UCD-Fitzcycles rode a textbook race in the feature event at the Stamullen GP yesterday. Both Ian Richardson and Eoin Morton made the key selection and using their numerical advantage, managed to come away with a massive win. From left to right above are the aforementioned duo as well as Ali Macaulay (ASEA-Wheelworx), David Watson (North Down CC) and Sean Lacey of Aquablue (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Ian Richardson admitted he shed tears of joy when he won his first ever race as an A1 rider yesterday, Sunday.
The UCD-Fitzcycles man stormed home ahead of a stacked field to claim a brilliant edition of the Stamullen GP.
“It was an incredible feeling to win, particularly given it is my first win in an A1 road race,” he said.
“I let out a massive roar crossing the line and promptly burst into tears of joy. I've been waiting a long time to win a road race so it meant an awful lot to me.”
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On the domestic front it was his best ever result and it’s not an achievement to be taken lightly, given the stellar list of riders who have won it previously.
The race saw the field tackle seven laps of an 18.4-kilometre circuit and on the first lap a sizeable escape went clear.
“We got away passing through Naul for the first of seven laps,” Richardson recalled of how things played out.
“I saw Sean Lacey (Aquablue) and Bryan McCrystal (ASEA-Wheelworx) with a small gap and I knew it would be a good move to go with.
“I jumped across with Ali McCauley (ASEA-Wheelworx) and before I knew it there were 13 of us all riding into the headwind with no concerted chase from the bunch.”
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The value of Eoin Morton bridging across to the break cannot be understated - and you can see how much it meant to him to see Richardson win.
Richardson had further reason to be enthused when he saw his teammates Paul O’Reilly and Eoin Morton had made it across.
Behind, just some of the big names to miss out were national road race champion Damien Shaw (An Post Chainreaction) and his teammate Conor McConvey, recently-crowned Kerry Group Rás Mumhan winner Chris McGlinchey (Chainreaction) as well as Mark Dowling (ASEA-Wheelworx).
“With four laps to go a number of the break started to fade and the attacking starting,” continued the would-be winner.
“Four of us got away; myself, Macaulay, David Watson (North Down CC) and Lacey.”
Crucially, Morton bridged and it was advantage UCD-Fitzcycles as they were now numerically advantaged.
The aforementioned McCrystal evened things up when he roared across while Daire Feeley (iTap) also added some power to the selection.
However, McCrystal faded with a lap to go which gave the initiative back to Morton and Richardson.
“We just kept attacking and counter-attacking the group,” said the latter.
“In the final three kilometres, Feeley got a small gap and I jumped across to him with just over a kilometre to go.
“I attacked on the flyover into Stamullen and managed to hold on for the win but I couldn't have done it without Eoin.
“One of us was going to win from that group, our legs were screaming but we had to keep attacking the group and it paid off.”
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