By Shane Stokes
He won the Rás Tailteann three years ago with his aggressive, opportunistic approach, and Daire Feeley is aiming to use the same characteristics to find success again this time around.
The Clare: Burren CC rider has been one of those shaping the action in the race, making key moves, and was right in the thick of it on Friday’s stage to Miltown Malbay.
“It was a nice start to the day with the lashing rain. I think the lads were a bit apprehensive,” he told Stickybottle. “They’re so used to racing in the heat the past two days, they didn’t know what to make of the rain and the wet roads.
“As soon as the flag dropped, racing started. I said I would wait, but I felt a bit of a lull in the bunch. I didn’t think the energy was there early on, so I gave it a nudge, and managed to open up a gap. And then a group of 8,10 more riders came across.”
Feeley and the others floored it, trying to gain time, but were surprised at how well the peloton kept them within range.
“I thought that was it for the day. I thought we’d go up to four or five minutes,” he said. “We rode really hard, but we never really got more than a minute and a half. Ideally we would need two minutes coming to the base of Corkscrew, because if you have a minute and somebody attacks from behind, you knock 30 seconds out of it very fast.”
The break fragmented on that category two climb, with Dean Harvey (Team Ireland) pushing forward. He went over the top alone but found the going difficult with the headwind, eventually being reabsorbed by those behind.
Race leader Odhrán Doogan (Cycling Ulster) was one of those who got across and this meant that Feeley’s overnight deficit of ten seconds remained.
He’d liked to have gained time, but was also relieved not to have lost any.
“We got over the Corkscrew. Got over all the climbs. Didn’t get any time on GC,” he said.
Still, there is an upshot. “Odhran Doogan had to ride really hard. I’d say his legs will be tired. It’s still all to play for. The race is wide open. I think it will go down to the very last day, providing the Wolftrap climb isn’t too hard.
“We just need to make sure that we have energy to get over that with the leaders. And if we do, then we’re in business, I think, on the last stage.”
Sunday’s final leg is flatter than the others and could reward those with aggression and a good instinct for when and where to go. Feeley has a very keen eye for the right move and he’s hoping that pays off on the roads to Bective.
“It’s like a typical Sunday race, that final finishing circuit. It’s like a race you do in Navan on a Sunday,” he said.
“I am ready give it my all. I am not going riding this Rás for sixth place. I am riding to win it. And if we blow up trying, so be it.”
Much will also depend on how the other riders in the race react when attacks go. With international and county team riders mixed in together, and with multiple categories to be fought for, things can at times be less than obvious when it comes to tactics.
There are also sometimes allegiances too, riders helping other riders out, even when they are not wearing the same kit.
That too is part of the whole drama and suspense of the Rás.
“There’s a lot of riding, let’s say teams chasing moves and they have no business chasing them,” Feeley said.
“It just makes you wonder why you are chasing when you’re an hour back on GC. But look, I suppose that’s all part of the challenge of racing. It’s very unpredictable, and that’s what makes the Rás the Rás.
“You do need a good roll of the dice in order to succeed as well.”
With two stages remaining, Feeley will keep rolling the dice, keep hoping the right numbers come up.
At that point of the race, with about 10km remaining, a second group of about 40 riders was almost five minutes down on the leaders.
