Latest news with #Kelso
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Onley the 'introverted extrovert' riding high
Team Picnic-Post NL describe Oscar Onley as "an introverted extrovert" who enjoys "lo-fi rap vibes", playing golf and eating risotto. Scottish Cycling reported how he "would be targeting stages, with the general classification being a secondary aim" in his second Tour de France. After finishing fourth overall in the standings, the 22-year-old from Kelso told how his achievement had sparked "a dream". By matching the achievement of compatriot Philippa York (then known as Robert Millar) in 1984, Onley equalled the best-ever finish by a Scottish rider. So who is the new exciting name in British cycling? And where can he go from here? 'Huge moment' as Onley matches Scottish record Tour fourth place Van Aert wins final stage as Pogacar seals Tour title Who is Oscar Onley? Those who follow cycling closely will know of Onley's steady progress since taking to the senior ranks in 2023 with his Dutch team. But his journey started in the Scottish Borders, when local club Kelso Wheelers' time trial route passed right by his front door and he got involved. Onley juggled lots of sports as a kid, particularly cross-country running, before committing to the bike. He described himself as "never the best" as a youngster, but as he grew physically his results picked up. His big breakthrough came at the Tour Down Under in 2024 when he won on the finish up Willunga Hill for his first professional victory. The Scot then managed second at the Tour of Britain. Amid all that he had to deal with two broken collarbones due to crashes. This year he has bounced back, and last month climbed on to the podium at the Tour de Suisse, winning stage five in the process. Forged in the rolling hills of the south of Scotland, Onley is most at home when the road gradient makes the legs strain and is based in the high mountains of Andorra. On the big behemoth mountain ranges, the Alps and Pyrenees, he has announced himself to a wider audience with a memorable Tour de France performance. 'It sparks a dream' - Onley reaction to finishing fourth in Tour Onley told ITV: "We never really had the plan to go for GC [general classification] in the beginning. It was more just see how it goes. "To be honest, I've never even thought about a top five in the Tour before, so to get it in my first try in GC is quite incredible and I'm excited for the future. "It gives me a lot of confidence for the upcoming races as well as these are the top guys and in top shape in the biggest race. So if I can do it here then why not in other races? "There was no pressure from the team. They've handled that really well because I think as soon as you say you are going for GC, there's a lot more attention on you. I've just taken every day as it's come really and not made any extra stress as the Tour is already stressful enough, just to ride and compete. "I'm really happy with how myself and the team have managed these three weeks. I guess this is a really big moment in my career. I don't really realise it yet, but I think just with talking to other riders, going forward now we have something to build on and an exciting project for the future, and it sparks a bit of a dream I guess." What's next for Onley? Picnic-Post NL are entered in the seven-stage Tour de Pologne in Poland, which starts on 4 August, though a final entry list for riders is not yet confirmed. The Vuelta a Espana from 23 August is the next major event on the circuit.
BBC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Onley the 'introverted extravert' riding high
Team Picnic-Post NL describe, external Oscar Onley as "an introverted extrovert" who enjoys "lo-fi rap vibes", playing golf and eating Cycling reported, external how he "would be targeting stages, with the general classification being a secondary aim" in his second Tour de finishing fourth overall in the standings, the 22-year-old from Kelso told how his achievement had sparked "a dream".By matching the achievement of compatriot Philippa York (then known as Robert Millar) in 1984, Onley equalled the best-ever finish by a Scottish who is the new exciting name in British cycling? And where can he go from here? Who is Oscar Onley? Those who follow cycling closely will know of Onley's steady progress since taking to the senior ranks in 2023 with his Dutch his journey started in the Scottish Borders, when local club Kelso Wheelers' time trial route passed right by his front door and he got juggled lots of sports as a kid, particularly cross-country running, before committing to the described himself as "never the best" as a youngster, but as he grew physically his results picked big breakthrough came at the Tour Down Under in 2024 when he won on the finish up Willunga Hill for his first professional Scot then managed second at the Tour of Britain. Amid all that he had to deal with two broken collarbones due to year he has bounced back, and last month climbed on to the podium at the Tour de Suisse, winning stage five in the in the rolling hills of the south of Scotland, Onley is most at home when the road gradient makes the legs strain and is based in the high mountains of the big behemoth mountain ranges, the Alps and Pyrenees, he has announced himself to a wider audience with a memorable Tour de France performance. 