"It was a super feeling; a monkey off the back as much as anything"

Adam Stenson (16) took a great win in Clonard this afternoon to signal his intent for the rest of the season (Photo:www.jimmymcelroy.com – follow Jimmy on Facebook and Twitter)

By Brian Canty

Though not yet 17 years old, Adam Stenson served notice of his intentions for the season ahead with a great win from a five-man breakaway in the A3 category race at Rás Naomh Finian in Clonard this afternoon.

The NRPT-Magnet.ie rider edged Seamus Sinnott (Wexford Wheelers) and Derek Byrne (Laois CC) at the end of the 74-kilometre event.

The result follows a similarly strong performance at the Cycleways Cup in Navan last weekend where he and teammate Aaron Swan notched a memorable 1-2.

Today, Stenson was in the break almost from the drop of the flag. “The wind going out was coming from the left so it was hard,” he explained.

Stenson and Swan taking a 1-2 in the A3 race in Navan last Sunday at the Cycleways Cup (Photo: Sean Rowe)

“Seamus (Sinnott) and myself went away about a kilometre in and we were joined by Martin McNamara (Lucan CRC), Sean Bracken (Usher IRC) and a Laois rider (Byrne) after about 20k.”

That proved the decisive move – but meant a hard shift for all present.

“It took a while to get the gap but we rolled well together," said Stenson of the journey to the turn in Kilbeggan

"And at the roundabout before turning back we’d 1:15 so we stuck the boot down and brought it up to 1:20."

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Their lead would be trimmed to 55 seconds and coming to the line it would be less than half that as the breakaway men stopped co-operating.

Riding for the FBD Talent Team 2020 last year as an U16 rider; Stenson win a kermesse in Belgium with the squad.

“It was cat and mouse for the last 5km; no one wanted to do anything but we held it out by about 20 seconds on the line.

“Myself and Sinnott were watching each other because I knew he’d probably be my main competitor in the sprint.

“I was worried about Bracken jumping off the front with a kilometre or two to go because I didn’t think he’d be up for the sprint.

“But I jumped and just managed to hold them off. It was a super feeling, a monkey off the back as much as anything else.”

Stenson plans to train next weekend as opposed to racing so he will be ready for his next big target; the Des Hanlon Memorial in Carlow on March 21^st.