Sean Flynn has ridden the Classics, next he'd like a British title
And what's even more telling about Flynn and his rapidly increasing expectations of himself is that he's not satisfied with merely being on the start line of the biggest races in the sport; rather, he's somewhat frustrated that he couldn't make more of an impact this year in terms of his results.
"This season has been really positive and I've had the chance to do races that I've always dreamed about doing, so that's been exciting and I've gained a lot of experience. Some of my performances have been very good and so I was disappointed not to come away with more of a top level result in some of the Classics,' Flynn says.
'It's obviously encouraging to race well - it's just a pity I've not come away with a result on paper that I can sited and stare at and admire. With cycling, there's just so many variables and sometimes it'll go your way and sometimes it won't.'
Flynn, who rides for Team Picnic PostNL, acknowledges that he's being disproportionately hard on himself. Given he's still only 25 years old and has been in the professional ranks for only two full seasons so far, his progression to the top level has been impressive, to say the least, and he admits racing in the sport's top races against the world's best riders, has been both a steep learning curve and the thrill of a lifetime.
'People do tell me I'm too tough on myself and sometimes I need to take a step back,' the Edinburgh native says.
'In these huge races, I'm racing the biggest stars of the sport who are just incredible riders and so I do need to put into perspective who I'm up against.
'When you watch the Classics on television it can look easy, but there's so much that goes into doing well in terms of positioning, knowing the moments that are important and knowing what to expect.
'And the Monument races, which are 250km or longer, are a whole different ball game so I was happy that I've been able to do races of that length and get through them okay.
'This year has been a really good learning experience for me, and also it's also been really cool to do these iconic races. When I was riding the cobbles section in Roubaix, the fan inside of me couldn't believe it.'
(Image: Luc Claessen/ Getty Images)
The coming days will see Flynn's focus turn to the National Championships, which take place in Ceredigion, Wales with the time trial today before tomorrow's circuit race and the road race on Sunday, in which Flynn will line-up.
There will be a number of Flynn's fellow Scots also in action including, on the men's side, Olympic medallist on the track, Mark Stewart, plus Callum Thornley and Calum Johnson while on the women's side, the Scots worth watching out for are Flynn's girlfriend, Lauren Dickson, as well as Kate Richardson, Neah Evans, Eilidh Shaw and Arianne Holland.
For Flynn, given the form he's in, it's unsurprising he's hopeful of challenging for a podium place.
'Nationals is always tough to predict but I want to try and win it. That's how I'll be racing and so it really just depends how it goes on the day,' he says.
'But given the standard of the riders, I could finish outside the top 10 and still be pretty satisfied with how I've ridden. I'm excited for it and I'll just see what I can get from it but I'll be aiming for the top, for sure.'
For Flynn, there remains a few more months of racing this year, during which he hopes to continue to raise the profile of road racing within Scotland.
His success, alongside the success of the likes of Tour de France rider Oscar Onley and a number of other Scots who are making an impact in Europe, Flynn is hopeful the success of this group of young Scottish men can go some way in persuading more Scottish kids that becoming a professional road racer is a viable career goal.
'It's really nice to be flying the flag at this level for Scotland,' he says.
'The first couple of years of my career, I was just in my own little bubble but now I feel like I'm getting on top of the racing and so I'd like to do a bit more to encourage and inspire more people to get onto their bike.
'When I was younger, there weren't any obvious role models from Scotland at the top level of road racing but now we have quite a few Scottish guys at the top level.
'I know that when I was coming through, if I'd had a connection with anyone doing these huge races I would have found it really cool so I hope I can keep riding these big races for that reason.'
