Pretty in pink: Mark Dowling worked hard, gambled big-style and won out at the Tour of Ulster, taking the winner's pink jersey home after denying Eoin Morton (Photo by David McVeigh, The Belgian Project. Homepage photo by Stephen Kelleghan)
By Brian Canty
Mark Dowling has revealed his ‘all or nothing’ tactic that brought about a stunning smash-and-grab victory in the AmberGreen Energy Tour of Ulster at the weekend.
The DID Electrical Dunboyne rider has now accomplished a rare feat in Irish cycling by winning the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, the Suir Valley Three Day and Ulster stage races.
“I was a little surprised to win,” he admitted of his Tour of Ulster triumph.
“I knew I was going well but not exactly how well. So I’m certainly happy to get that one on the CV.”
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Eoin Morton, in pink, rode hard when he needed to close down gaps on the final stage. He was followed everywhere by eventual race winner Mark Dowling, in white just behind. Dowling said he used Morton's stronger desire to win as leverage against him (Photo: David McVeigh - The Belgian Project)
The final stage was a hilly one, with six categorised climbs. But Dowling’s plan was to leave it until a sharp ramp towards the finish before making his assault.
“We talked about it the night before, it was only myself and Andy Meehan in the team so we were never going to bring back moves,” he revealed.
“If a group went away I was never planning on bringing it back; I was just going to gamble. I was seeing how things would pan out.
“I knew after 10k who was attacking and how Morton was riding,” he said of race leader going into the final stage Eoin Morton of UCD.
On his way to 11th place in the time trial that got proceedings underway last Friday. It was by no means a fantastic result for climber Dowling, but one that saw him lose just seven seconds to stage winner Damien Shaw, keeping alive his hopes of outright victory (Photo: Toby Watson)
“So the plan was to sit back, wait the entire day and instead of going on the second last climb I’d go on the last climb and give it absolutely everything.”
He bided his time, and with the help of the experienced Meehan stayed out of danger, though he was forced to chase on one occasion.
“I could see Morton was closing the dangerous moves, which he had to do,” Dowling explained. “He did all he could, to be fair to him.
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“It was just the situation we were in; he played his card and I played mine.
Dowling just behind Bryan McCrystal as they lead the race up the climb of Spelga Dam on stage 2. The race was abandoned just down the road as freezing conditions - with rain, sleet and snow - seeing many of the riders grow so cold they were unable to control their bikes (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
“There was nothing more he could have done, he kept his powder dry all day and he even attacked to go across to a group and I had to chase for 15 minutes to get him back.
“He only rode when he had to but in the end, he wanted it more than me which meant I could gamble more than him.”
And when the time came for Dowling to launch his trademark attack, or “gamble”, he wasn’t found wanting.
“I was going to hit the last climb and ride flat out and I knew I had a chance with the amount of riding Morton had done.
That's how close it was: Dowling is in the front clutch of riders, in white second from right. Race leader Eoin Morton is in the group six seconds back in the distance. That gap meant Dowling closed down the three seconds he trailed at the start of the final stage and put a further three seconds of daylight between himself and Morton to push him into 2nd place overall (Photo: David McVeigh - The Belgian Project)
“I had to do that and try and drop him because it was the only way I'd win the race.
“I just put in a hard dig over the climb, Morton wasn’t there so I just hammered it straight to the finish.
“I knew I’d won crossing the line, I’d say me and Morton were the only people who did! When I attacked I knew I had it and he did too.
“It was a great one to win but a hard one to lose; I was stuck to him like glue all day. And I could see he was tiring; I was going to do one move and one only and thankfully it worked.”
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