In his first race with An Post-Chainreaction, Eoin McCarthy spent almost 1½ hours out front alone and believes "nothing ventured, nothing gained".
By Brian Canty
Eoin McCarthy yesterday had a day he is unlikely to forget when he rode his debut race with An Post Chainreaction at the UCI 1.1 ranked GP La Marseille in France.
It was a testing season opener; 140 lung busting kilometres featuring five climbs and some savage head and crosswinds against some of the sport’s elite.
But the young Corkman acquitted himself very well; going clear of the bunch in an effort to bridge to the day’s five-man move.
Little did McCarthy know, however, that his team mate Conor Dunne was already up the road and he could have spared himself.
McCarthy in the green of Ireland. He has made constant progress since departing the home sod for Europe and now with An Post-Chainreaction he has a fantastic opportunity.
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“After about 30 minutes there was a stall, and I didn't know we'd anyone in the break so I just rolled off the front," he explained.
“At the beginning it was unintentional. I was just eating a gel at the front, went around a corner and had a gap.
“I just rode steady, didn't kill myself and watched my heart-rate.
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"I was hoping someone might join me and when I saw the first time check and realised Conor had made the break, I didn't know what to do!
“I never knew he was in front. I didn't really want to sit up and go back to the peloton, it would have been embarrassing.
McCarthy did not exactly plan to get clear in the way he did, but it was great to see the young Cork man not being intimidated by his surroundings in his first race at this level.
“So I kept riding steady and got over some of the harder climbs at my own pace. I spent about an hour and a half on my own."
He would tuck himself into the belly of the bunch for as long as he could thereafter, conserving what remaining energy he had.
However, he became distanced on the final drag before the long sweeping descent down into the finish line in Marseille.
“When I got caught we started another hard climb within a few kilometres and about halfway up I blew my lights.
“Lesson learnt for the future; but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
“I got my name on the radio if nothing else. I'll have a good story to tell about my first race at this level."
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