Archie Ryan kicks knee injuries and finds his home at EF Education-EasyPost

'You know that this team gives young riders opportunities, I’m not just going to be the fourth-last man on the mountain' Irish climber tells GCN

16:45, Monday 11th December 2023

Daniel Benson

Editor in Chief

Archie Ryan will be lining up alongside new teammate Richard Carapaz at EF Education-EasyPost

To say that Archie Ryan has been enjoying his first WorldTour team camp with EF Education-EasyPost would be an understatement.

So happy and excited throughout the camp in Girona, he even looks enthusiastic about the prospect of an exclusive interview with GCN.

It’s day 10 of the camp in Spain, and Ryan has been getting up to speed with his new teammates. He's rubbed shoulders with a few childhood heroes, like Esteban Chaves, and been showered with equipment from some of the best manufacturers in the world. He’s even got a race calendar most WorldTour heavyweights would be proud of, with a 2024 debut at the Tour Down Under before a boutique collection of races spanning Italy and Spain throughout the spring.

“I didn’t know what to expect coming into camp but everyone has been so friendly. It’s really organised and super professional. It’s been perfect,” the Irishman tells GCN over a coffee.

Ryan was born in Australia before moving to Ireland with his family - it would be unwise to make the move alone - at the age of two. His father was a keen triathlete, going through a midlife crisis - according to his son - and along with his brother, he was encouraged into cycling at the age of 11. Ryan was a natural, rising through the ranks before getting a shot on the U23 programme at Jumbo-Visma, where he raced for four loyal seasons.

“I got very lucky getting onto Jumbo,” he says.

“I was probably, on paper, the worst rider there. Definitely, most of the guys didn’t know who I was. They’ve told me since that they didn’t know who this Irish guy was, which is funny but I managed to get some good results as a junior and that put me on the map a bit more. I was never expecting a development team to be that interested. I did well in the junior Tour of Wales, did a good season racing for Zappi, and then did some testing for Jumbo, which was probably the best result I’d had all year.”

Eighth overall at the Ronde de l'Isard in 2020, it was clear that Ryan had talent in abundance. However, in 2021 he was plagued by a knee injury and barely raced. The following season was an improvement with a very creditable fourth overall in the Tour de l'Avenir. It looked as though the rider was about to burst onto the scene but a recurrence of that niggling knee injury kept him out of racing for the first half of 2023 and was enough for Jumbo-Visma to step back from the idea of signing Ryan on a full-time deal.

Some riders would crumble under such news, and the devastating injury luck, but Ryan persevered. He picked up a deal with EF during his injury lay-off in the Spring of this year and then paid back that faith before evening joining the team with a stage win in the Tour de l'Avenir and a superb win in the Coppa Città Di San Daniele.

Archie Ryan will always be grateful for the riders and staff who helped him during his time with the Jumbo-Visma Development Team

“Jumbo were actually really happy for me to go here,” he says. “I signed pretty early in the year, while I was injured, so I took this chance with both hands. I’m really glad I did. Jumbo were brilliant, and I will forever see all those teammates and staff as friends. They were super happy for me when I told them that I had a contract because staying there wasn’t an option after I got injured again at the start of the year. We ended on good terms, which was nice because they gave me so much over the last few years. And they really developed me, for sure, and I could understand their stance. That’s why I'm grateful that EF gave me a punt. Hopefully, it can all work out."

Ryan’s passion for riding almost definitely helped him through those dark times off the bike. He admits that stopping completely did cross his mind at times, and had it not been for a medical intervention from one of EF’s longstanding staff members, he might have not made it to EF’s winter camp at all.

“It was never-ending in a way and I was just trying to manage it,” he says of his injury. “I think if it had continued throughout the year then I would have been done, for sure. It had dragged out too long, and maybe I would have carried on but I don’t think I would. It would have been tough but I’m glad that it all came together because I just love racing my bike.”

“It was actually one of the EF chiropractors who sorted me out, called Matt Rabin. He’s class and now I’m so happy because I started talking to EF and that gave me the opportunity to see him. He’s got me back onto the bike. I’d seen loads of brilliant physios over the years but Matt’s really sorted me out.”

Leadership at the Tour Down Under may await Archie Ryan in his debut

Now sorted and back on the bike, Ryan is making the most of his off-season. He’s training well, bar a short illness, and is putting the finishing touches to his form ahead of his WorldTour debut. EF Education-EasyPost will not put undue pressure on their new signing but there is talk within the camp of Ryan leading the team over the hilly stage race.

He’s playing down his chances at this point but with two well-suited stages on the final weekend of the Tour Down Under, and the savvy Tom Southam calling the shots from the team car, Ryan could be a dark horse for the GC.

"I’m excited about that, it should be really fun. I’ll give it a crack in terms of the race but it’s very early in the year. I’ve had an okay winter but it wasn’t quite confirmed that I’d be doing TDU until recently. There’s no pressure but it would be good to have a go at it. We’ve got some other options as well and a really strong team. I’m not going to be winning bonus sprints so you need to play the game there among the quickest climbers. It’s going to be interesting and I’m really looking forward to it,” he says.

Ryan is always keen to learn from those who have proven themselves at the highest level, whether it be Andy Schleck (right) or his new teammates

The main priority in 2024, however, will be to learn and take any of the opportunities that come Ryan’s way. He chose EF Education-EasyPost because of their ability to develop young talent - such as fellow Irishman Ben Healy - and Ryan is ready to throw himself into the deep end if it means improving on and off the bike.

“I’ve done some racing with the pros when I was at Jumbo, so I know where I stand but obviously I’ll be in the deep end when it comes to a race like the Basque Country. I don’t know who else is going but obviously, if a rider like Richard Carapaz is going, that would be a really cool opportunity to learn from him. Or Esteban Chaves or Hugh Carthy. For the other races, if the opportunity comes to have a crack at it, that would be brilliant. I’d love to take that with both hands. Whether it’s for myself or for the team, I just want to learn. That’s the main thing.

“EF Education-EasyPost is just such a cool team from the outside. You could already tell what the culture of the team was going to be like. It’s everything that seems to be on the outside in terms of its persona, and then you look at a guy like Ben [Healy] for example, who has grown immensely since joining the team. You know that this team gives young riders opportunities and that I’m not just going to be the fourth-last man on the mountain and be a domestique every race. I know that I’m going to get lots of chances to have a crack and to learn from the big guys.”