Fresh from his bronze medal in the U23 TT at the UEC European Road Championships in France, Adam Rafferty told stickybottle he was delighted with his medal, but that that Team Ireland had unfinished business at these championships.
With the U23 team containing several heavy hitters, including riders who've taken huge results in UCI-ranked racing this season, Rafferty said all eyes were on tomorrow's road race, even in the immediate aftermath of his TT bronze medal.
"I think I went out a bit too hard. But I was also afraid of not using 100 per cent of what I had," he said of the 24km TT, with a climb to finish.
"I wanted to make sure I got everything else on the road. You can say 'I wish I went the bit easier at the start'. But that's kind of what I like to do in time trialling; just do what you feel like and then deal with the consequences later."
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Rafferty led through the time checks out on the course into Étoile-sur-Rhône, though he was just beaten in the end; Belgium going 1-2 with Jonathan Vervenne and Matisse Van Kerckhove.
The Irishman, who won a stage at Giro Next Gen earlier this season, was just six seconds off gold and two seconds off bronze. Pleased overall, he still his feelings were still mixed.
"I was a bit disappointed, but also the guy who was ahead of me( Van Kerckhove)... I had him down as one of the favourites. I knew from the people in front of me if someone was going to be faster it was going to be him."
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When he came over the line, was 2nd fastest at that point, and when he realised he had won bronze, he was content rather than over the moon.
"If it's not a win, it's hard to be ecstatic, you know? I think the real emotion was probably just relief when all the riders had finished and I realised I had a medal.
"I was confident over the last year or two that, eventually, I would have the level. I knew I had it in the legs, but I just didn't have enough training load. But I've always thought for the last couple of years that I do have that in me, it just hadn't come out yet."
Rafferty is currently riding for Hagens Berman Jayco and has been called up to its parent World Tour team, Jayco AlUla, several times this year. Though the Europeans medal is a boost, he doesn't see it as a major catalyst for his career, and doesn't want it to be.
"It doesn't really make much difference in the actual development of me as a rider," he said. "But in terms of mindset, and looking back on your achievements.... A major championship TT podium, if you want to do GC rides, it's just a nice confidence boost
"But I'm not in a rush to go to the World Tour yet. I just want to keep developing in my team and then when I feel like I am developed I'll head up. It's been a pretty good year, I really can't complain. The Baby Giro was the highlight and then this just backs it up a bit."
And what about tomorrow's U23 road race at the Europeans? He will be team mates with Seth Dunwoody, Liam O'Brien, Dean Harvey, Killian O'Brien and Patrick Casey.
"I definitely think we should be going in with the mindset of 'we are one of the big players here', because we are. We have a great team. We're willing to support each other and we've already bonded through Tour de l'Avenir. It's gonna to be a good one, in my opinion. We really have to go in with that attitude, for sure."
