Jake Gray had just two teammates for help in yesterday's final stage of the Newry Three-Day but that was more than enough as they safeguarded the yellow jersey all the way to the finish line (Photo with thanks to Marcus Cromie)
By Brian Canty
Jake Gray enhanced his growing reputation with a resounding win in the Newry Three-Day yesterday; the Cookstown man making it back-to-back wins in the race having also won in 2015.
Riding for the NRPT-Magnet.ie team, Gray took the yellow jersey on Saturday following a brilliant solo victory. In doing so he also claimed the points, mountains and best junior jerseys.
And with the help of his two teammates Cameron McIntyre and Marc Heaney he preserved all four jerseys yesterday.
Gray showed immense maturity in how he controlled the race, allowing a break get a gap of two minutes before going to the front and slowly pulling the group back.
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Some of those in the large escape of around a dozen were Alan Bingham (Cuchulainn CC), Stevie McKenna (Omagh Wheelers), James Ambrose (North Down) and Aureliusz Klus (Stamullen), with the latter a big threat as he started 25 seconds down on GC.
Gray's bounty from the weekend; yellow, points, climbers' and best junior jerseys. And his NRPT-Magnet.ie also won the team prize.
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“I just stayed cool in the bunch, the gap went out to two minutes but I knew their legs would fall off,” said Irish junior international Gray.
“We rode up the last two climbs hard (at Castlewellan and Ratfriland) and got the gap down to 50 seconds but it went out to 1’ 30” before we started a proper chase.
“I just saved my energy for the first 50 miles or so,” he added of the chase.
“We went to the front with 30 miles to go and had the break back within 10 miles. Then I just covered moves all the way to the finish line.”
Nick Clayton (Halesowen Academy) nipped off the front to take the stage win but 14 seconds behind him in fourth was Gray.
“The top few riders on GC were with me in the bunch and I asked them to help with the chase but they didn't want to so it was just me, Marc and Cameron.
“The move was dangerous but we stayed calm as we knew we were the three strongest in the race and could bring it back.
“I’m happy with the form and that I could still get up for fourth on the stage after all the riding on the front.”
Gray will now turn his attention to the Junior Tour of Ireland which starts tomorrow week and he will most likely spearhead the Irish challenge.
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