and if you’ve had a good season you’re chuffed to be on a good number come Saturday but by the following morning you’ve to start from scratch again.
This week’s selections: ■ Strobe at Perth (Thursday or Friday) e/w — won up there last year. ■ Mossey Joe, Bet365 Chase Sandown, Saturday win — 11yo but if ground is good it will suit him. Last issue’s results: ■ £5 e/w Eagle Rock, 3.15, Friday, Musselburgh — 9th ■ £5 e/w Mesolilla, 2.40, Saturday, Haydock — 5th Net return: £-20 Current kitty: £2.604.44 Profit to date (since June 2009): £2.504.44
FAMILY AFFAIR: Cousins Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche compete together for Ireland
Dan Martin rubbishes talk of family rift with Roches BY NEMESHA BALASUNDARAM BIRMINGHAM Irish cyclist Dan Martin has said that the media have attempted to “invent/ create a family feud” with his uncle, Irish cycling legend Stephen Roche following controversial comments made by Roche last week. In an unusually frank interview with journalists in Derry, Roche claimed that his Birmingham-born nephew “became Irish because it suited him” and also spoke about his rift with Martin’s father, Neil Martin, who is also a former cyclist. Suggesting that his nephew had chosen Ireland rather than Great Britain to advance his career, Roche
added: “No disrespect to Dan, he basically became Irish to get on the Irish team to go to the national races. “Which is good. It goes to show you that without Ireland helping Dan, Dan wouldn't be where he is today. He wouldn't have got any exposure or any international races. "But Dan was always British. Then he became Irish because it suited him." The Irish Post contacted Martin this morning regarding Roche’s interview, but he refused to comment on what he labelled as a ‘misinterpretation’. In an earlier tweet he said, “Always amused at the irish press attempts to invent/create a family feud. Love my family @nicholasroche
@stephenj_roche #pettyjournalism” Martin, 27, whose mother is Roche's sister Maria, has represented Ireland since 2006 and is competing in the Giro d'Italia next month. In a recent interview with the Irish Post he discussed why he made the initial decision years ago to race for Ireland instead of Great Britain and his pride in doing so. “It was easy to ride for GB when I was young; I went to school in the UK. National series, national championships, national team was all based where I was living, but Ireland was always close to my heart,” he said. “I’ve always supported Ireland in every other sport and the Irish
Federation were always asking me to be Irish and once I moved to France there was no reason for me to stay English anymore.” “I mean I was considered as English in my first year in the U23, but became disillusioned with how impersonal the British Federation was and the lack of respect that they show you. When you’ve got another Federation that’s really desperate to work with you that’s very appealing. “I haven’t looked back since. I love riding for Ireland now, it’s definitely important to me, the nationality I’ve taken on.” Speaking in Derry last week, Roche also revealed tensions existed between
Martin's father Neil and himself. These dated back over 30 years, when Roche gained a place with a leading French team. Neil Martin had also been riding with the team, but was let go, around the time Roche was recruited. Roche said he learnt later that this had caused friction and claimed that Neil Martin had "a chip on his shoulder". Neil Martin has previously denied any bitterness over what happened, but has said he believed Roche could have done more to help his career. Roche's son Nicolas, 29, is also riding in the Giro. The race will be in Ireland for three days. Two stages will take place in Co. Antrim, with a third seeing riders go from Armagh to Dublin.
