Sean Lacey had to bow to the superior strength of his former teammate Bryan McCrystal in the Davis Cup in Co. Mayo on Sunday. But the Aquablue man will be chomping at the bit this weekend when his home race, the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, takes centre stage (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)
By Brian Canty
Sean Lacey hailed the performance of winner Bryan McCrystal in Sunday’s David Cup in Claremorris, Co Mayo.
The Team ASEA man had over six minutes to spare on runner-up Lacey, who in turn had around a minute on the next-placed rider, Angus Fyffe (Omagh Wheelers).
That trio had been part of the day’s break that went clear early on, with Chris Reilly (Team ASEA), Simon Ryan (Mego Racing Team), David Brennan (Castlebar CC), Gareth McCormack (Castlebar CC) and Mike Storan (Fitscience) the others in the move.
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McCrystal and Lacey escaped around the midway point before the former took flight and soloed to a marvellous win in brutal conditions.
“It was the terrain that suited him,” said Lacey. “He rode very well; to win by six minutes is impressive.
“The weather, the wind and rain were horrific at the start, the hills weren’t too big so it was a day for a man like him.
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“You could tell the break was going to go early on and after around five or six kilometres there was one particular hill where seven or eight of us got clear,” explained the Aquablue man of how the early exchanges unfolded.
“We never got any major gap on the bunch, we got it up to 40 seconds but we weren’t going easy in the break either.
“We kept riding for around two laps and going onto the third lap McCrystal attacked in the crosswind section, Mike Storan bridged to a certain extent and I went over him and that was it then.”
It was during the third lap that McCrystal struck out, leaving Lacey behind.
“He got away and I was left to chase while also trying to stay ahead of the break and the bunch
“Going onto the second last lap I had a minute and a half on the bunch and I held that until the last lap.
“Then it went down to a minute on the last lap, and then 40 seconds but I was able to hold on so I got something from the day.”
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