'It sparks a dream' - Onley reaction to finishing fourth in Tour Onley told ITV: "We never really had the plan to go for GC [general classification] in the beginning. It was more just see how it goes."To be honest, I've never even thought about a top five in the Tour before, so to get it in my first try in GC is quite incredible and I'm excited for the future."It gives me a lot of confidence for the upcoming races as well as these are the top guys and in top shape in the biggest race. So if I can do it here then why not in other races?"There was no pressure from the team. They've handled that really well because I think as soon as you say you are going for GC, there's a lot more attention on you. I've just taken every day as it's come really and not made any extra stress as the Tour is already stressful enough, just to ride and compete."I'm really happy with how myself and the team have managed these three weeks. I guess this is a really big moment in my career. I don't really realise it yet, but I think just with talking to other riders, going forward now we have something to build on and an exciting project for the future, and it sparks a bit of a dream I guess." What's next for Onley? Picnic-Post NL are entered in the seven-stage Tour de Pologne in Poland, which starts on 4 August, though a final entry list for riders is not yet Vuelta a Espana from 23 August is the next major event on the circuit.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Next stop global fame for the unassuming Scot who announced his arrival in this year's Tour de France
It will no doubt take some days yet for the magnitude of what Oscar Onley has achieved at the Tour de France to sink in. The Scottish rider has been the breakout star of this year's race. Onley took to the start line fresh from a strong showing at the Tour de Suisse — yet few could have predicted the dizzying heights he would scale. We're not just talking about his blistering ascents of Mont Ventoux and the Col de la Loze. Onley, 22, has been up there rubbing shoulders with the best in the world, a Who's Who of cycling including contemporary greats Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. The man from Kelso has announced his arrival on the global stage, finishing an incredible fourth in the general classification (GC) standings. It's a colossal accomplishment, equalling the previous highest overall finish by a Scot, Philippa York (who competed as Robert Millar) in 1984. Could Onley have imagined being in this position three weeks ago? Possibly not. He came into the Tour with the sole goal of chasing stage wins, supported by his Picnic PostNL team. He has fought tooth and nail across every inch of tarmac and lofty mountain pass. Nor did it take long to make his mark. Onley finished sixth in Boulogne- sur-Mer on stage two as the seeds of a bold dream took root. After that, the top 10 finishes came thick and fast. Onley took third on stage seven from Saint-Malo to Mur-de-Bretagne, crossing the line hot on the heels of Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) who — with a raft of Grand Tour wins and titles between them — were first and second respectively. He finished fourth in Rouen, fifth on the Hautacam, sixth from Pau to Luchon-Superbagneres and fourth up the Col de la Loze, the queen stage of this year's Tour. The tenacity and talent it takes to produce these Herculean efforts day after day should not be underestimated. Onley, who cut his teeth pedalling around the roads of the Scottish Borders, is the cycling equivalent of Clark Kent becoming Superman. Although a coveted stage win eluded him, 'the Kelso Comet' found himself steadily climbing the GC rankings. While the anticipated showdown between Pogacar and Vingegaard has had fans gripped, the fierce battle between Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) and Onley for the third step on the podium also captivated millions. The weight of expectation on Onley's shoulders must have felt immense, but he continued to strive with every sinew. On Thursday evening, just 22 seconds stood between third-placed Lipowitz and Onley in fourth. Friday's summit finish on La Plagne was a tough day at the office, with Onley fading in the last kilometres. He claimed fifth, his eighth top 10 finish of the Tour. Sadly, though, the time gap between the pair had widened to over a minute, an insurmountable chasm as the race reached its final stages. Throughout his storming performances, Onley has retained the air of a young man still pinching himself in disbelief. 'It's not really sunk in yet,' he said after his world-class ride on stage four. As he warmed down outside the team bus, Onley reportedly pulled out his phone to double-check the result online. It read: Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel, Jonas Vingegaard, Oscar Onley. A star was born. On paper, Onley is the archetypal overnight success. Some commentators have referred to him as the 'surprise sensation' of the Tour. However, the hard graft and sacrifice that have brought him to the upper echelons of the sport should not be downplayed. Having started out as a promising cross-country runner, he joined the Kelso Wheelers Cycling Club aged 10, keen to emulate the riders he saw whizzing around the local time trial route past his house. Watching the Tour de France on TV as a youngster also lit a fire, with Onley citing vivid memories of the epic clash between Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck on the Col du Tourmalet in 2010. He would have been seven at the time. Fast forward 15 years and he is duelling with cycling adversaries in the Pyrenees, inspiring a new generation of riders into the bargain. While he raced at youth level, it wasn't until joining the junior and under-23 ranks that he began to take his cycling more seriously. A strong time-trialist and climber on the road, his lack of suitability as a track rider — due to his self- confessed 'tiny' frame — meant he didn't follow the traditional pathway through the British Cycling programme, instead exploring the development team racing scene in Europe. In 2019, after competing in France with Scottish Cycling, he signed with Van Rysel-AG2R La Mondiale and had a promising stint with the feeder squad. Only 16, he began honing his French in preparation. Onley joined Development Team DSM in 2021, where his endeavours included a memorable tussle with two-time Tour de France winner Vingegaard at the 2022 CRO Race. Onley stepped up to WorldTour level with Team dsm-firmenich (now Picnic–PostNL) in 2023. He made his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a Espana that same year, playing