News: Harry Tanfield (Ag2r)

After his new team’s first get together, we had a quick chat with new AG2R rider Harry Tanfield who was part of the Bronze medal winning team at the Worlds in the Relay TTT

News: Harry Tanfield (Ag2r)

After his new team’s first get together, we had a quick chat with new AG2R rider Harry Tanfield who was part of the Bronze medal winning team at the Worlds in the Relay Team Time Trial.
Harry had signed a contract for two seasons with Katusha as a neo pro but when that team’s WorldTour contract was bought out, there has been a fight by many of its riders to get a new team and that included Harry who was told in September to find new team.

That he did and when we started our chat he said AG2R are a really nice team. “Everyone has been really good to me and it’s a good group of guys. My French is improving now too!”

Racing World Tour is very different to racing the domestic programme and Harry has now had one year in the WorldTour so I asked him if that left Harry wanting more? “Yes, definitely” was the reply. “It was all out of Katusha’s control and these things happen in cycling.”

Asked what his goals were for 2020, he replied “speaking with the team, the classics will be one. This year I was pretty terrible and I never really had any legs until May. I was just really struggling. So I hope to be a lot better in 2020 in the classics. I may be doing Tirreno – Adriatico. I don’t know much about the Worlds next year and the TTT Relay but I understand it’s a good course so I’d definitely like to do that again.”

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The set back at Katusha though was nothing like the earthquake event at home when his mum died late this year. Asked how he managed to pick himself up after that and ride the worlds, he replied “I would never really want to miss out on that opportunity in Yorkshire. I just had to use that (his mums passing) as motivation to do the best I can for her. It took a lot to get through that period and after the worlds, I was pretty cooked.”
Harry added he still wanted to ride his bike adding that he had a few niggles injury wise so thought he’d rest up so he is ready for 2020.”

Looking ahead to the winter, I asked Harry where he will spend it to prepare for the 2020 season? “I am just on my way back from the Alps and I didn’t think we were going to get off the mountain it was snowing that much! I’m going to go and see Sophie (his girlfriend) and help her as she’s training for the university track champs and then I’m going to fly to Spain and spend a week there.”

“I have been riding, probably two or three weeks now after some time off and then came here (team bonding camp) for three days without the bike. I haven’t missed it though as the whole time we have been here we’ve been busy doing things like hiking, football, gym and other sports and I feel more knackered now than what I do at a training camp!”

Harry then explained the first team camp for Ag2R will be in December for 10 days. “Before we know it, after that it will be Christmas” he says, adding “and then in early January, I’ll head out to Spain (between Alicante and Valencia) and that is when I’ll be full on training and will continue to do that in February and March.”

Finally I said to Harry that it sounds like he’ll be doing a lot of climbing to which he replied “this team has more ‘goats’ and the average weight is a bit lower than Katusha’s so I am probably in for a kicking on the training camp so I had better lose a bit of timber!”

Congratulations to Harry on his signing for a new team and we wish him a better 2020 after what must have been a very stressful 2019 … Thnx for the chat Harry!