Connor McConvey said while he was disappointed not to become the first Irish winner of the Rás since Stephen Gallagher, he is nonetheless satisfied with his final position in the runner-up slot (Photo: Synergy Baku Cycling Project)
By Gerard Cromwell
“I woke up this morning and felt probably the best I’ve felt all race,” said Connor McConvey yesterday of his final bid to overthrow race leader Marcin Bialoblocki on this year’s An Post Rás.
“I felt really good, not tired or anything but just really happy to give it a go. The thing is, your hands are kind of tied in terms of what you can do because it all depends on what everyone else around you is willing to let you do.”
“Given the route wasn’t so difficult it was always going to be hard to make a difference but we tried. We knew the local lap and knew we had the opportunity. We tried to isolate Marcin, which we did, but we couldn’t break him so we couldn’t really get any time.”
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McConvey’s Synergy Baku team put the pressure on at the front of the race each time up the climb of the Blackhills only to find that even if the race leader was in trouble, there were others willing to bring him back into contention.
“John Ebsen rode up it the second time and basically isolated Marcin’s teammates and the next time up it I countered a move going over the top," said McConvey.
"The group ended up being 10 or 15 guys. It was all about trying to get rid of Marcin but there were a few guys there who were willing to chase people down and I don’t understand why. Obviously the closer it gets to the finish the more people have interest in the stage but the other GC guys, who had no interest in the sprint still shut it down for him, which is frustrating.”
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“It’s always like that when you’re second and you’re trying to win. There’s always people with other interests but that’s bike racing and you can’t be too frustrated. I gave it everything. I’ve no regrets.”
McConvey almost pulled on the yellow jersey back in Mitchelstown when he escaped with third placed Guldhammer and eventual stage winner Moreno De Pauw of the Belgian track team at the end of stage five.
De Pauw’s lack of cooperation in the closing kilometres however meant that the move fell just short of the time required to take over the lead.
“That day we needed literally half a second more to get a time gap and if we had got that I’d have got the jersey but it’s all ifs and buts. In a way it’s easier to defend a lead with a team than to try and go on the attack. It just shows that it’s difficult to make a difference when everyone is on such a good level.”
When asked if he’ll be back to go one better next year McConvey laughs.
“I hope I turn pro so I never have to ride this race again. I think the stress takes about three years off your life but give me another two months and the bug will be back, to come back and have another go. But for now I’m just going to let it sink in. It is a good result. It’s not a victory but it’s a good result and I’ll just enjoy it.”
He won’t get much time to enjoy it however as McConvey leaves for a UCI-ranked 2.1 race in Estonia on Wednesday.
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