Wikipedia

Tao Geoghegan Hart

This British surname is barrelled, being made up of multiple names. It should be written as Geoghegan Hart, not Hart.

Tao Geoghegan Hart (/ˈteɪoʊ ˌɡeɪɡən ˈhɑːrt/ ⓘ TAY-oh GAY-gən HART;[7] born 30 March 1995) is a British cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Lidl–Trek.[8] He rode for Team Sky as a stagiaire in late 2015,[9] and joined the team permanently for the 2017 season.

Tao Geoghegan Hart
Geoghegan Hart at the 2021 Tour de France
Personal information
Full nameTao Geoghegan Hart
Born (1995-03-30) 30 March 1995 (age 29)
Holloway, London,[1] England, United Kingdom
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Weight67 kg (148 lb; 10 st 8 lb)[3]
Team information
Current teamLidl–Trek
Disciplines
  • Road
  • Track
RoleRider
Rider typeClimber[2]
Professional teams
2014–2016Bissell Development Team
→ 2015Team Sky (stagiaire)
2017–2023Team Sky[4][5][6]
2024–Lidl–Trek
Major wins
Grand Tours
Giro d'Italia
General classification (2020)
Young rider classification (2020)
2 individual stages (2020)

Stage races

Tour of the Alps (2023)

He was the winner of the 2020 Giro d'Italia, taking the jersey following the final day time-trial and becoming the first winner in the history of the Giro never to wear the maglia rosa until he had won it outright. As such, he was the fifth and most recent British rider to win a grand tour (after Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates), the second Briton to win the Giro (after Froome in 2018) and the youngest British rider to win a grand tour.[10]

Early and personal life

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Tao Geoghegan Hart was born in Holloway, London. The eldest of 4 siblings, he grew up in the London Fields neighbourhood of Hackney, attending Gayhurst primary school.[1][11] His family is of Scottish and Irish ancestry. He has described the name Tao as the Irish version of his father's forename Tom and his first surname Geoghegan as the Irish spelling of his father's surname Geoghan.[12][13] He played football until he was 12 and was a goalkeeper.[14] He was brought up as a vegetarian. He also became a keen swimmer after starting secondary school at Stoke Newington School; on 28 July 2008, when he was 13, he was part of a cross-Channel swimming relay with Clissold Swimming Club. The team of six completed the crossing in 11 hours 34 minutes.[15][16][14]

Geoghegan Hart learnt to ride a bike when he was five,[17] and first had a BMX cycle as a young boy. He has said he recalls being impressed when attending the 2007 Tour de France prologue in London as a spectator.[18] He gained a serious interest in cycling after his father bought him a second-hand women's Specialized Dolce when he was 13.[14] He took part in the Dunwich Dynamo cycle ride in the summer of 2008.[11] In 2009, Tao attended the launch of Team Sky, joining an amateur peloton riding behind Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.[19][18][14] He also took a Saturday job at Condor Cycles that year,[20] and was supported with bicycles, wheels, and kit by the London bicycle manufacturer.[21] He was also sponsored by London company Rapha as a young rider.[22]

Geoghegan Hart is currently in a relationship with Lotte Wubben-Moy - a professional football player who also grew up in East London and like Geoghegan Hart, attended Stoke Newington School.[23]

Career

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Geoghegan Hart at the 2014 Tour of Britain.

Geoghegan Hart started competitive racing at the national level in 2010 with the East London-based club Cycling Club Hackney. He joined the British Cycling under-16 development programme in 2011, followed by the Olympic Development Programme for under-18s.[11] He also competed internationally, and attracted attention for victories abroad and podium places at races including 3rd place at the 2013 Paris–Roubaix Juniors.[24] He also took a clean sweep of mountains, points and general classification jerseys at the Giro Internazionale della Lunigiana in 2013.[2]

In 2014, Geoghegan Hart rode for Axel Merckx's Bissell Development Team. He finished third in Liège–Bastogne–Liège U23 and rode his first UCI 2. HC ranked race at the Tour of California in May 2014 before completing a second at the Tour of Britain in September when, riding for the Great Britain national team, he finished 15th overall.[2]

He was named in Scotland's Commonwealth Games teams for both Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018, but was unable to fit the competition into his race schedule on either occasion; he hoped to make the squad for Birmingham 2022 but was not selected.[13][20]

In 2015, he again finished third in Liège–Bastogne–Liège U23, eighth overall in the Tour of the Gila, 13th overall in the Tour of California and seventh overall in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, winning the best young rider classification.[25] He also rode as a Stagiaire for Team Sky in 2015, but opted to stay at Under-23 level for the 2016 season.[18]

Team Sky / Ineos Grenadiers

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In August 2016, Geoghegan Hart was confirmed as having signed for Team Sky for the 2017 season.[26] In August 2018, he was named in the startlist for the 2018 Vuelta a España.[27] In May 2019, he was named in the startlist for the 2019 Giro d'Italia.[28]

