While relatively new to the sport of cycling after careers in both soccer and triathlon, Bryan McCrystal appreciates the significance of winning a race like the Des Hanlon Memorial, especially in the manner he did (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
By Brian Canty
Bryan McCrystal has said winning the Des Hanlon Memorial classic is something he had "eye-balled" for four years, ever since he took up the sport of cycling having come to it when a promising soccer career was cut short by injury and he switched from triathlon.
The former Cuchulainn CC rider blitzed the field yesterday in Carlow, going from the gun and staying at the front until the finish line.
He eventually broke the tape over a minute before Paidi O'Brien (Osbourne Meats-Edge Sports) beat Ryan Sherlock (Unattached) in the sprint that settled 2nd and 3rd.
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It was more by design than accident that McCrystal won in the manner he did.
"The plan was to get in the early moves and to make sure Aquablue were well represented,” he said.
It was a schedule that worked almost from the gun, with McCrystal getting into the very early breakaway alongside team mates Keith Gater and Olan Barrett, who would soon puncture out of the move.
Alongside them were some very strong riders including: Cycling Ulster’s Marc Potts and Mark Buchanan, Paddy Clarke (Liquidworx-Fitscience), Andrew Stanley (Dublin University, Trinity), Anthony Walsh, Sean McKenna and Colm Cassidy (all UCD CC), and Tim O’Regan (DID Dunboyne).
“We worked well, tapped through," said McCrystal of the initial cooperation.
But as the race wore on, the Dundalk man felt he needed to take matters into his own hands as a chase group behind had formed with some real power in it.
"You could see that people were tiring in the break on the second lap, so I attacked in the middle of the climb; the one up to the forest,” McCrystal said of the move that brought Paddy Clarke and Anthony Walsh clear with him.
“The next time around I attacked again and Paddy came with me and we rode together up the climbs. I attacked him up the top of the climb the last time and got away and time-trialled home for the last 20k."
While the Hanlon is a race dreaded by many, the victor’s attitude to such a massive test is completely different.
"I know my strengths, this course plays into my hands, it's long and it's hard,” he said after the win yesterday.
“Long races suit me because I've a good endurance from my triathlon background but I've got sharper legs now too. It's great to get my name on the trophy.
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"About four years ago when I started racing, Ciaran Power wrote a three-month plan for me and I saw him on the start-line today.
“I eye-balled this race about four years ago, to do well. But I never even made it to the start-line. So it's good to get the win eventually here.”
While never caught by anyone from behind, he said he was very much aware of the danger posed by some of the quality riders who made serious efforts to get back on terms in the last hour of racing.
"We were given two minute or two and a half minute time gaps and it was staying like that. I was concerned about the group behind but my legs were really good today, really good.
“I knew if I got up the road I'd be okay, or if something came across I could go with it. I kind of just made the decision; put the head down and just went for it.
"I've worked hard for this, but joining Aquablue has been great for me,” he said, singling out the team’s manager Timmy Barry for special mention.
“Timmy and all the lads, they're brilliant. We're in touch with each other all the time and I've learnt an awful lot in a short space of time.
“I'm on the pilot for the tandem in the Cycling Ireland (paracyling programme). We leave for Mexico on Wednesday and Neil Delahaye has been a really good help. He's been coaching me and it's been great.
"In cycling, everyone wants to win and I'm no different. I've had the legs ripped off me plenty times but I'm proud of the lads and proud of myself how I rode. I'm thankful for all the support the team has given me."
He shrugged his shoulders at the suggestion such a performance would make him one of the most marked riders in the country from now on.
"Talk to Damien (Shaw) about that,” he said referring to his team mate who was hotly tipped but was ruled out by an emergency work commitment with his fire fighting job.
“He got a big write-up coming into the race and I looked at it and the write-up nearly put him out of contention, it was nearly not fair to say that,” he added in reference to stickybottle’s preview of the race that heavily tipped the Mullingar man.
“A write-up can change the race before it starts but if you're winning races you have to accept that that’s how it's going to be, and bring it on.”
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