Dom Jackson joined an exclusive cadre of riders in May. Only seven British riders have won the Rás Tailteann - an annual international cycling stage race, held in Ireland - in its 69-year history. The Foran CT rider became part of that exclusive group, winning the five-day race outright after a superb display. That’s a big achievement for any rider, but given Jackson had been racing for just four seasons, having previously competed in a completely different sport, his victory was all the more extraordinary.
“At the start of every year, the team manager Tom Quaid asked for everyone’s goals for the year. The Rás was top of the list by a country mile,” Jackson tells Cycling Weekly. “It was the one thing that I had set my sights on from the end of last year.” Now 26, Jackson’s path into cycling has been an unusual one. He grew up in Kingston-on-Thames and was part of a Sea Scouts group as a child, spending much of his spare time in kayaks and canoes. His interest in watersports saw him take up rowing while at school, but he did not excel straight away.
