Luck of the Irish

After Savoie and Oetingen I travelled home to Ireland to race my National Road Race Championships. I always love riding the Nationals and spending the weekend in Ireland, but the race itself hasn’t ever been too kind to me! This year I was ready to change my luck… 

I flew into Dublin on Friday the 27th of June and from the airport went straight to Mullingar. I was ready to race and contest the u23 national title. I really fancied my chances of getting a top result this year so I was more excited than ever!

I had great legs, and raced strongly but I misjudged my tactics. I wasn't the only one however! 

A move of 10 went on the first lap, but I didn’t panic. I was keeping my cool in the peleton and just following every move that went after that. Playing the waiting game! I was sure another group would bridge across as Dan Martin, Sam Bennett, Matt Brammeier and Martyn Irvine were all still with me. Only trouble was An Post had 3 riders in the breakaway and proved that strength in numbers and co-operation really pays off.

I didn’t miss anything else. Every other dangerous move that went I was present in. I fully committed to try and get across but it just didn’t happen for me. I rode the remainder of the race in the chase group of about 30 riders to get 20th place and 7th u23. Not the result I’d hoped for but I still showed I was in good shape and did enough to be selected to ride the U23 European Road Race Championships in Nyon, Switzerland on the 13th of July.

The day after Nationals I travelled back to Belgium to prepare for the Europeans. I raced again the next Saturday at Omloop Het Niuewsblad UCI 1.2. The elite version of the early spring classic! It was the perfect preparation race before Switzerland. The morning of Niuewsblad I opened the curtains to shit weather. Rain and wind - just lovely, wet cobbles! From then my mind was in the wrong place. I was more worried about staying safe ahead of Euro’s rather than getting a nice result at Niuewsblad - as Euros was a much bigger goal for me! That’s never a good way to race but on this particular day that was the way it was. Before the season started it was a major goal of mine to ride my first major championship race so I wasn’t going to miss it due to a crash - no way! 

I still raced Het Niuewsblad cleverly and stayed out of trouble until I needed to be in the very front. As the race started in Zottegem - my Belgian home town - I knew the roads like the back of my hand so my local knowledge payed dividends for most of the race. Not knowing the exact race route didn’t help though and my plan to move to the front before we hit Eikenberg didn’t work out as I would have liked. After Eikenberg the race was just relentless - just never ending bergs. Bergs, bergs, bergs! Hard, hard racing! I found myself too far back and missed the front split of 50 or so riders. I rode in the next chase group until we got to the local laps and we were pulled out with a lap to go. I love the classic style races so I'd love to give it another go as I feel I am capable of a good result in such races. I just needed a cement milkshake. My fault that day! 

The Europeans was next on the agenda. Like always, I was extremely happy and proud to be selected to represent my country - now at a major championship. My first major championship! I was super excited and motivated to give it all I had!

I flew into Geneva on Thursday the 10th of July. My trip didn't get off to the best start as easyJet left my bike in Belgium, but thankfully it arrived the following day. Phew! Being at a bike race without a bike - that could have been a disaster! It was great to arrive at the Irish camp in the town of Divonne-les-Bains and get settled in before our campaign kicked off!

The race itself was exactly how I'd imagined it would be. Crazy! The course as well as the weather was mixed. It was a lumpy circuit with some pretty technical sections - a real championship course! 

My race didn't go as planned. From the start it was full on racing and with all the crashes on the opening laps I found myself caught in trouble. 

On the 4th lap of the 12 lap race my rear mech got pulled off in a crash, I thought that was it - race over! Until Kurt came bombing around the corner in the car with a spare bike for me. Yes! I rode the spare bike, which was far too big, for the next 4 laps. It was fine in the beginning but after an hour or so it was really starting to hurt me and give me cramp. I needed my bike back! For the second time I thought my race was over until I saw Kurt was on the side of the road fixing my bike! What a legend!

 I got back on my bike for the last 4 laps but I wasn't the same after that. The cramp never left. So when the finale started to heat up I didn't have the legs or energy to make the front split of 50 or so riders! I finished in the second group on the road for 80th place. Not how I would have liked my first major championship race to go, but I did all I could do in the situation I was in. It was disappointing not to do more for myself or for the team, but I did learn a lot and will definitely take something from it.  

I can't thank the staff at Cycling Ireland enough for their flawless and professional support. Thanks Brian Nugent , Kurt Bogaerts, Neil Martin, Neill Delahaye and Stacey Kelly . It was a really enjoyable weekend!

I travelled back to my base in Belgium the day after Europeans to get settled in and start racing in some kermesses again. I had a big break away from the kermesse scene so it was time to tackle some again and try and pick up some nice results. I had a few days off in which I enjoyed watching my little brothers racing. I then raced in Ingelmunster, Lichtervelde and Sinaai where I was 26th, 21st and 11th respectively. Every one of these I feel I deserved a better end result but I am happy with how my condition is, and how I am involved in the action.

I am now building towards Ronde van Namen (Tour du Namur) from the 6th-10th of August. Until then I will be training and racing hard in hope of some top results! I feel some top results are just around the corner for me, just got to keep playing the lottery...