Irish Junior Team: Riding as a well-drilled unit on the Continent
The Irish junior team’s racing stint on the Continent over the past few weeks has seen the riders progress hugely to the point of taking their first win, with Ryan Mullen first across the line at a criterium in Holland.
The national junior road race and TT champion profited from a well-drilled team performance at the Ronde van Zundurt in south west Holland yesterday, Wednesday. The 60km criterium was a support event to the elite race, which is part of the programme of post-Tour de France crits.
The race began aggressively, with a number of the Irish team in the mix before Mullen went after a two-man move that was then reinforced by five others coming across from the bunch.
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Mullen showed he meant business by taking four of the primes, sending a signal to the other escapees that he was the man to watch should the move make it all the way.
Behind the leaders, the racing remained active with Mullen’s Ireland team mate Thomas Fallon showing he was also well able to mix it by joining an eight-man chase group.
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With Ireland represented in the lead group and cleverly marking the chasers, Sean Hahessy then also got clear of the bunch in a second chase group.
Satisfied that they had all the key moves covered, the Irish riders in the bunch set about frustrating any chase. These included third overall in this year’s Junior Tour Cormac Clarke, Junior Tour stage winner Jack Sadler and strongman Dylan Foley.
Up front, with two laps remaining one of the Dutch riders in the lead group with Mullen decided he was going to go for a solo win, blasting ahead but never getting much of a gap.
He showed good stamina in maintaining his effort for almost two full laps, though he had just five seconds on the chasers when they opened the gallop after him.
Mullen blasted for the line with 300 metres to go, overhauling the lone leader and holding off the others in the breakaway despite going for broke quite early.
Behind them, Fallon took 15th place with Hahessy 19th on a night when the Irish team performance looked very promising as the riders build up to the European Championships the week after next in Holland.
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