After a significant international victory, Michael O'Loughlin is looking ahead to the big goals in the weeks and months ahead (Photo with thanks to Be-Celt & Olivia Nielo)
By Brian Canty
Michael O'Loughlin is hopeful that more racing abroad this year will deliver the condition he would need for a full assault on the European and world championships.
The Carrick teenager was second overall in the Trophee Centre Morbihan in France last weekend, a Nations Cup event that attracts many of the world’s best juniors.
He was leader on the road at one point on the final stage but was reeled in by a strong Danish squad who had the yellow jersey to defend.
"I'm over the moon," said the NRPT-Magnet.ie man.
"It's great to know I've pushed on from last year. It doesn't get much bigger than Nations Cups for juniors apart from the Euros and Worlds.
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“So to say I'm one of the few to get a stage win this year is great," he added.
O'Loughlin and the NRPT-Magnet.ie boys did a fantastic job in France last weekend, with some of the same group set to ride for Ireland in another Nations Cup race in Germany next month (Photo with thanks to Andréa Quémener)
O’Loughlin got sick after the Kanturk Three Day, which he won last month, and also had to contend with college exams.
But he made light of those distractions last weekend.
"The (Kanturk Three-Day) was my only race in Ireland since Gorey at Easter so it wasn't ideal,” he said of his preparation for going away last weekend.
"I did lack some speed in France but the power was there."
In the team for the event was Adam Stenson, Jake Gray, Aaron Swan, Conor McCann and Patrick Goszczyk.
Under the watchful eye of Philip Finegan, Derek Stenson and Padraic Quinn the Irish juniors rode as a club team despite the others in the field riding in national squads.
However, second year junior O’Loughlin will wear the green of Ireland when Cycling Ireland sends a national team to a Nations Cup stage race in Germany next month.
Last weekend the international field was powerless on stage 1 as two Danish riders jumped clear with about 3km to go up a climb.
And even though the Russian team had control of the race they were never seen again, taking an impressive 1-2 some 14 seconds ahead of the peloton.
Riding the off road section just before he went up the road on the final stage last Sunday (Photo: Coline Briquet)
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It meant in order to contend for the overall win, O’Loughlin really had to excel in his speciality time trial event on stage 2 the following morning.
And while he did not take the yellow jersey, he stormed to a very strong victory against the clock.
"It's funny because I didn't feel fast, especially early on,” he said of the 7.5km test.
“The surface played a part in that but there were three kick ups where you could really give it everything and I did."
O'Loughlin would win by a second and throw himself back into contention for yellow.
"Stage 3 was about being cute but having a go at the same time,” he said of Sunday afternoon’s road race.
“I was delighted with the time trial stage win but if I could come away with at least a second overall it would be a more then successful weekend.
"I slipped into a move and was virtual yellow for a while but the yellow jersey was having none of it so I thought I'd just try stay out of trouble and have a go later on.
A couple of aggressive and classy Danes scuppered Michael O'Loughlin's, left, chances of the outright win in France but a TT win and 2nd overall was a fantastic ride (Photo with thanks to Andréa Quémener)
"Then I punctured on a dirt road but Adam (Stenson) gave me a wheel. I didn’t panic and neither did Adam.
“I think that was due to the fact I had a stage win and I was still on a high so nothing could get me down at that point.
"I chased back on but I’d no effort left afterwards. The Danish were so strong and nobody was able to upset them anyway.
“So to be the runner up is still a pretty great feeling. It was a lot of fun being on the podium alongside all the best juniors in the world with their prizes."
He now has his sights firmly fixed on his next international encounter; an event where the Irish junior team excelled last year.
"Next up is another Nations Cup, the Trofeo Karlsberg with the Irish team. We had great success last year when Eddie was flying,” he said in reference to Eddie Dunbar’s second overall to a rider who tested positive for EPO in a sample taken during the race.
"It's an unpredictable race so I'm just going to enjoy it again. I love these big races abroad."
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