Lacey Cup win for Matteo Cigala: The Italian said even though he has only raced in Ireland for four years, he knew how deeply missed Gaybo Howard would be. He dedicated his victory to him.
Matteo Cigala Lacey Cup tribute to Gaybo Howard
Matteo Cigala (Viner-Caremark–Pactimo) has dedicated his victory in yesterday’s Lacey Cup to Irish cycling stalwart Gaybo Howard.
The former Italian U23 international said when he moved to Ireland and began racing here four years ago; Gaybo was immediately a person whose passion for the sport stood out.
- Coaching: How to be a better sprinter, by fastman Matteo Cigala
- 5 photos brilliantly capture how Cigala lunge won Ballivor GP
“In north Co Dublin and Meath where I live, he really was one of the main guys for the sport of cycling,” he told stickybottle.
“If you see the pictures of the race today, I put my hands up like that to remember him,” Cigala said of gesturing skywards.
Advertisement
When Gaybo was killed, in a farming accident, near his home in Stamullen last month Cigala was in Italy. And so he wanted to pay tribute to him by winning the Lacey Cup and saluting him.
“I am around in Irish cycling four years. But even I know he will be missed," he said.
"I wanted to win this race and do a celebration in that way for him. This win is for Gabriel; we're really going to miss him. That is for sure.”
Having finished atop the A1 Cycling Ireland rankings last year, Cigala got out of the traps early yesterday.
Starting in the A1 group, which was chasing separate A2 and A3 groups, Cigala attacked about 5km into the contest.
He was out front alone for a period before being joined by four others within 10km. Once they got to the first climb, Gleann na nGealt, they caught the A2s and then quickly after that also the A3s.
As the racing moved onto the coast road to begin the journey back towards the finish, the riders encountered a strong headwind.
Feeling aggressive, Cigala shot off the front, this time with Paul Kennedy. The Newcastle West man had been part of the escape from the scratch group.
They combined well to ride clear. But still up the road was a small group that had already escaped.
Kennedy and Cigala hunted them down and made the catch. And that was how it stayed until the final climb; crested about 5km from the finish.
Lacey Cup: Cummins wins the A4 contest from McNay and Fleming.
Related News
“We had about a minute when we got to that last climb,” Cigala said. “I did a few attacks on the climb.
"And then with about a kilometre to the top I got away by myself. I’d never won a race on my own in Ireland before. And I felt it was a good opportunity.”
He rode very hard for the remainder of the hill and down the other side. It was only inside the last kilometre that he looked back to assess the gap.
And not far behind was Kennedy with Tom Shanahan of Limerick CC.
Mateo Cigala said he knew he had a good sprint so he didn’t panic when he saw the chasers so close.
“There was no point going hard and then maybe getting caught with 200 metres to go. You might have nothing in the legs for the sprint.”
He waited and beat Kennedy to win. He was taking victory in his new Viner-Caremark–Pactimo team’s debut event. Shanahan took 3rd place just behind.
John Cahill (Newcastle West) was 4th. Matthew Sparrow (Panduit Carrick Wheelers) was next. Conn McDunphy (Holdsworth) completed the top 6. He was first of the A1 scratch group after Cigala and Kennedy.
Ken Cummins (Middleton CTC) won the A4 race. Canice McNay (Newcastle West) was next. Shane Fleming was 3rd for promoting club Tralee Manor West BC.
Cigala said he was delighted to win the Lacey Cup. His normalised power for the two-hour, 75km, handicapped road race was 354 Watts.
“The power is there, the race was pretty hard," he said. "But I’m not 100 per cent there yet; the legs are not there yet. I know that, I could feel it.
“But there is no pressure. It is important to get the win and start well for the team and the sponsor.”
Cigala added he had trained only about eight to 10 hours per week in winter. But as a coach himself, he had been sure to focus on quality training, zone 3, sessions.
Matteo Cigala training, season goals
He did a lot of 90 minute rides and strength work in the gym, he said.
“For an amateur rider; I am maybe training the same as most amateurs. For A1 level it’s not enough. But I’m still able to get good results and win the first race; I can’t complain.
“I don’t have a huge amount of time for training; with the coaching business and being part-time in college. So hopefully when the Rás comes I’ll be better.”
He intended to focus on the National Road Series and would also like to win a stage race if possible.
The Rás opening stage finishes in Athlone in May. Some of Cigala's team sponsors are based there. As a result, winning in the Westmeath town “would be amazing”.
“We would love that," he said. "But we have to realise there are professionals in the race. But we will definitely do our best.”
Topics
