Ireland’s Ryan Mullen has put up a storming ride at the World Junior Time Trial Championships this morning in Valkenburg, Holland; going through the first two intermediate checkpoints in the medals put fading slightly on the late climbs and finishing 9th.
The European Junior TT silver medallist from last month, Mullen will most likely be a little disappointed not to have medalled today given his high positioning for two thirds of the race, though his ride will certainly inch him forward to a professional contract.
He was third quickest through the first of two intermediate checkpoints on the course, crossing that line just 3.51seconds down on early leader, Mathias Krigbaum of Denmark.
However, as some of the other riders faded a little, the Irishman ploughed on very strongly and by the second checkpoint was up to the silver medal position, just 10.35 seconds down on the new leader at that point, Miximillian Schachmann of Germany.
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With the two climbs of the Sibbergrube and the Cauberg both falling into the back end of the 26.6km course, it was certainly not foregone conclusion that those strongest in the early stages would have the staying power to blast up those ramps and hold their positions.
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And so it was to prove with the Irishman.
Some of the others in the test clearly kept their powder slightly drier, blasting around the final lumpy part of the course, with Mullen falling to 9th place by the finish.
He clocked a time of 36:00.91, just 26.16 seconds off the winner Oskar Svendsen of Norway. Matej Mohoric of Slovenia was second, 7.04 seconds down, with one of the early leaders Schachmann of Germany third some 11.83 seconds adrift.
We’ll have more later.
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