British neo-pro Gabriel Cullaigh explains illness battle that curtailed first season with Movistar

The Yorkshireman looks to Wout van Aert as inspiration who recovered from a serious injury to become the world's best rider

(Image credit: Getty Images)

British neo-pro Gabriel Cullaigh has described the frustration of his first year as a professional, having been curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic and a serious bout of shingles.

The Movistar rider, 24, raced 12 times before lockdowns across the world called a halt to racing in March. When the season restarted, he raced on four occasions, but after the European Championships at the end of August was diagnosed with shingles, a viral infection of the skin and nearby nerves that causes a rash. It typically takes a month to recover from.

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