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Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
For the sake of tennis, one player in particular must rise to the top
You can have all the quality in the world spread across the field but if there's no rivalries, there's no hook. Which, in turn, means no interest or, at least, much diminished interest from the public. One particularly intense, beautiful and hugely competitive rivalry is exactly why men's tennis thrived to the extent it did for a decade-and-a-half from the mid-2000s. That rivalry was the Roger Federer - Rafa Nadal match-up. Across all of sport, there have been few rivalries which have produced quite as much interest, tension, joy, heartbreak and world-class sport as the Federer-Nadal version. It's why there was such a visceral feeling of devastation when first Federer, then Nadal retired. How would men's tennis ever recover, it was asked? Inevitably, though things move on and already, there's a new rivalry that has seamlessly replaced Federer and Nadal as the most compelling head-to-head in tennis. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have filled the vacuum created by the departure of Federer and Nadal and they are, indisputably, the new stars of men's tennis. Of the last eight grand slam tournaments, the pair have won seven between them, with only Novak Djokovic breaking up the monopoly. Sinner and Alcaraz are the biggest names in the sport and, by some margin, the two best players. Their French Open final earlier this month was one of the greatest matches the sport has ever seen. Some have suggested it's the very best ever, although I wouldn't go that far. Alcaraz prevailed in Paris a few weeks ago, and it's the Spaniard who leads the head-to-head 5-2, but it's Sinner who is number one in the world. Whatever the statistics, though, what is clear is that, providing serious injury does not derail the career of either man, it's Alcaraz and Sinner who will dominate men's tennis over the coming years, perhaps even for the next decade. (Image: Andy Cheung/ Getty Images) A rivalry of this quality is, objectively, a good thing for the sport. But for the good of tennis, one man in particular from this duo must prevail. That man is Carlos Alcaraz. There's a number of reasons why it's so important that Alcaraz and not Sinner becomes the next real tennis great. The first reason is down to the style of their tennis. Alcaraz is, to my eye anyway, a far more flashy, skilful and compelling player to watch. The Spaniard has considerably more flair and variety in comparison to Sinner. The Italian is, it cannot be denied, a phenomenon on the tennis court. So consistently outstanding are his ground strokes, he's almost robotic-like. The sparsity of his unforced errors is remarkable. And the quality of his hitting is perhaps the best the sport has ever seen. But, for me, watching that style of tennis for a prolonged length of time, no matter how high quality it is, just isn't all that interesting. Give me variety, flair, imagination and creativity any day of the week, even if it results in quite a few more unforced errors. Alcaraz is the defending champion at Wimbledon (Image: Getty Images) The second reason is personality. Alcaraz is a far more compelling character than Sinner. The Italian is, on the face of it, a nice guy. It's almost impossible to find anyone who has a bad word to say about him, and he certainly comes across in the press as an amicable, friendly and genuinely decent guy. He also, though, is quite boring. Alcaraz in contrast, has a personality that shines through. He seems like a young guy who can't quite believe his luck that he's living this life. There's something very endearing about his youthful exuberance, with the way he celebrated his French Open victory with the Roland Garros ball kids the perfect example of just what's so likeable about the Spaniard. The final reason is perhaps the most pertinent for me. Earlier this year, Sinner served a doping ban. The details of his case are somewhat convoluted but, to simplify it, Sinner claimed that his trainer had a banned substance on his hands and when treating the Italian, the substance transferred to Sinner and caused his positive test. The Italian was banned from tennis for three months but there was considerable outcry over the alleged preferential treatment he was given and the leniency in allowing him back on tour after such a short suspension. His return was, conveniently, just in time for the French Open meaning the world number one didn't miss a major tournament during his time on the sidelines, nor did he lose his number one ranking. While Sinner wasn't unjustly 'let off' with anything, he was, it seems, treated very favourably as a result of his lofty standing within the sport. The outcry over the unfairness of his treatment was entirely justified because when you compare how fast his infringement was dealt with, as well as his lenient punishment, it's hard to argue that his doping case was handled in a comparable way to the cases of his lower-ranked peers following doping allegations. I don't believe Sinner is a prolific doper, not even close. I actually think his explanation for his positive test is entirely plausible. But I do think it's not a good look for any sport to have a doping conviction on the record of the top player. It's hard to see any way in which this new era of men's tennis isn't the Sinner and Alcaraz era. Tennis will benefit from this pair dominating; they're both outstanding tennis players and will, in all likelihood, move the game on even from the remarkable standard that Federer and Nadal set during their time of dominance. With Wimbledon beginning tomorrow, only a fool would bet against the prediction that we're heading for yet another Sinner-Alcaraz final. Objectively, this would be positive for the sport, particularly if the Wimbledon final is another classic in the way the French Open final was but in this head-to-head, I'll always be willing the Spaniard on. So while having this duo at the top of the game is a good thing for tennis, what will be really good for tennis, for so many reasons, will be if Alcaraz prevails, and emerges as the top dog.
