Michael Aherne's form has been coming in recent weeks and a seventh in the Cycle Sports GP in Dungarvan a fortnight ago set him up nicely for yesterday's win in the Connor Coombes Memorial in Drogheda. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Michael Aherne was a popular winner of the Connor-Coombes Memorial promoted by Drogheda Wheelers yesterday.
It was the Dungarvan CC man's first win in the A1 category and few can disagree he played his cards to absolute perfection over the course of the nine-lap, 126-kilometre race.
He crossed the line utterly spent after edging young Aaron Swan (Ballymoney CC) in a two-up sprint after jumping clear of a group of some 13 riders.
Aherne missed the initial break of the day which was a 10-man move.
Though the bunch actually rode honestly in pursuit, Aherne felt that the race was over when they trailed by over a minute.
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“I thought that was it but the bunch kept riding,” he said.
“Strata3-VeloRevolution were riding on the front and because of that, it never got to the stage where the break was really gone.
“As well, the circuit meant they never really got out of sight and after five laps the gap started to come down and it got a bit more active.
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“Lads were attacking and there were different things were going on and a couple of us broke away to mark a few moves and we worked up and over.”
The group up ahead began to fragment with Simon Ryan (Mego RAW Cycles) and Mark Reilly (ASEA-Wheelworx) two of those who managed to stay out front.
“Five of us got across to make eight with two laps left but we never got organised;” continued Aherne.
“We were looking at them and they were looking at us and then another five came across, Ciarán Power and a few more, so it was 13 up front and I was going ‘Jesus, this going go anywhere’.”
With that, he took matters into his own hands.
“We turned into a tailwind in the last two kilometres, my legs were crampy but 1,500 metres from the line it really stalled.
“Aaron Swan jumped, I didn’t feel I had the legs for a full-on bunch sprint so I jumped after him and nobody followed.
“I was on his wheel at 600m to go, he was flicking the elbow and I was saying ‘forget about it’.
“I just went around him, I thought I’d gone too early and he’d get back on the wheel again but luckily he didn’t and I was as shocked as anyone crossing the line.
“Any result is hard to get, even minor placings you could kill yourself for and get nothing so it was a great feeling to win. I was second last year in Camross and I won an A2 race before but there’s nothing easy at this level.”
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