Adam Ward was delighted with his win at the end of a race he led from tape to gun (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Adam Ward reflects on winning Irish junior title
Having been one of the dominant juniors in the country all season, Adam Ward was in no doubt about what his latest victory meant to him.
“It was a dream come true; really it was,” he said of taking gold in the junior road race at the National Road Championships today.
Ward, of Powerhouse Sport, got up the road from the off. And when a group containing fresher legs came across, he still have the beating of them.
He would win the final two-up sprint, against Thursday’s TT win Ben Healy (Zappi RT), to become champion.
It was the second time he’d medalled in the race, taking bronze 12 months ago. But he had grown physically and mentally since then.
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At times this year he’s been rampant; claiming both stages and all the jerseys at the Newry Three Day last weekend a case in point.
And like so many times already this year, he didn’t wait for his chance to arrive; he went out and made it himself.
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“As soon as the flag dropped I headed off,” he said of his early attack that would see him spend the whole race out front.
“I knew the bunch can sometimes be hectic at the nationals. And sometimes the bunch can be negative.
“So I wanted to get out of it if possible. Myself and Conor Gallagher (NRPT-Chill Insurance) got clear for about three laps,” Ward explained.
“A chase group then came across with Aaron Doherty (NRPT-Chill Insurance), Cahir Doyle (Powerhouse Sport) and Ben Healy (Zappi RT).
“Then with two laps to go up the climb Ben attacked and brought me with him. Then the two of us rode for the line.
“And thankfully he couldn’t shake me up the climb and I managed to get the better of him in the sprint.
“I knew he was a good climber so I didn’t want to give him any ground. He put me up against the ropes but thankfully he didn’t get very far.”
Asked if he had done any additional training for the championships or if his win was simply the latest victory in a good year, he believed it was the latter.
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“I think being in Majorca recently for two weeks (training with the Irish team) brought me on a good bit. And I really have to give credit to my coach Gary McKeegan for getting me in good shape.
“It’s funny, I have had really good form for the last four weeks since my power meter battery gave up,” he laughed.
“I had no power meter or heart rate monitor on today. I was riding to feel. And obviously it has been working out alright.”
Ward not only won today; he won as one of the red hot favourites – a status that brings pressure. But when asked about that he was taking it in his stride.
“I think if you ever get a few good results at the start of the season, then anyone will be marked. But it’s the champs so everyone is looking at everyone,” he said.
“So once the flag dropped I went. And you are hoping everyone will hesitate and that’s what happened. Myself and Conor Gallagher got a minute of a gap coming out of the first lap.
“It meant we were racing at the front rather than trying to get to the race; we were at the pointy end of it.”
Ward said the course was a hard one, with the climb taking four to five minutes each lap.
“It was steady, it suited me. You could cope with it in the big ring. But it was definitely hard enough to make the race interesting; that’s for sure.”
While the heat was a factor, having been in Majorca for two weeks and then having had another fortnight of sunshine at home, he could handle it.
In Majorca Ward rode on the track there and also won a road race. Looking ahead, he was hoping for selection for the European Road Race Championships in the Czech Republic.
That clashes with the Junior Tour of Ireland so if selected, which seems a formality, he would miss the Junior Tour.
Looking further ahead he will go to Belgium for a period and ride as many races as he can later in the season.
“I guess that means I will get to show the jersey, doesn’t it?” he questions; his win and the status of it just sinking in.
“Last year I kind of came close; the course didn’t really suit. It wasn’t meant to be,” he said of finishing 3rd behind Ethan Downey and Luke Smith.
“But this year the course suited me and I had a bit of form coming into so. I had that bit of luck; that bit of fairy dust that you need. So I really am over the moon.”
He also paid credit to his team; the Powerhouse Sport juniors having been a very strong outfit all year.
“I really need to thank the team. The lads were a huge help out there today. We all get on well on and off the bike, we are all good mates. And that translates into the racing, definitely.”
The 17-year-old was 4th in the TT, just four seconds off a medal. It was “bitter sweet”, he said.
“I was up there. I was happy because I knew the form was there. The course suited but I didn’t get a medal out of it. But sure what can you do?”
Asked about next year, Ward says he has his final year in school and his approach to the bike won’t change.
“I’ll keep riding my bike and enjoying it. And hopefully I’ll get a few wins out of it. It’s about riding the bike. If anything else happens beyond that, then great.”
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