Whats a team... part 2

With 10 days to go till the Grand Depart and following on from our previous profiles we drop down the pecking order to examine the workhorses in the team.

The "Gent" of the peloton, Fiachra Rowan, will leave his sick and dying patients for one week to attend to the biggest challenge of his sporting career. In reality it was Fiachras dream of riding the Ras that started this project off late last year. He is a man known for honesty and a willingness to help anyone in need. He drove on a 100km round trip to pick up spare handlebars for Ciaran in the Corkman.

He is a strong TT rider and strong and determined team rider. To be an A3 and decide to take up the challenge of the Ras shows his incredible determination and desire to succeed. Recently married, he will leave family life behind to live life as a pro cyclist for 8 days. Will he ever go back? Only time will tell.Colm Cassidy is the only guest rider on the team and is an ex Pro who has returned to study. He studies the art of pedalling a bike fast and is on his way to a first class honour. A Veteran of one Ras he has already showed the usefulness of his experience and his presence calms those around him. It isn't the first time he has ridden in UCD colours as can be seen below cresting the Sarenne in the french Alps. Bicycling magazine called him a "guerrilla on the flats" but its clear he has a talent in the mountains and has his trademark Hulk Hogan celebration prepared for Seskin Hill.

Colm realised at an early age that he was given the gift of healing hands and he puts these to use on a daily basis working on injured sports stars including almost all of the UCD team. Competing at international level is not something new to our Colm. He wore the Green of Ireland as a Triathlete and lets hope he doesn't "run" into, hot "water" during Ras week.