Darragh Zaidan got clear of the scratch group and rode to victory alone, showing the legs to match his indomitable attitude (Photo with thanks to Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Darragh Zaidan notched a very impressive solo win yesterday at the Trader’s Cup in Dundalk, Co Louth, and he’s hoping it can be the catalyst for a big season on both the road and track.
The 22 year-old Dubliner started with the A2 riders in the 75-kilometre feature race in Leinster on what was the first big day of the new season.
And after being mopped up by the scratch group early on, they set to work in hunting down the A3s up ahead.
At that stage, five riders had gone clear but some aggressive racing from the A1-A2-infused bunch saw that break reeled in.
Advertisement
A fresh escape of up to a dozen riders forged ahead at around the 30km mark.
Zaidan said he was one of the last to bridge across but knew he was on for a result with the legs he had.
UCD CC's Eoin Morton comes home for 2nd place on what was a miserable day for racing in Co Louth (Photo: Sean Rowe)
“I was going well last week but I was outside the results,” said Zaidan of his first outing of the year at the Ned Flanagan Memorial in Co Kildare.
“Today I had good legs so it was a case of using them when it mattered.
“The conditions weren’t easy and the race got broken up a lot.
“But when the main break of 15 or so went clear it was game on. I was the last to get across.”
That break would be later whittled back to six riders, with Eoin Morton (UCD CC), Ken Tobin (BikeWorx), Paul Reilly (Fixx Coffee), David Coughlan (Velo Revolution) and Mark Doyle (Gorey CC) in there.
Zaidan has gone about raising his own funds to compete on the track abroad, having honed his skills on Sundrive Rd in his native Dublin (Photo with thanks to Adamstown CT)
“With about 20k to go there was still lots of attacks,” explained Zaidan of the situation at that point.
“So Morton and Tobin got away with around 16k to go. I got across and countered and did the last 12k or so on my own.
Related News
“I think I had around 30 seconds on Morton (who also crossed the line solo - Ed) by the finish so I’m very happy.”
Zaidan will now turn his attention to a trio of 1.2-ranked races on the Africa Tour in Morocco next Thursday, Friday and Sunday as he aims to build more international racing experience.
“I’m travelling over tomorrow with a UK team I managed to get in touch with,” he said.
Riding in the green of Ireland while still a junior; Zaidan wants that green jersey again and this time on the track (Photo: Stephen McMahon – Sportsfile)
“And I just want to get some hard racing and come back with a bit of form.
“I’ve one goal ticked off with winning an early season race and I have aspirations of riding the Rás.
“But I’m in no serious rush to find a team; it’d be a good experience and if it goes well I’d like to get up on a stage like everyone else.
“But for me personally I’ll be using it to build for an international track season.”
Zaidan is self-funded and is hoping to break into the track squad for the summer and later into the winter.
Zaidan on a racing trip home from France in 2012. His couple of seasons abroad were beset with injury due to some bad crashes. But he has regrouped and has a clear plan.
“I’ve been on the squad before and haven’t had the form to get back in,” he said of the national set-up.
“But I want to force my way in again; either in the team pursuit or challenge Martyn Irvine for an omnium place.
“And later on I want to make the team for the World Cups. That’s the goal.
“Once I have the funds I’ll be able to race more internationally and meet the criteria.
“I want to qualify for World Cups and getting onto the squad is the priority.”
Full results for Trader's Cup races; click here.
Topics
