Rás Mumhan 2018 winner Conor Hennebry has said the strength in depth and experience in his team was crucial at the weekend. After An Post-Chainreaction he says he is really enjoying his racing in Ireland again.
Conor Hennebry looks to Rás after Rás Mumhan overall win
By Graham Gillespie
Conor Hennebry said he was “over the moon” to win the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan. And with the race as his main goal at the start of the season, he is now looking ahead and hoping for more.
The Viner-Caremark-Pactimo rider won the four-day stage race by finishing just two seconds ahead of Active Edge Race Team’s Toby Atkins.
He was also four seconds in front of Sean McKenna from the Team Ireland Development Squad. The victory was somewhat unexpected for Hennebry.
“I went into the race with hopes of doing well, but I didn’t think I’d come out with the yellow jersey,” he said.
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“But it all seemed to work out in the end. It’s just a massive, massive relief to have a good start to the season. That’s a lot of pressure off for the rest of the season”.
Hennebry also took the 150km stage three which finished in an eight-man sprint on Sunday.
The Waterford man believed this triumph was the pivotal moment of the four days of racing.
“I think getting up the road with a couple of teammates was crucial,” he said of making the key breakaway.
“It was just a hard day for everybody, but I think it just worked out a bit better for me than it did for others.
“I gained back a little bit of time that I lost on stage two. So it put me back into contention and actually into the lead which was great.”
The former An Post-Chainreaction racer was also quick to praise his teammates. The squad, new this year, also won the team classification.
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“It’s a wonderful new team to be fair. We all kind of know each other from previous iterations of the team.
“We’ve all been on teams before together, we all work for each other and we all get along really well. It’s a great team vibe”.
Hennebry said the experience of his teammates was also hugely beneficial.
“Having the experience of someone like Sean Lacey; he’s been through it all when he won Rás Mumhan and that was a great help.
“Someone like Ronan McLaughlin having the years as a pro; knowing when to attack and when to ride hard, knowing what you have to do to win races. It was very useful.”
Hennebry came back to Ireland midway through last year after racing in Europe with An Post Chainreaction.
He said he just wanted to get back “enjoying” his racing when he first came home.
“Coming back into the team then this year, I just wanted to do as best as I could in races,” he continued.
Hennebry also looked forward to the rest of the season, saying he might have to readjust some of his targets for the rest of the year.
Conor Hennebry looks ahead to Rás
“My main goal actually was Rás Mumhan at the start of the season, so I’m going to probably have to reassess,” he said.
“I hope to be riding in the Tour of Ulster, so if I can get in a good couple of days racing up there as well and hopefully be in contention.
“Then I hope to be doing the Rás. I’ll see how the legs are for the Rás, and hopefully get up the road in a breakaway.
“To try and do something in the Rás would be a massive achievement for the year. I'm focusing on a good personal performance while also keeping the goals of the team in mind.
“If a stage came it would be a massive bonus, but just a personal good couple of days on the bike would the main aim for the moment”.
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