Oscar Olney keen to get streetwise in bid to conquer the road (Image: Getty) IT was only after he had pushed the reigning Tour de France champion all the way for the second time in a few days that Oscar Onley properly appreciated that this was no ordinary season.
If there was disappointment at being narrowly beaten twice into second place in the Croatian hills by Jonas Vingegaard then it was dwarfed by the Kelso rider’s general classification third-place finish and a wider realisation of what might be possible for him in cycling.
Onley has only just turned 20 and is in his second season with the Team DSM Development squad based out of Sittard in the Netherlands. A breakthrough season on the road has included victory at the under-23 Valle d’Aosta and a chance to ride in the Tour of Britain that at one point swept past his front door and along the streets where he honed his trade.
His achievements haven’t gone unnoticed back home, Onley nominated in the Male Athlete of the Year Award at tonight’s Scottish Cycling awards at Hampden Park. It was a further sign of his ongoing progression at the end of a season to remember.
“I wasn’t really expecting to have a year like this,” he admits. “Obviously I wanted to progress from last year but from July onwards it’s been a steep trajectory upwards so I’m really happy with how the season has gone overall.
“I put that down to just learning the races more. Last […]
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