Ian Richardson savoured his biggest ever win this afternoon in the most dramatic circumstances possible. The race might have been almost 400 kilometres long but he only won it in the last few of those - and by just seven seconds. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Overall winner of the Suir Valley Three-Day, Ian Richardson has said taking the yellow jersey is an achievement that ranks up there with his top 10 overall at the An Post Rás last year.
The UCD-Fitzcycles.ie man started today’s rain-lashed 113-kilometre final stage five seconds down on race leader Stephen Williams (JLT-Condor P/B Mavic).
But with just one categorised climb 75 kilometres from the finish it was always going to be a tricky one to play. Would he go early or leave it until late?
Advertisement
“My plan was to save all my energy for an all-or-nothing attack in the last three or four kilometres,” said the winner afterwards.
“I knew that was all I could really do and hope there’d be a gap in the bunch coming through the technical finish in the last kilometre and I’d get some kind of a gap and the bunch might slow down or something like that….”
It was a long shot and a high-risk strategy he played because not only were the men in black absolutely phenomenal all day in patrolling affairs but those last kilometres were extremely sketchy – as some would discover to their detriment.
Richardson planted himself right on the back of the UK-registered Continental team's train and stayed there all day, not daring to budge.
Many expected him to try something on the Glen of Aherlow climb after 40 kilometres but he saved his matches as those ahead of him burnt theirs.
Ian Richardson (UCD-Fitzcycles.ie) rode a textbook race all weekend; getting in the break Saturday, staying out of danger and taking a few precious seconds last night before his late, late show this afternoon (Photo: Sean Rowe)
“Eoin (Morton) got me to ride the last couple of kilometres this morning and he was telling me what to watch for, looking after me.
“I just had to wait for the right moment; I had other riders coming up to me saying ‘are you going to attack?’ But I was saying ‘just hold on, it’s too early’.
“Even at 8k to go it was too early, I was waiting for JLT to catch the break," he explained of those up the road fighting for stage honours.
"And then usually there’s a bit of a stall and that’s what I was planning; or in the last three kilometres where the rolly terrain means you can get out of sight.
“They were my options; there was no way I’d attack on the big dual carriageway coming into Clonmel where you’re completely in sight and where all the riders can see you.”
Coming in the road the breakaway men Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles, Omagh) and Elliott Porter (Neon Velo) were clutching desperately to a 15-second lead out front.
And JLT-Condor p/b Mavic had things almost under control because Porter started the day 36 seconds off yellow.
Related News
“It was picking my point and when I saw the entire JLT team take the wrong turn and go straight (at the roundabout) I was right on their train, I’d studied the route map, I’d known the route and I attacked straight away.
“There was a switch that went in my head and that was my opportunity to go.
“I went and got close to catching Darnell and Elliott; I had a bit of a carrot because they were only a few seconds ahead.”
Richardson was patient all day, sitting on the back of the JLT-Condor P/B Mavic team train before waiting for his moment to stroke. He is just about visible seven riders back. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
The final kilometres were fast and technical but Richardson had to take every risk.
“I had my tyre pressure down at 85 psi for the corners and coming in to the finish I thought I had a gap,” he recalled.
“I knew the bunch wouldn’t take them hard, I took my time and focused on not coming off my bike in that last 500 metres.
“Even around the last corner my back wheel did slid out but I recovered it.”
One man who came to grief on that last bend was Moore who looked like he’d take the biggest win of his life.
“The wet roads made the corners really bad, Darnell missed out on second because he hit a manhole cover in the last corner and came down," Richardson added.
“But I looked behind, saw the bunch was stalling, nobody wanted to chase so it was just a really lucky, perfect opportunity.
“I kept going, crossed the line and it was only afterwards I found out the yellow had crashed. I put my arm up to celebrate but I could have been wrong.”
He didn’t know how to react in the immediate aftermath but he was right to savour it because Williams never got back on and he lost the race.
Richardson hailed the runner-up and his team, but his own men deserve just as much credit.
“They’d a very strong team, I still would have had a go if they hadn’t gone the wrong way," he said of the race plan he had in his mind and which he stuck to.
“I might have got away, I might not have but with a 5-second gap I needed a bit of luck, I needed something to go my way. They made a mistake and I pounced on it.
“To my own team, they did great work all weekend, they looked after me the whole time. We lost Eoin (Morton) and Ben (Delaney) to that big crash before the climb but this is for them as well.
“It’s definitely up there with the Rás GC result. I was emotional after that and I always am after a win like this.”
Topics
