"Dunbar was really strong but I was confident of taking care of him and winning a big one"

Damien Shaw leads teenager Eddie Dunbar on his way to the famed Shay Elliott Memorial trophy in Co Wicklow this afternoon (Photo: Brendan Slattery)

By Brian Canty

Damien Shaw believes his win at the Shay Elliott Memorial in Co Wicklow is on a par with his bronze medal from the National Road Race Championships last year.

The Aquablue man was first across the line today in one of the most storied one-day races on the Irish calendar, beating up and coming Irish junior Eddie Dunbar (O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk CC) after the duo had dropped everyone else.

Shaw said the victory made up for the frustration of last weekend’s Kerry Group Rás Mumhan.

“I said at the start of the year I wanted to win stuff that I hadn’t won before,” he said.

“I’ve been close before but it’s brilliant to get one of the big ones.”

Victory on the Bray Wheelers promoted event takes his tally to four for 2014; the Lacey Cup in February, the Cycleways Cup in March and the Visit Nenagh Classic a fortnight ago.

And he did it today with a typically swashbuckling display, making the day’s break of 12 riders before putting the power down on the climb of Glenmalure after around 100 kilometres, with only junior Dunbar able to stay with him to the finish.

“It was strange; the break went away early inside three kilometres I think. There was a split in the field and a lot of the main guys missed it. UCD missed it completely but we had Robin and Dylan who made it.

“Everyone was looking around thinking it would stay away for the prime but the gap went to a minute. UCD tried to bring it back but it was gone.

“I missed it myself but got in a chase group and we got to within 20 seconds. So when I saw my chance I jumped and got across.

“But the likes of David McCann, Fraser Duncan and Ryan Sherlock were in that chase group and they never bridged. Danny Bruton (AC Bisontine) and Greg Swinand (UCD CC) eventually got on but I was one of the last to get up there.

“The break then went to four minutes and anyone who was in the top 10 or 12 at the end made that break; there were a lot of young lads there I hardly knew.

“All the attention was on Dunbar but (Stephen) Shanahan rode well," said Shaw of the juniors in the breakaway.

Also in that group, among others, were Marc Potts (Omagh Wheelers) and Ali MacAuley of Cycling Ulster, with the latter still looking for a team for the An Post Rás.

"We all rode well and it was surprising to see a break like that work," noted the eventual winner of the decisive escape.

Shaw powering his way to victory on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Co Wicklow (Photo: Brendan Slattery)

The gap went out to over two minutes as the race approached the 80 kilometre mark, and with many of the main teams up front, it spelled the end for the bunch behind, which numbered over 100.

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Shaw said as they descended into the ‘Meeting of the Waters’ the rain poured down.

“We were tapping through nicely there and really pulled out the gap and with our lads and UCD controlling it behind it was game over for the chase.

“Everyone in the move was there at the base of Glenmalure, there was may be a bit of jumping around before it.

“But once it came to the climb it was obvious Eddie (Dunbar) was in good form. He was first up the steep bits, some guys were looking around and I saw a chance. We were both willing to ride so I went with him and had about a minute going over the top.

Shaw said Dunbar did his share of work and rode honestly with up despite the fact he is a junior rider.

“It’s great that he’s so aggressive, it’s brilliant to see,” he said the Kanturk 17-year-old.

“I was confident of taking care of him though, especially with the distance. You have to bear in mind him doing that distance is like us doing 200k; 50 per cent over his usual distance.

“So coming in for the line I went with about a kilometre to go. I was a little worried about him because I was stuck in the 14 sprocket and he was tearing the legs off me in places. But I was glad he held on for second after such a ballsy move.”

Shaw said he feels in great form and is ready for the Tour of Ulster next weekend.

“I have great form, I just didn’t get to show last week, but I know I’m in good shape and when you’re in good shape you can get results.”

While he failed to make an impression last weekend in trying to defend his Rás Mumhan title, he sounded like that fact was not weighing too heavy on his mind.

“Everyone says I must have been disappointed with last weekend, but you can’t control some things. No matter how much you put in you can’t get away from 20 lads that want to follow you.

“Some guys were sacrificing their own races to stop me racing on Saturday and that’s what got me the most. I didn’t pull a result, that’s okay with me, but some people put all their eggs into following me. There are 200 riders in the race; why?

“The standard is set so high for us, and we set it ourselves. You can’t keep delivering. The more you deliver the more pressure comes on you.

You could go three months without a win now and it will be well documented. But what have we not won? Everything worth winning. Has it been done before?”