Joseph Breheny said he was seeing stars going over the top of the Glenmalure climb but he rallied himself. And with the help of Bryan McCrystal and Sean McKenna, who caught him, he got back on level terms with the breakaway (Photo courtesy of UCD CC)
By Brian Canty
Joseph Breheny’s fourth place finish at the Shay Elliott yesterday might have surprised some but the UCD CC man’s effort was a reward for monk-like dedication since last November.
He said he has absolutely no regrets about not finishing even higher and is now counting down the days to his first An Post Rás which starts on Sunday in Dunboyne, Co Meath.
“This is definitely up there as one of my best results so far,” he said of yesterday's 140k sufferfest.
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“I think I rode a smart race and gave it everything. I could have possibly gotten third but I think I just ran out of road.
Breheny, second from right, on his way to winning the sprint for 4th place, with runner-up Ali Macaulay and Sean McKenna, who came home third, just ahead of this group (Photo: Sean Rowe)
“Then again, I could definitely have ended up ninth given the calibre of riders there at the finish.”
Aside from Ali Macaulay of Team ASEA, who took off on his own to claim second, the remnants of the breakaway came to the line together.
And Breheny, whose last big result was a stage of Rás Dun na nGall last year, wanted to keep the group as one to give himself a shot at third.
“Draggy sprints are finishes that really suit me and I knew coming to the line in a small group like that I’d have a good chance,” he said.
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Competing in the stage 1 time trial at the Tour of Ulster the weekend before last (Photo: Toby Watson)
“(Sean) McKenna and (Sean) Lacey kept attacking and counter-attacking with (Bryan) McCrystal throwing in a few himself but I did everything I could to keep the group together in the last few kilometres.”
He said Paul ‘Squeak’ O’Reilly (Fixx Coffee Rouleurs) and (Stephen) Murray (Strata3-VeloRevolution) also closed down many of the late moves.
“I came from fifth man at 200m to take second in the sprint for third so I really am delighted to end up fourth behind three big names in Irish cycling,” he said of Irvine, Macaulay and McKenna.”
He’ll start his debut Rás this weekend with the intention of just making it to the finish a week later, but his confidence has been buoyed at exactly the right time.
Winning the opening stage and taking the first yellow at Rás Dhun na nGall (Photo: Marian Lamb – Cycling Ulster)
“This will be my first one so I’m not really sure what to expect,” he said hesitantly.
“The pace and style of racing is something I probably won’t be used to but I’m excited to be doing it.
“The longest stage race I’ve done is Rás Mumhan and I did okay in that this year so hopefully the Rás will go down in a similar way.
“I’m just going to be delighted if I make it to Skerries in one piece. But given the result in the Elliott hopefully I’ll have good form and be able to put in a good performance.”
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