The sprint that decided the nationals masters 40 race today took the two men in question to the absolute limit. Greg Swinand (Aquablue) hasn't the strength to lift his head as Alan Bingham (Cuchulainn CC) comes up short by the tiniest of margins. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Greg Swinand took his second national masters 40 title yesterday afternoon by the narrowest of margins, edging the equally impressive Alan Bingham (Cuchulainn CC) by a few inches after a real war of attrition.
The Aquablue man has paid a heavy price in the past for going ‘all-in’ too early but opting for a more patient approach this year paid a rich dividend.
He wasn’t in the early break of five that later got trimmed to four but managed to infiltrate an eight-man chase group that would later bridge to the leading riders.
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With teammate John Horgan for company, they used their numerical advantage very well.
“I knew that was it; there were good guys with us and good guys up ahead and the gap went out,” Swinand said of the key move he got into.
“It was about trying to keep the gap to the leaders close and get everyone working but up ahead.
"John Hodge (Dungarvan CC), Joe Fenlon (Strata3-Velorevolution) and Neil Delahaye (ASEA-Wheelworx) crashed out of the break and two of them got back into our chase group.”
That gave the chasers some impetus and they eventually made the juncture.
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“A lot of it is luck but tactics and luck played their part today; I could have ended up killing myself getting across to that break and then crashing.
“So with a lap to go, one the very narrow up and down road there was a tailwind with lot of attacks.
“I attacked very hard and got a gap but then it came back and Bingham attacked, he got a gap and it came back too.
“John Horgan attacked and he was brought back but it gave me some rest.”
With the bunch closing and the leaders “messing”, Swinand knew it was now or never.
“At 10k to go it was all jumping and coming back, guys just trying to pick the right move but Radford got out and he was the first they didn’t bring back.
“Then I got to him, Bingham came with me and from there with 5k to go we rode very hard.
“I went over the hills as hard as I could, Bingham was dying; but he did what he could," he added, with Radford going back to the group behind.
“So coming into the last 300 metres I jumped him, gapped him and coming into 250 to go I had four bike lengths, I went all-out, but he got on me.
“With 200 to go he was on me, at 150 to go it was a full-on sprint and he comes by me and I just think ‘fuck I’ve lost again’ and then, somehow, I kicked again and came right by him with a quarter of a wheel to spare.”
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