La Vuelta: Tyrone man Darren Rafferty ready for first ever Grand Tour

Despite citing the opportunity to see the world as one of the most appealing aspects of his profession, it was witnessing one of cycling’s biggest events on his very own doorstep that solidified in Darren Rafferty’s mind that he wanted to pursue a career in the sport.

The 21-year-old has been selected by his EF Education-EasyPost team to ride La Vuelta which begins in Lisbon on Saturday, his first ever Grand Tour a significant landmark for the county Tyrone man.

Having stood on the streets as an engrossed fan when the Giro d’Italia came to Northern Ireland in 2014, he can appreciate the enormity of now taking part in one of cycling’s big three races.

“I think the big thing that took me to cycling was just seeing the opportunities that you could do in this sport, say, compared to the swimming or at the football club,” he told BBC Radio Ulster.

“I went to the European Youth Olympics in Azerbaijan when I was only 15. That was a realisation.

“I could have been playing football 10 miles from the house, maybe getting down to Dublin.

“To be able to go and travel the world, in a sport that allows me to see so much, it was a switch that allowed me to see that I could do it as a job.”