Commonwealth Games: Harry Tanfield fills the gap with a silver medal

FROM unknown to silver medallist in the space of 49 minutes, Harry Tanfield joined his brother on the world cycling stage.
Silver success: Harry Tanfield heading for time trial medal.Silver success: Harry Tanfield heading for time trial medal.
Silver success: Harry Tanfield heading for time trial medal.

Harry, 23, came to Australia as a self-proclaimed gap-filler, riding the Commonwealth Games time trial for Team England because more decorated riders either snubbed the race or were not given permission to ride by their professional teams.

But the elder Tanfield sibling can now share podium stories with younger brother Charlie after picking up silver on Currumbin beachfront to add to his brother’s gold and silver from the track.

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The siblings from Great Ayton had been self-funded amateurs until recently but can now boast three Commonwealth medals to their name – even if Harry was far from expecting it.

“It’s great. I didn’t know who was riding. I didn’t know Cam (Meyer, gold medallist) was riding until the other day,” said Tanfield, who rides for British outfit Canyon-Eisberg on the road.

“I had no idea how I’d do. I know my power and what I can do but I didn’t know what I could do in the heat. But it wasn’t actually that hot in the end.

“But I haven’t done a 40-minute TT effort since October last year. I’d only done a 20-minute effort up until this point.

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“So I was a bit uncertain about how it was going to do. I just thought I’d ride it, err on the side of caution at the start and just see how it went.

“It’s so much more different to training. Pushing yourself in a race is so different to doing it in training. But it’s a good way so start the year I guess, with a silver medal.”

WorldTour rider and nine-time track world champion Meyer completed the 38.5km course in 48:13.04 to take gold, with Tanfield 30.26 seconds back but 2.51 seconds clear of New Zealand’s Hamish Bond in third.

Charlie finished eighth, almost two minutes behind his brother, having set the early pace from his start position of 20.

Harry Tanfield interview via npower, the official partner of Team England. Visit npower.com/teamengland