Photo Credit Tom MaxfeldtMarch 28, 2018 (Silver City, NM) – Amateur racer Dermot Kealey is almost 5,000 miles away from home, but he’s all smiles when he takes the Tour of the Gila start line for the ninth time in his cycling career. An Irish native, Kealey has won the demanding stage race in 2015 and 2017, but it isn’t just the red jersey that keeps him coming back to New Mexico.
“I love Silver City. I love Jack Brennan, he’s just amazing. I love the Javalina Coffee Shop,” said Kealey, who races for the Finchley Racing Team. “This is my second home here. I know everyone in this town. It’s just a great, friendly place to be. It’s unique and bohemian and genuine.”
Kealey, who also races in Europe and Ireland and calls himself a “keen amateur,” credits the Silver City community for creating an atmosphere unlike any other race, domestic or abroad.
“There’s nothing like this in Europe,” Kealey said. “That’s why we like to come out and support it. There are stage races, but it’s nothing like this. The race treats the amateurs just as they treat the UCI men here and it’s fantastic. The logistics here blow me away, I don’t know how they do it. I was just reading the local magazine yesterday where they said the University kids volunteer in the neutral feed zones, filling all the water bottles. Polly from the coffee shop drives one of the cars in the convoy, it’s just everyone.”
Based in London, Kealey considers the Tour of the Gila “the best amateur race in the world,” so for him, traveling the distance to compete is absolutely worth it. Because his brother lives in Tucson, Kealey flies over to visit his brother for a week, adjust to the time zone, then they both drive to Silver City together.
“I come out a bit early to ride the time trial course and get used to the altitude,” he said. “I sit around and drink coffee and recognize faces. It’s the best.”
Kealey also takes the opportunity of arriving early to take in the Gila wilderness by bike, something more challenging during the chaos of racing.
Because of Kealey’s racing and results, the Tour of the Gila gets media exposure all the way across the pond as well. UK-based Cycling Weekly magazine regularly features Kealey and his friends each year they compete.
“I come out here and bring my racing friends and hopefully I’ll bring out more friends next year,” he added.
About The Tour of the Gila
The Tour of the Gila takes place in and around Silver City, New Mexico and consists of road race stages, an individual time trial, and a criterium. Stage 1 for the 5-day race, is a point-to-point road race en route to the ghost town of Mogollon. The criterium is held in downtown Silver City with high speeds, 90-degree turns and a brutal climb to weed out the weak. The iconic “Gila Monster” road race’s final climbing stage ends with a climb up to the tiny enclave of Pinos Altos, nestled in the Gila National Forest. www.tourofthegila.com