Eve McCrystal has wanted to win the national TT crown for years and today achieved that career goal with a superb ride in Knockaderry, Co Limerick.
The elite road race champion from two years ago - and one half of Ireland's world and Paralympic championship-winning paracycling tandem, with Katie George Dunlevy - had won a medal no fewer than five times in the TT championships before today.
However, while two silvers and three bronzes down the years was an already impressive tally, the Louth woman upped her game today, beating Kelly Murphy for the first time and landing the gold.
The Strata 3-VeloRevolution rider clocked a time of 29:01 on the 22.4km course, some 21 seconds up on Murphy (Storey Racing), who had won the title for the last two years.
Eileen Burns, the Ballymena Road Club rider who was champion three years ago, took bronze today, some 1:28 down on McCrystal in the Newcastle West Wheelers promotion under race director Liam Collins.
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“I think I am still in shock. I wanted this for years, to get it eventually I am happy now," McCrystal said of adding the TT gold to her medal collection.
“I controlled the first half very well, and I just had to give it everything I had, I felt really good today," she said, telling stickybottle the course really suited her.
“I had no feedback with splits, but it was great to have Kelly Murphy here this year and Eileen Burns to race against, they are really class competitors," she added of the women she beat.
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"I knew it was going to be close, just going on previous races, and I think that just spurs you on during the day as you know you could lose or win by just a second."
Having tried to win the title for years she was “over the
moon to finally get it”, adding she felt the recent lock-down period had helped
her preparation.
“I worked really hard during lock-down focusing on the TT specifically. The lock-down was good to me. It made my life very simple and allowed me to recover really well from the hard sessions.
“I am shocked with the gap today as I have never beaten
Kelly before. This is the first nationals where I felt I delivered my effort to
the limit. I feel like I got it all out
today,” she added.
“I still can't believe it to be honest. Kelly and I have
been very close over the last few months so I knew today would be a battle.
“I am so happy that I managed to do the ride I felt I had in me on the day that mattered. I’m looking forward to the road race on Sunday with Strata 3 girls.
“I will just try and relax ahead of the road race as much as I can. I feel a lot less pressure going into it after getting the medal.
"My goal for these nationals was to try and medal at the TT and the road race would be something extra. I enjoy a road race so I am looking forward to it."
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