a day ago
Ireland's breakthrough star Jamie Meehan signs rare three-year WorldTour pro deal after ‘exceptional performances'
Meehan is the first Donegal rider to turn professional since Philip Deignan signed with Ag2r in 2004
The Charlestown youngster's pro contract came into effect today after an impressive debut while on trial with the French team at the three-day Tour de l'Ain last week.
The 22-year-old managed to finish alongside teammate Sylvain Moniquet in the front group on Stage 1 despite spending most of the day fulfilling team duties and collecting bottles.
On Stage 2, Meehan impressed even more when he rode hard on the front for Moniquet on the climbs and still managed to jump clear of the chase group in the final kilometres to take third place behind two breakaway riders on another tough day in the mountains.
'After the day I was third in Tour de l'Ain, I got back on the team bus, had a shower, got into the car and checked my phone,' a delighted Meehan said today. 'I had a message from (team manager) Cedric Vasseur and from my agent. I think they were talking before the end of the stage to say they wanted to take me. They missed the last 10km of the stage but me finishing off that day with a result really stamped it into the ground I guess.'
Meehan finished second overall in Rás Tailteann earlier in the year, despite going into it with a broken bone in his hand, and has had a fantastic season as an U-23 in France.
Riding with AVC Aix-en-Provence, a club that has previously provided several riders to the Cofidis pro team, including Tour de France stage winner Christophe Laporte, Meehan took second on Stage 5 of the Alpes Isere Tour, third at two one-day races in the Pyrenees and soloed to victory at the prestigious Roger Walkowiak Trophy, a French Cup race, before his trial period with Cofidis
In a time where two-year contracts are the norm for new riders, Meehan's neo-pro deal will see him race in the red and yellow of Cofidis for the next three years.
'His integration was swift,' said his new WorldTour team today of Meehan's ride at Tour de l'Ain. 'From the second stage, he managed to keep pace with the best and secure an incredible third place. At the end of this three-day race, he finished 14th overall and, more importantly, third best young rider.
'These exceptional performances are matched by his ability to adapt very quickly to the team's structure. In the process, the team management, led by Cedric Vasseur, decided to make a rare decision to offer him a three-year contract immediately.'
Meehan's first race as a professional will be tomorrow's Polynormande, a one-day race in Normandy, after which he will join the Irish national team for one last race in the U-23 rankings at the Tour de l'Avenir, the 10-day race known as the U23 Tour de France, next weekend
'It's super exciting,' Meehan said. 'It's something I've worked a long time for, so it's kind of weird that it's finally here. I kind of have to step back for a bit, to see what's next, but I'm mainly just looking forward to getting the chance to keep improving, keep learning and see where it goes.'
