Hugh Carthy: Total Commitment

CW discovers if the new Cannondale-Drapac signing has what it takes to claim the mountain climbers’ crown for a new generation.

- Chris Sidwells

He’s tall, very slim, climbs like an angel and can look after himself in a time trial. He’s also quietly spoken, very polite, and borders on being obsessively driven. It could be Chris Froome, but I’m talking about 21-year old Hugh Carthy, and Carthy is way ahead of Froome at the same age.

Admittedly, Froome was held back by illnesses, university studies, and starting outside of mainstream cycling in Africa. Illness in particular hid the potential that those who knew him say they saw.

That said, Carthy’s victory in the Vuelta a Asturias, ninth overall and best young rider in the Volta a Catalunya, and a stunning ride in the Route du Sud, when he attacked Nairo Quintana, are remarkable feats, and suggest that Carthy has everything it takes to follow Froome to the top.

It’s not just physical either — Carthy possesses a professional rider’s mentality. Take what he did when he got a place in the Spanish Pro Continental team, Caja Rural, in 2015. He was 20, and he went to live in Spain as soon as he signed his contract. All through the winter of 2014-2015 Carthy was in a new country learning his trade. He hasn’t been home much since. That’s not the way British pros do it now.

“It just seemed like the right thing. I could have lived at home, the team didn’t mind where I lived, but I thought if I’m in a Spanish team then I should live in Spain,” Carthy says. “I had to learn the language, and for the first year I shared with two Spanish riders, which helped a lot. Now I fit in, as much as a 6ft 3in pale guy from Preston can, in Pamplona.”