Declan Hanrahan of Carrick Wheelers wins the Masters' 50 race at the National Championships. But the man he was with, John Madden of Dig Deep Coaching, has lashed out at him (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)
By Brian Canty
Runner-up in last Saturday's Masters' 50 event at National Road Race Championships, John Madden has lashed out at the winner of the race.
Declan Hanrahan (Carrick Wheelers) claimed the title but Madden (Dig Deep Coaching) was left incensed afterwards.
He felt Hanrahan broke the terms of an agreement that Madden said both men came to on the road.
Madden said he agreed to do the work on the front of the two-man winning move on the basis that Hanrahan would not sprint at the finish.
The new champion denies there was any agreement and we will publish an interview with him shortly.
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He says Madden was stronger than him in the latter stages and kept attacking him.
He explained his game plan was to get to the line with Madden, where he knew he would beat him sprinting.
He insisted he was honest with Madden in telling him he was not going to work, saying he was confident of winning in a sprint even if they were caught by the group behind.
And Hanrahan said Madden appeared to have misunderstood the nature of the conversation.
Hanrahan added he had been in breakaways for large parts of the race and that if he worked with the fresher Madden he would have been vulnerable to attack after a turn on the front.
But such was Madden's disgust that he told stickybottle he was unsure if he would continue road racing.
He said he may opt to go back to time trials where "it's more honest and you won't get beaten by underhand tactics".
"I don't want it to seem like sour grapes or me being a sore loser,” he said.
“But I felt a line was crossed in terms of a gentleman's agreement on the road," explained Madden, clearly upset by what he says unfolded.
"I bridged across to a group of riders and I attacked,” he explained of the action in the closing stages of the race; the first time the veterans’ category had been split into three aged-related races.
"Declan held my wheel and it was just us. I attacked him a couple of times but he stayed on my wheel.
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"I was screaming at him to work but he refused; so much so that two more bridged across and we sat up.
"I attacked again with Declan on my wheel and that's when we had the conversation.
"I asked him would he work and he said he couldn't at this pace. So I said: 'If you can't work you'll not contest the sprint?' And he said 'Okay'.
"I rode for two miles on the front and never looked for help, even into a headwind.
"I held off the bunch but coming up to the last corner I said: 'You'll not go back on your word. I need two bike lengths going into the last corner'. But he said nothing.
"I started to smell a rat and before I could react he was up the inside and the rest is history. I was in total disgust crossing the line.
“And then on the podium I told him, 'you shouldn't have said you weren't going to contest the sprint'. And he said he didn't say that.
"I've been in this position before where I couldn't do any work and we had the conversation and I agreed not to contest the sprint because I could not work at the pace the guy was setting.
"I'm probably going to be seen by many as a fool and I've been duped.
"Declan hasn't broken any rules but there's an etiquette. I wish I'd been in a bigger gear, or in the drops.
"Turning that corner I knew it was coming but I didn't expect to get jumped.
“The look of disbelief on my face crossing the line; I just couldn't believe it.
"I never won the nationals and it’s been a thorn in my side. I was so looking forward to getting my first Irish title and that's why it's so difficult to swallow.
"It's made me think about road racing and whether I want to do it.
“And I'm not sure I want to continue road racing in a sport where people will shaft you any chance they get.
"It does make me feel angry and upset and I'm trying to let it go but with it being the nationals, it's hard."
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