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
For the sake of tennis, one player in particular must rise to the top
You can have all the quality in the world spread across the field but if there's no rivalries, there's no hook. Which, in turn, means no interest or, at least, much diminished interest from the public. One particularly intense, beautiful and hugely competitive rivalry is exactly why men's tennis thrived to the extent it did for a decade-and-a-half from the mid-2000s. That rivalry was the Roger Federer - Rafa Nadal match-up. Across all of sport, there have been few rivalries which have produced quite as much interest, tension, joy, heartbreak and world-class sport as the Federer-Nadal version. It's why there was such a visceral feeling of devastation when first Federer, then Nadal retired. How would men's tennis ever recover, it was asked? Inevitably, though things move on and already, there's a new rivalry that has seamlessly replaced Federer and Nadal as the most compelling head-to-head in tennis. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have filled the vacuum created by the departure of Federer and Nadal and they are, indisputably, the new stars of men's tennis. Of the last eight grand slam tournaments, the pair have won seven between them, with only Novak Djokovic breaking up the monopoly. Sinner and Alcaraz are the biggest names in the sport and, by some margin, the two best players. Their French Open final earlier this month was one of the greatest matches the sport has ever seen. Some have suggested it's the very best ever, although I wouldn't go that far. Alcaraz prevailed in Paris a few weeks ago, and it's the Spaniard who leads the head-to-head 5-2, but it's Sinner who is number one in the world. Whatever the statistics, though, what is clear is that, providing serious injury does not derail the career of either man, it's Alcaraz and Sinner who will dominate men's tennis over the coming years, perhaps even for the next decade. (Image: Andy Cheung/ Getty Images) A rivalry of this quality is, objectively, a good thing for the sport. But for the good of tennis, one man in particular from this duo must prevail. That man is Carlos Alcaraz. There's a number of reasons why it's so important that Alcaraz and not Sinner becomes the next real tennis great. The first reason is down to the style of their tennis. Alcaraz is, to my eye anyway, a far more flashy, skilful and compelling player to watch. The Spaniard has considerably more flair and variety in comparison to Sinner. The Italian is, it cannot be denied, a phenomenon on the tennis court. So consistently outstanding are his ground strokes, he's almost robotic-like. The sparsity of his unforced errors is remarkable. And the quality of his hitting is perhaps the best the sport has ever seen. But, for me, watching that style of tennis for a prolonged length of time, no matter how high quality it is, just isn't all that interesting. Give me variety, flair, imagination and creativity any day of the week, even if it results in quite a few more unforced errors. Alcaraz is the defending champion at Wimbledon (Image: Getty Images) The second reason is personality. Alcaraz is a far more compelling character than Sinner. The Italian is, on the face of it, a nice guy. It's almost impossible to find anyone who has a bad word to say about him, and he certainly comes across in the press as an amicable, friendly and genuinely decent guy. He also, though, is quite boring. Alcaraz in contrast, has a personality that shines through. He seems like a young guy who can't quite believe his luck that he's living this life. There's something very endearing about his youthful exuberance, with the way he celebrated his French Open victory with the Roland Garros ball kids the perfect example of just what's so likeable about the Spaniard. The final reason is perhaps the most pertinent for me. Earlier this year, Sinner served a doping ban. The details of his case are somewhat convoluted but, to simplify it, Sinner claimed that his trainer had a banned substance on his hands and when treating the Italian, the substance transferred to Sinner and caused his positive test. The Italian was banned from tennis for three months but there was considerable outcry over the alleged preferential treatment he was given and the leniency in allowing him back on tour after such a short suspension. His return was, conveniently, just in time for the French Open meaning the world number one didn't miss a major tournament during his time on the sidelines, nor did he lose his number one ranking. While Sinner wasn't unjustly 'let off' with anything, he was, it seems, treated very favourably as a result of his lofty standing within the sport. The outcry over the unfairness of his treatment was entirely justified because when you compare how fast his infringement was dealt with, as well as his lenient punishment, it's hard to argue that his doping case was handled in a comparable way to the cases of his lower-ranked peers following doping allegations. I don't believe Sinner is a prolific doper, not even close. I actually think his explanation for his positive test is entirely plausible. But I do think it's not a good look for any sport to have a doping conviction on the record of the top player. It's hard to see any way in which this new era of men's tennis isn't the Sinner and Alcaraz era. Tennis will benefit from this pair dominating; they're both outstanding tennis players and will, in all likelihood, move the game on even from the remarkable standard that Federer and Nadal set during their time of dominance. With Wimbledon beginning tomorrow, only a fool would bet against the prediction that we're heading for yet another Sinner-Alcaraz final. Objectively, this would be positive for the sport, particularly if the Wimbledon final is another classic in the way the French Open final was but in this head-to-head, I'll always be willing the Spaniard on. So while having this duo at the top of the game is a good thing for tennis, what will be really good for tennis, for so many reasons, will be if Alcaraz prevails, and emerges as the top dog.
