That Hurt: Dunne shows the effect of 182km and over 4½ hours in the saddle against the best U23 riders in the world (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
In Ponferrada
Conor Dunne has said he gave the U23 road race at the World Championships everything he had and would never forget the experience.
The An Post-Chainreaction man was part of the three-man Irish team alongside Ryan Mullen and Jack Wilson who had to be on their toes to even survive the 182-kilometre race over 10 undulating laps.
“I’m pretty knackered now,” was his honest post race assessment.
“I was feeling good for the majority of the race but the last two laps just took their toll and that last lap I blew,” he said.
“I gave it everything I could; I really did. We completely emptied our tanks, the three of us. The hard course took its toll. On that long drag on the last lap about halfway up I was on max effort and that was it. Game over."
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He described representing Ireland on such a big stage as a “super proud moment for me and a special day” that would live on in the memory.
Dunne - with white helmet - alongside Ryan Mullen; with Jack Wilson just behind his Team Ireland colleagues (Photo: Sean Rowe)
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity," continued Dunne.
"It was a great experience; riding full gas with the helicopter over you on the big occasion with the world’s best. It doesn’t get much bigger. It would have been nicer to be up there, but I gave it what I could.
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“I just went as hard as I could today, I have no complaints. It’s been quite a tough year. I got sick a lot in the first half of the year; that knocked me back a lot.
“And it was a hard time mentally but the second half I was quite proud of myself how I pulled it back together and made my way on the team.”
Dunne did not ride the Tour of Britain but was going really well in August, with a fantastic performance in the Kreiz Breizh Elites stage race in France sealing his place on today's Irish team.
Dunne in the bunch today before the race took its toll and he lost contact with one lap to go. He would come home in 72nd place (Photo: Sean Rowe)
He felt his two team mates today, with whom he shares a trade team, put in good rides.
“Ryan’s had a great week already with the time trial-trial silver medal on Monday, and Jack did really well today because he’s got a broken rib. And he hurt his collar bone a couple of weeks ago in Britain so to even ride with that was an achievement.
“We all had the freedom to ride for ourselves today; just to mind each other and see what we could do was the plan.
“It was a race for survival; try to stay out of trouble. I did okay. It’s been a good four years at U23 level for me but I’m leaving it now as I’m over age next year.
“I’ve been very grateful for everything Cycling Ireland have done for me, they’ve been a massive help and I’ll remember the last four years with fond memories.”
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