Matthew Doyle on the top step of the podium in Dadizele, Belgium (Photo: Rik Masil)
Matthew Doyle (Foyle CC) may be just weeks in Belgium but that has not stopped him finding his feet quickly; with the Irish junior rider taking the first win of his foreign racing stint today, Wednesday.
Doyle is currently in Belgium with fellow Irish rider Daniel Stewart (Antrim East Audi), guesting with Rik Masil as part of the Belgian Project; a programme run by Irish-based Belgian Dany Blondeel to help young Irish riders find racing opportunities abroad.
The two riders have swapped their respective home club colours for that of their guest club Team Gaverzicht-Matexi and have been riding kermesse’s close to their base in Beitem in recent weeks.
While both have ridden very aggressively and have placed in the top ten in the junior races, Doyle enjoyed a breakthrough performance today at a kermesse in Dadizele, west Flanders.
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“It was my fifth race in Belgium and I was determined to beat my best result of tenth over the past few weeks,” Doyle told stickybottle.
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He added the first portion of the race was frantic as riders tried to get away to claim the primes, including his fellow countryman Stewart. However, with 65km remaining it all came together again.
“I had a plan from the start to sit in and go on the 3rd last lap so I just sat in the bunch keeping the powder dry and on the fourth last lap I worked my way to the front of the bunch. When the third last lap came around the tempo was high until the home straight so I went and four others followed.”
He said while everyone was pulling, the escape’s gap never went over ten seconds.
“On the last lap with about 1km to go there was an attack from one of the American riders but we all hopped onto his wheel. Then I decided to have a go, thinking to myself: ‘What have I done?’ I just kept going and with 500m to go I had a good gap and managed to keep it until the line.”
Doyle said he was delighted with his win and with how the racing had gone so far, adding he felt both he and Stewart have given a good account of themselves and have been aggressive in recent weeks.
He also said he was pleased to have taken a win, hopeful it could act as a thank you for those people in Ireland and Belgian who had made his and Stewart’s trip possible.
Steeaaddyyyyyyyyy :)
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