On 18 October 2020, Geoghegan Hart won his first stage of a Grand Tour, taking stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia on the Alpine summit finish of the Piancavallo. Following in the steps of previous winners Marco Pantani and Mikel Landa, Geoghegan Hart rode away from the remaining peloton with the Sunweb duo of Jai Hindley and Wilco Kelderman, out-sprinting Kelderman at the line to take the stage win. The result also took Geoghegan Hart up to 4th in the General Classification of the race ahead of the second rest day.[29] On 24 October 2020, he won his second stage of the Giro d'Italia, taking 2nd overall on the same time as the leader, and on the final stage on the following day, he finished 13th in a time-trial in a time which won the Giro d'Italia.[30][31] In taking the jersey following the final day time-trial, he became the first rider in Giro history to win the overall title having never carried the pink jersey during the race itself.[10]

Geoghegan Hart had a few tough seasons after his Giro d'Italia win in 2020 having to deal with COVID and repeated infections afterwards.[32] He finished 60th on GC in the 2021 Tour de France and notched only 19th in the 2022 Vuelta a España.

He returned to form in early 2023 after winning the 4th stage of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, his first win in over 2 years after the Giro victory.[33] He finished 3rd overall on GC, and continued on an upward trajectory by securing a 3rd place on GC in the 2023 Tirreno–Adriatico in March 2023.[34] His good form continued in 2023 as he went on to win the opening stage of the Tour of the Alps on 17 April and followed up by finishing first on stage 2 just a day later.[35][36] He finished the race first in GC on 21 April and claimed top spot in the points classification.[37]

Going into the 2023 Giro d'Italia, Geoghegan Hart was designated as co-leader for Ineos Grenadiers alongside Geraint Thomas.[38] However, a fractured hip sustained in a crash on Stage 11 required surgery, forcing him to withdraw from the race and ultimately ruling him out for the remainder of the 2023 season.[39][40]

Lidl–Trek

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In August 2023, it was announced that Geoghegan Hart would leave INEOS Grenadiers, having signed a three-year contract with Lidl–Trek.[41]

Major results

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2012
3rd Overall National Junior Road Series[42]
2013
1st   Overall Giro della Lunigiana
1st   Points classification
1st   Mountains classification
1st Stage 1
1st   Overall Tour of Istria
1st Stage 2
3rd Paris–Roubaix Juniors
3rd Road race, National Junior Road Championships
5th Overall Course de la Paix Juniors
8th Overall Keizer der Juniores
9th Overall Driedaagse van Axel
2014
3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège Espoirs
10th Overall Tour de l'Avenir
2015
3rd Time trial, National Under-23 Road Championships
3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège Espoirs
6th Trofeo PIVA
7th Overall USA Pro Cycling Challenge
1st   Young rider classification
8th Overall Tour of the Gila
9th Beaumont Trophy
2016
National Under-23 Road Championships
1st   Road race
2nd Time trial
1st Trofeo PIVA
2nd Overall Tour de Savoie Mont-Blanc
1st Stage 5
2nd Overall Course de la Paix Under-23
6th Overall Tour of the Gila
1st   Young rider classification
6th Overall Tour de l'Avenir
6th Overall Volta ao Alentejo
7th Gran Premio Palio del Recioto
8th Giro del Belvedere
9th Time trial, UEC European Under-23 Road Championships
10th Ruota d'Oro
2017
2nd Road race, National Under-23 Road Championships
4th Time trial, National Road Championships
4th Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana
8th Overall Tour of California
8th Overall Tour de Yorkshire
2018
1st Stage 3 (TTT) Critérium du Dauphiné
5th Overall Tour of California
5th Overall Vuelta a Burgos
2019 (2 pro wins)
2nd Overall Tour of the Alps
1st Stages 1 & 4
5th Overall Tour de Pologne
8th Tre Valli Varesine
  Combativity award Stage 20 Vuelta a España
2020 (3)
1st   Overall Giro d'Italia
1st   Young rider classification
1st Stages 15 & 20
3rd Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
2021
9th Memorial Marco Pantani
10th Overall Critérium du Dauphiné
10th Overall Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var
2022
5th Overall Tour of Norway
8th Overall Critérium du Dauphiné
2023 (4)
1st   Overall Tour of the Alps
1st   Points classification
1st Stages 1 & 2
3rd Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
1st Stage 4
3rd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
6th Overall Vuelta a Andalucía
Giro d'Italia
Held   after Stage 1
2024
9th Overall Tour de Romandie

General classification results timeline

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Grand Tour general classification results
Grand Tour 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
  Giro d'Italia — — DNF 1 — — DNF —
  Tour de France — — — — 60 — — —
  Vuelta a España — 62 20 — — 19 —
Major stage race general classification results
Race 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
  Paris–Nice — — 32 — DNF — — —
  Tirreno–Adriatico — — — 30 — DNF 3 29
  Volta a Catalunya — 53 — NH — — — —
  Tour of the Basque Country 90 68 — DNF 29 — 43
  Tour de Romandie — — — — — — 9
  Critérium du Dauphiné — 13 — — 10 8 — DNF
  Tour de Suisse 14 — — NH — — — —
Legend
— Did not compete
DNF Did not finish
NH Not held
IP In progress

