Ryan Mullen missed some key moves yesterday in Carlingford and spent the day chasing to little or no avail. But he feels if his body does what it's capable of at the European Championships, he is in with a shout of a time trial medal (Photo: Toby Watson)
By Gerard Cromwell
Having taken the U23 time trial title last Thursday evening, beating all but elite winner Michael Hutchinson in the process, a route with major climbs for the road race saw 18-year-old Ryan Mullen go into the event as one of the favourites for the U23 jersey.
Riding his first elite title race however, Mullen missed the main move of the day, finishing 20th in the elite race and fourth of seven U23 finishers. He admitted afterwards that things didn’t exactly go to plan.
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“It was a disaster,” said the British-based IG Sigma Sport rider.
“I spent a little bit too much energy in the first lap, trying to get into the move. I saw the next move getting away. It happened after I got brought back and it seemed as if all eyes were on me but I’m not going to chase down a group of four or five pro riders on my own.”
Mullen spent most of the remainder of the race in various chase groups but never regained contact with the front, the blustery conditions not helping the European junior time trial silver medallist’s task.
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“Groups were getting away but nobody seemed really strong enough to ride into the wind. You had to use your head when you were attacking. I didn’t have a very good day today. I think it was just a slog to the end, last man standing today, because of the wind.”
“If it was less windy I think it would have been more open and probably would have been a better race but that’s racing. I think I might have salvaged fourth in the U23 so it wasn’t a total failure but I’m not happy.”
Having finished just over two minutes behind U23 title winner Jack Wilson of An Post Chainreaction, who outsprinted Connor Dunne (IV Tekniks) and Cormac Clarke of Newry for the gold medal, Mullen can chalk yesterday’s events down to experience and knows he has a few more attempts to get it right before leaving the espoir ranks.
“I’ve another three years to have a go at U23 so hopefully I can turn it around next year”.
Before that however, Mullen heads to Belgium with the Irish team for some training and racing ahead of the European track championships in Portugal and the road championships in the Czech Republic, where he hopes a good ride in the race against the clock will help him progress through the paid ranks.
“I’ve got the track Europeans in two weeks and the road Europeans after that. If I have a ride like I did in the time trial the other night, I think I can get a medal there. If I can do that, then it’s onwards and upwards into the pro ranks.”
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