Wexford's Simon Lambert (right) hits the line just ahead of Emyvale's Paddy McKenna to take gold in the National A3 Road Race Championships; his first win after seven years racing (Photo: Dave Coleman - Dc Images)
By Brian Canty
Simon Lambert made it a day to remember for Wexford Wheelers yesterday, taking the National A3 Road Race Championships on the same day his young team mate Seamus Sinnott made his way into the early break in the junior race and was one of the last men standing from it.
However, while recent illness and perhaps early over-exertion saw the talented Sinnott fade in the second half of the race, Lambert kept his powder dry in the A3 contest and was quickest in the mass sprint to the line that decided the destination of the medals.
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“I’m over the moon,” a delighted Lambert said, adding while work commitments meant he had raced in only local club events of late, he felt his form was improving in the build up to yesterday’s showdown in Blarney, Co Cork.
“It’s a bit awkward for me to try and get the training in and recover because I work in a pub. But I’ve been going strong enough in the local league races in Wexford and I knew my form was coming and the course suited me.”
He said he regards himself as being stronger on the climbs than on the flat or sprinting, but with yesterday’s testing course featuring two climbs each lap, including at the finish, he felt he had a chance.
“I knew if I kept my head down and watched how the race was going and how things were panning out that it would go well for me so I was quietly confident.
“A break of four went away relatively early but I just thought the numbers weren’t in it to make it work. But they only came back on the last lap.
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With a regrouping having occurred coming into the finishing climb, Lambert made sure to hold his place near the front, but did not go too early.
“A Limerick guy really lined it out,” he said of the final kilometre.
“I was about third or fourth wheel and we just kept passing fellas on the road and I was just making sure they were all A3 riders.
“Then I realised there were no more ahead of us because I could see the lead car. The Limerick guy kept the power down and everyone stalled.
“I just knew if I opened up the sprint I had the beating of the two lads with me. I attacked just after the golf course around 400 metres to go, got a jump on them.
“I could hear them coming back so I had to keep it going and keep the head down and thank God, I did,” he said of just holding off Emyvale’s Paddy McKenna who took silver and Newry’s Declan Reid who took bronze.
“A few years ago I raced here as an A4 and I was beaten for stalling before the line. I’m seven years racing and that’s my first win. I picked the right day for it didn’t I?”
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