a key role in the team time trial victory on the opening stage. He crashed out on stage two, suffering a broken collarbone and withdrawing. Onley returned to sparkling form at the 2024 Santos Tour Down Under. At Willunga Hill on stage five, he took his first individual World Tour win. Yet Onley's story quickly racked up more twists and turns than a hairpin-bend climb. Barely a week after his maiden professional victory, he fractured his collarbone again while competing at the 2024 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. Then came a third collarbone break at the 2024 Amstel Gold Race — making it a trio of injuries within eight months. Onley soon showed his mettle as the comeback kid. The formidable mindset which has served him well this year came to the fore. While Onley later acknowledged that being sidelined for the third time in less than a year was 'pretty tough', he used his recuperation to take a step back and regroup, mentally and physically. Rather than wallow, Onley 'switched off from cycling', buying Lego to keep his 'mind busy' and avoid doomscrolling on his phone. It reaped dividends. After returning at the 2024 Tour de Suisse, he was named in his team's roster for that year's Tour de France. Speaking to Mail Sport ahead of his Tour debut last July, Onley described it as 'a childhood dream'. He finished a credible 39th in the GC standings, with a fifth place on stage 17. Not even Onley could have imagined, though, the riveting head-to-head he would find himself in a year later, catapulting him from future star to podium contender. Over the past 12 months, he has taken second overall at the 2024 Tour of Britain and won the best young rider classification — as well as being the highest-placed British rider — at the 2024 Road World Championships in Zurich. This year has seen Onley garner a series of top 10 GC finishes, including third at last month's Tour de Suisse. Which brings us back to the here and now. There will be much to unpack from his phenomenal Tour de France, and it's important to remember he is still only halfway through a five-year development plan drafted by Picnic PostNL. What has unfolded on the roads of France is merely the beginning. Surely the next stop is superstardom.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Huge moment' as Onley matches Millar's Tour fourth place
Oscar Onley equalled the best-ever finish by a Scottish rider in the Tour de France and described his surprise overall fourth place as "a huge moment in my career" that "sparks a bit of a dream".The 22-year-old from Kelso, who matched compatriot Robert Millar's achievement in 1984, says a first attempt at chasing the top spots in general classification had been a secondary aim for Team Picnic-Post who had initially been targeting stage wins in his second Tour, told ITV Sport: "We never really had the plan to go for GC in the beginning. It was more just see how it goes." Onley added: "To be honest, I've never even thought about a top five in the Tour before, so to get it in my first try in GC is quite incredible and I'm excited for the future."After Slovenian Tadey Pogachar won his fourth Tour de France and Belgian Wout Van Aert winning the final stage in a rain-soaked Paris, Onley reflected on how he was able to compete with the top riders."It gives me a lot of confidence for the upcoming races as well as these are the top guys and in top shape in the biggest race," said the Scot now being dubbed the Kelso Comet."So if I can do it here then why not in other races?"Onley praised his team for a "really well-managed" three-week campaign."There was no pressure from the team," he said. "They've handled that really well because I think as soon as you say you are going for GC, there's a lot more attention on you."I've just taken every day as it's come really and not made any extra stress as the Tour is already stressful enough, just to ride and compete."I'm really happy with how myself and the team have managed this three weeks."Onley said he was finally able to "soak it all in" on the final climb of Montmartre and that it was "pretty special" to ride down the Champs Elysees to the finish."I guess this is a really big moment in my career," he said. "I don't really realise it yet, but I think just with talking to other riders, going forward now we have something to build on and an exciting project for the future and it sparks a bit of a dream I guess."
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Horse racing tips: ‘He can remain unbeaten' – Templegate's NAP can strike in big race at Ascot
TEMPLEGATE'S TIPS Horse racing tips: 'He can remain unbeaten' – Templegate's NAP can strike in big race at Ascot Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TEMPLEGATE'S is looking to build the bank ahead of a huge weekend, and his Friday tips are below. Back a horse by clicking their odds below. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up A BIT OF SPIRIT (2.25 Ascot, NAP) This son of Palace Pier has done well to win both his starts to date. He clocked a fantastic time when scoring at Salisbury earlier this month and deserves this crack at stronger company. He can stay unbeaten. JENTOBELLO (1.30 Uttoxeter, nb) Iain Jardine's five-year-old has shown plenty of quality when winning bumpers at Kelso and Market Rasen. He went into many notebooks for his hurdling debut and we'll see how he goes on this first crack over timber. WESTERN CLOUDS (2.02 Uttoxeter, treble) Took a big step forward from her debut when winning well at Perth earlier this month. She travelled really strongly under champion jockey Sean Bowen there and crossed her hurdles like an old hand. There should be a lot more to come. THURSO (4.10 Ascot, Lucky 15) His form has taken a big step forward with two wins following a couple of excellent places. He's up a fair 3lb for scooting in at Chepstow last time and moving up a furlong could unlock further improvement. Templegate's tips FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
