Bryan McCrystal crosses the line on stage 4 of the An Post Rás after being winded for 10 minutes out the road when he hit a high kerb full force. After winning in Kildare on Saturday, he looks to be back on track for the National Road Championships later this week (Photo: George Doyle)
By Brian Canty
Bryan McCrystal’s last race before his win at the Paddy Flanagan Memorial in Kildare on Saturday was the An Post Rás; a key season goal that did not go the way he hoped.
The Louth man crashed very hard on stage 4 into Charleville riding for his club team Aquablue. And though he picked himself up, limped to the finish and even started the next day; the pain in his side was too much and he abandoned with a heavy heart.
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A month has passed since then and after a good block of training, still suffering from some pain, he is firmly back on track now.
His next goal is a good ride in the elite men’s race at the National Road Championships this Sunday. But before that he will ride the time trial title race on Thursday as pilot to James Browne on the tandem in the paracycling test.
He says while not dwelling on the negatives, his memories of the Rás crash are still fresh in his mind.
“I remember the road narrowing to go left,” he recalled.
“There was a motorbike in front of me; I bounced off a lump of tarmac. And there was a massive kerb and I think I managed to get the front wheel over it but lost control of the bike and my whole side hit the kerb. There wasn’t a scratch on the bike.
“I did a lot of damage to my ribs and all down my side. Sleeping, coughing, breathing and sneezing were so hard. But the last week it’s been better.
McCrystal (left) winning the final stage of the Tour of Ulster early last month. Beside him is team mate Damien Shaw who was taking the overall win. Both are fancied to do well in the elite race at the National Road Championships in Mullingar on Sunday, with Shaw having finished 3rd to Matt Brammeier and Philip Lavery last year in Carlingford (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)
“I couldn’t breathe for 10 minutes when I crashed. If I was a horse they’d have put me down. I was in ribbons; it was a severe winding. It was like my inside caved in.
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“But I got up, sheepishly, and got to the finish. I was in the hospital with Timmy (Barry, manager) until 2am that morning, my race was over,” he said of any ambitions of targeting the general classification.
“Once I saw nothing was broken I rode on to the finish; probably pure adrenaline. I tried to ride day five but I couldn’t. The decision to quit was made for me.”
While there are still plenty of goals ahead and he enjoyed his first post-Rás win in Kildare on Saturday, he says he was bitterly disappointed to be forced out of the race.
“Your whole season is geared towards the Rás and then it ends and you’ve nothing out of it. I took a bit of rest and had a lot of treatment after the crash; put in seven to 10 days good training because I need to know where I’m at for next weekend.”
Judging by Saturday’s ride he’s in good shape for the nationals; winning in Kildare the hard way though eventually getting clear on his own for victory.
“I knew it was going to be tough, there were plenty lads to watch,” he said.
“I was away early on with Greg (Swinand), Javan (Nulty), Keith (Gater, teammate) and a chase group came across. Then there was the usual messing with guys watching.
“Greg and Keith slipped away and the break just stopped. A lot were just watching and there was no way I was going to ride with a man up the road.
“Then lads started attacking so I had to do a lot of following. Mark (Dowling) and Javan were two I really had to watch. But then I saw lads were tiring and got out on my own and got across to the lads.”
The leaders were almost a minute up the road but McCrsytal put the head down and worked his way across.
“I saw Greg look around and he saw me coming so he attacked, but I managed to close it. I was in time-trial mode; keeping an eye on the power and I just closed it.
“We rode well the last few laps and I suppose there was a bit of 1-2ing from me and Keith and we had the numbers.”
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