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
For the sake of tennis, one player in particular must rise to the top
One particularly intense, beautiful and hugely competitive rivalry is exactly why men's tennis thrived to the extent it did for a decade-and-a-half from the mid-2000s. That rivalry was the Roger Federer - Rafa Nadal match-up. Across all of sport, there have been few rivalries which have produced quite as much interest, tension, joy, heartbreak and world-class sport as the Federer-Nadal version. It's why there was such a visceral feeling of devastation when first Federer, then Nadal retired. How would men's tennis ever recover, it was asked? Inevitably, though things move on and already, there's a new rivalry that has seamlessly replaced Federer and Nadal as the most compelling head-to-head in tennis. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have filled the vacuum created by the departure of Federer and Nadal and they are, indisputably, the new stars of men's tennis. Of the last eight grand slam tournaments, the pair have won seven between them, with only Novak Djokovic breaking up the monopoly. Sinner and Alcaraz are the biggest names in the sport and, by some margin, the two best players. Their French Open final earlier this month was one of the greatest matches the sport has ever seen. Some have suggested it's the very best ever, although I wouldn't go that far. Alcaraz prevailed in Paris a few weeks ago, and it's the Spaniard who leads the head-to-head 5-2, but it's Sinner who is number one in the world. Whatever the statistics, though, what is clear is that, providing serious injury does not derail the career of either man, it's Alcaraz and Sinner who will dominate men's tennis over the coming years, perhaps even for the next decade. (Image: Andy Cheung/ Getty Images) A rivalry of this quality is, objectively, a good thing for the sport. But for the good of tennis, one man in particular from this duo must prevail. That man is Carlos Alcaraz. There's a number of reasons why it's so important that Alcaraz and not Sinner becomes the next real tennis great. The first reason is down to the style of their tennis. Alcaraz is, to my eye anyway, a far more flashy, skilful and compelling player to watch. The Spaniard has considerably more flair and variety in comparison to Sinner. The Italian is, it cannot be denied, a phenomenon on the tennis court. So consistently outstanding are his ground strokes, he's almost robotic-like. The sparsity of his unforced errors is remarkable. And the quality of his hitting is perhaps the best the sport has ever seen. But, for me, watching that style of tennis for a prolonged length of time, no matter how high quality it is, just isn't all that interesting. Give me variety, flair, imagination and creativity any day of the week, even if it results in quite a few more unforced errors. Alcaraz is the defending champion at Wimbledon (Image: Getty Images) The second reason is personality. Alcaraz is a far more compelling character than Sinner. The Italian is, on the face of it, a nice guy. It's almost impossible to find anyone who has a bad word to say about him, and he certainly comes across in the press as an amicable, friendly and genuinely decent guy. He also, though, is quite boring. Alcaraz in contrast, has a personality that shines through. He seems like a young guy who can't quite believe his luck that he's living this life. There's something very endearing about his youthful exuberance, with the way he celebrated his French Open victory with the Roland Garros ball kids the perfect example of just what's so likeable about the Spaniard. The final reason is perhaps the most pertinent for me. Earlier this year, Sinner served a doping ban. The details of his case are somewhat convoluted but, to simplify it, Sinner claimed that his trainer had a banned substance on his hands and when treating the Italian, the substance transferred to Sinner and caused his positive test. The Italian was banned from tennis for three months but there was considerable outcry over the alleged preferential treatment he was given and the leniency in allowing him back on tour after such a short suspension. His return was, conveniently, just in time for the French Open meaning the world number one didn't miss a major tournament during his time on the sidelines, nor did he lose his number one ranking. While Sinner wasn't unjustly 'let off' with anything, he was, it seems, treated very favourably as a result of his lofty standing within the sport. The outcry over the unfairness of his treatment was entirely justified because when you compare how fast his infringement was dealt with, as well as his lenient punishment, it's hard to argue that his doping case was handled in a comparable way to the cases of his lower-ranked peers following doping allegations. I don't believe Sinner is a prolific doper, not even close. I actually think his explanation for his positive test is entirely plausible. But I do think it's not a good look for any sport to have a doping conviction on the record of the top player. It's hard to see any way in which this new era of men's tennis isn't the Sinner and Alcaraz era. Tennis will benefit from this pair dominating; they're both outstanding tennis players and will, in all likelihood, move the game on even from the remarkable standard that Federer and Nadal set during their time of dominance. With Wimbledon beginning tomorrow, only a fool would bet against the prediction that we're heading for yet another Sinner-Alcaraz final. Objectively, this would be positive for the sport, particularly if the Wimbledon final is another classic in the way the French Open final was but in this head-to-head, I'll always be willing the Spaniard on. So while having this duo at the top of the game is a good thing for tennis, what will be really good for tennis, for so many reasons, will be if Alcaraz prevails, and emerges as the top dog.
