“I do shorter efforts during the winter; I don't have the time for endurance training"

Jason Prendergast has gotten off to a great start as an U23, taking two wins and feeling confident with some big goals ahead. Seen here in action the weekend before last in Rás Maigh Eo (Photo: Paweł Sadowski of www.shutterstills.com)

Leaving Cert student Jason Prendergast has given himself a welcome confidence boost by winning Saturday’s Markiviecz Cup in Sligo, his second victory of the season.

The 18-year-old, who transferred from Cunga CC to the new Liquidworx-Fitscience team in the winter, blitzed the field in the combined A2-A3-A4 race at the weekend to add to his win in the time trial at Rás Maigh Eo a week previously.

From Louisburgh, Co Mayo, he has set himself a target of more wins this season, believing he can medal at the U23 National Championships, despite being in his first year at the grade.

But before all that he says the small matter of his state exams in June comes first.

“I’m delighted to get the second win of the year,” he said.

“I was surprised to get it because I haven’t done much training on account of the Leaving Cert. But I suppose it’s more about how you train, and how you use your time, and less about the miles maybe.

“I do shorter efforts during the winter because I can’t do the endurance with time constraints and it helped me on Saturday.

“I knew I was coming into good form and it was just about showing that in the race and blitzing it as much as I could. I knew I could win it if I got away from the A2s and A3s.

“I was watched a lot, probably because I was in the team kit. But once we caught the A3s I went straight through them and caught the A4s on my own and went straight through them to take the win.”

Saturday’s race was a handicapped affair with the A3s given a two minute head start on the scratch bunch of A2s. The A4s had a gap of five minutes on the A3s, meaning Prendergast had his work cut out.

“I wouldn’t be expecting many wins early on but it’s great to get them and I feel in better shape this year than I was last year at this time, so I’m hoping for more.”

Yesterday’s Des Hanlon Memorial was a real shock to the system, given the distance and the quality field but he believes he is better for it.

“It was hard to recover from Saturday, but it was about getting the miles into my legs and just getting used to racing with the big lads,” he said of riding Carlow the day after winning in Sligo.

“It was a great experience and good to get Paddy (Clarke) up there. It was great for the team to get a few lads up there around the top 10 and a great result for the team.

“The Leaving Cert will take a lot of my time but I’d be hopeful of good results in the VisitNenagh Classic. And if I’m riding Rás Mumhan I hope to have a good ride there and the Tour of Connacht next weekend; I’d like to win there as well.

“After the Leaving I’ll be looking to the nationals because I think I can medal there, to be honest. I know it’s at U23 level but I know all the lads there and they’re definitely beatable, it’s just about how we go about doing that."

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However, he said the Suir Valley Three Day would perhaps be his biggest aim for this year.

"I was happy last year, it’s a race that suits me; the stages aren’t too long and they’re tough.

“Only for the puncture last year I had on the final climb with two or three kilometres to go… I was feeling good, I was with the front group and I would have moved into the top 10 overall.

“But when it happened it was the worst time. I had to wait a minute for a wheel and that was the end of my ambitions. But the team is great and I know they’ll support me if I’m going well. That goes for whoever is going well.

“They’re a solid team and it’s not just one guy who can win races, there’s a few of them there. We’re as happy if one guy gets up, as we’d be if we won ourselves.

“It’s a great atmosphere and there’s a great buzz. Two wins in three races; it’s about pushing on now and getting up to A1.”