Warwick athlete Harry Sweeny hits career high in Tour de France

The homegrown cycling star’s natural talent earned him a place in the sport’s biggest race only six months into his pro career – and he says this is just the beginning.

Warwick alumni Harry Sweeny competing as part of the Lotto Soudal World Tour team in the 2021 Tour de France. Picture: contributed / PhotoNews

What began as a childhood love for sport has turned into a skyrocketing pro career for Warwick alumni Harry Sweeny, who will race against cycling’s best at the 2021 Tour de France.

The 22-year-old’s passion for sport began during his childhood in the Rose City and soon progressed to competing in junior triathlons at a state and national level.

Sweeny said cycling had always been his strongest event as a triathlete, and it was in his last year of school that he decided to make the “natural progression” into the sport.

“I always sort of knew I wanted to be a professional sportsman. I met a crossroads after I finished school whether I wanted to study or really pursue being a professional athlete, and that’s what I chose,” he said.

“My first proper year of cycling was 2015 … (so) I’m relatively new and this is only my sixth season as a cyclist really.”

Harry Sweeny at 13 after winning the junior boys title at the Australian Youth Triathlon Championships in 2012. Picture: Sarah Keayes / News Limited

The former Warwick athlete moved to Europe to fast-track his race to the pro circuit, living in Spain and Italy before settling in Nice in France at the beginning of this year.

It was at the same time Sweeny signed with the Lotto Soudal World Tour team, and he found out only months later he would be one of the elite riders representing the squad in this year’s Tour de France.

“It was pretty nerve-racking actually, finding out I’d made it. It’s such a dream, but at the same time it’s really intimidating (because) I’ve actually only been pro for six months,” he said.

“Unfortunately we’ve lost our star rider in (fellow Australian) Caleb Ewan, he was our sprinter and much of the team was based around him for the sprint stages, so we’ve had to re-evaluate our plans and now a lot of the team are trying for stage wins for ourselves.”

The Lotto Soudal team is currently ranked 21 on the Tour de France leaderboard, with Sweeny jumping up the individual rankings to 93 of 165 riders.

Cyclists will complete another 11 stages covering thousands of kilometres before the final event on July 18.

Sweeny said achieving such a milestone so early in his career was “phenomenal”, as was the support from his family, friends, and girlfriend who were left in Australia due to COVID travel bans.

“From here I’d like to win a Monument, like Paris-Roubaix or Flanders might be a goal,” he said.

“Up until now it’s been a pretty wild ride actually – I’ve been hit by a few cars, had a few knee surgeries and a couple of concussions.

“It’s not been a straight road for me, but I really strongly believe that’s made me who I am today as a cyclist and I wouldn’t change the past for an easier route here. I think it makes me appreciate it all the more.”