Darnell Moore is enjoying a terrific run of form at the moment and could be a potential medal contender for the U23 road race at the national championships in a couple of weeks. The Caldwell Cycles, Omagh man won the Foyle CC-promoted crit in Derry this week a week after completing his debut An Post Rás (Photo: Adrian Ferry)
Darnell Moore took his first win of the season at the Foyle-CC promoted Derry City centre criterium this week, beating off the challenges of Chris McGlinchey (Chain Reaction Cycles) and Angus Fyffe (Omagh Wheelers).
After an excellent debut An Post Rás where he took a county rider prize on stage six, the Caldwell Cycles rider is looking ahead to the latter half of the season with renewed optimism.
“I didn't expect to get a county rider prize but it was a nice lift after the bad luck I had at the start of the week,” he reflected.
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“I had a few big crashes on the Sunday and Tuesday and I was lucky not to have broken anything.
“The aim was just to get around and lose as little time as possible but my form coming into it was decent,” he added.
Just three county riders came to the line in his select group that day he finished 24th in Dungarvan, a day that will live with him for a long time to come.
“It was a pretty select day that day; only Feeley and Richardson made that front group (of the county riders) and it was pretty hard day for everyone.
“It was probably one of my best rides and it was a nice feeling to be up on the stage and that piece of crystal is a nice souvenir to have at home.”
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“Hopefully I’ll take a bit of form out of it for the remainder of the season.”
Indeed, the form is clearly on the rise as following top tens at the Tour of the North and fourth in the Shay Elliott, he took his first win of the season two nights ago.
“It was only my third time on the bike since the Rás as I took five days completely off and was down doing team car at Rás Dun na nGall for the weekend.
“The race was pretty much a wearing-down process but I felt pretty good.
“I attacked on the descent and got a gap with Chris (McGlinchey) just chasing me for the remainder of the lap.
“He just made contact with me on the left -hander before the right hander onto the finishing straight but I had enough in the tank to take the win.”
For now, he is just going to keep racing and though still just 19, he reckons the nationals is a race he could go okay in.
“I plan on a good ride there; it didn't go to plan last year but I feel in better shape at the minute (than last year) and I'll just keep tipping away and see what happens.
“As for other goals I'll just keep racing away for the rest of the season.”
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