References

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  1. ^ a b Cary, Tom (20 October 2020). "Meet the streetwise "geezer" with designs on the Giro's pink jersey". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 October 2020 – via PressReader.
  2. ^ a b c d Macleary, John (25 September 2014). "Tao Geoghegan Hart answers twenty questions ahead of the UCI Road World Championships under-23 road race". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  3. ^ "Tao Geoghegan Hart". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Team Sky". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Team Ineos". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Ineos Grenadiers". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  7. ^ Hood, Ed (25 December 2013). "Tao Geoghegan Hart – "working with Axel Merckx is an amazing opportunity"". Velo Veritas. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  8. ^ "Lidl-Trek". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Young Brits join Team Sky". Archived from the original on 31 July 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Giro d'Italia: Tao Geoghegan Hart wins first Grand Tour". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  11. ^ a b c "Tao Geoghegan Hart".
  12. ^ Cary, Tom (19 October 2020). "Who is British rider and Giro d'Italia contender Tao Geoghegan Hart?". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020.
  13. ^ a b Goh, ZK. "Five things you might not know about Giro d'Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart". Olympics.com. The International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  14. ^ a b c d Bailey, Mark (25 October 2020). "Next Big Thing: Tao Geoghegan Hart profile (2013)". Cyclist.
  15. ^ "English Channel swim by Clissold Swimming Club (Star Bellied Sneetches)". Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  16. ^ Quinn, Gary (26 October 2020). "What You Need To Know About Britain's New Cycling Star Tao Geoghegan Hart". The Sportsman.
  17. ^ "Hackney cycle champ set for Olympic stardom". Hackney Citizen. 7 September 2011.
  18. ^ a b c "Q&A: Tao Geoghegan Hart". 25 October 2020.
  19. ^ MacPherson, Will (27 October 2020). "Giro d'Italia 2020: How Hackney boy Tao Geoghegan Hart became king of Italy". The Evening Standard.
  20. ^ a b Fotheringham, William (26 October 2020). "Tao Geoghegan Hart, from bike shop worker to British Giro d'Italia winner". The Guardian.
  21. ^ "Junior Rider Tao Takes An Impressive Third In Roubaix".
  22. ^ "Rapha Congratulations".
  23. ^ "Away day doping control, playing at Highbury and Remco's ex-teammates starring for Belgium: The cyclists obsessed by football". 9 April 2022.
  24. ^ "The rise of Tao Geoghegan Hart: British prodigy's long road to Team Sky - Cycling Weekly". 15 February 2017.
  25. ^ "Faces of the Future: Eight things to know about Tao Geoghegan Hart - CyclingTips". 17 May 2016.
  26. ^ "Geoghegan Hart confirmed with Team Sky for 2017 - Cyclingnews.com". 17 August 2016.
  27. ^ "2018: 73rd Vuelta a España: Start List". Pro Cycling Stats. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  28. ^ "2019: 102nd Giro d'Italia: Start List". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  29. ^ "Giro d'Italia: Tao Geoghegan Hart wins stage 15 atop Piancavallo". cyclingnews.com. 18 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  30. ^ "GB's Tao Geoghegan Hart sensationally claims Giro d'Italia glory after time trial". Guardian. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  31. ^ "Tao Geoghegan Hart's shock Giro d'Italia win 'the stuff of comic books'". Guardian. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  32. ^ Pickering, Edward (11 March 2023). "'You can be so close between complete anonymity and success' - Tao Geoghegan Hart on the Giro d'Italia, Hackney roots and what's next". Rouleur. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  33. ^ Mackenzie, Alasdair (4 February 2023). "'It's Hard to Win in Cycling' - Tao Geoghegan Hart Celebrates First Stage Win Since Giro d'Italia Triumph in Valencia". Eurosport. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  34. ^ "Tao wraps up third at Tirreno". Ineos Grenadiers. 12 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  35. ^ Fotheringham, Alasdair (17 April 2023). "Tour of the Alps: Tao Geoghegan Hart powers up final uphill metres to win opening stage". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  36. ^ Fletcher, Patrick (18 April 2023). "Tour of Alps: Tao Geoghegan Hart takes clean sweep with stage 2 win". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  37. ^ Ostanek, Daniel (21 April 2023). "Tour of Alps: Simon Carr wins final stage while Tao Geoghegan Hart secures GC". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  38. ^ Farrand, Stephen (1 May 2023). "Thomas, Geoghegan Hart and Ganna lead Ineos Grenadiers at Giro d'Italia". CyclingNews. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  39. ^ "Giro d'Italia: Tao Geoghegan Hart out after suffering hip fracture in crash". The Guardian. 17 May 2023. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  40. ^ Moultrie, James (2 October 2023). "Geoghegan Hart 'super happy to be back in the saddle' after arduous rehabilitation". CyclingNews. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  41. ^ Farrand, Stephen (10 August 2023). "Tao Geoghegan Hart signs three-year deal with Lidl-Trek". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  42. ^ "British Junior Men's Road Series Winners – The Definitive List". Bikesy.co.uk. 28 June 2017.
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