By Shane Stokes
Runner-up on stage three, Dillon Corkery got things exactly right one day later when he blasted to Rás Tailteann stage victory in Monaghan on Saturday.
The Team Ireland rider judged things perfectly on the uphill drag to the line at the cathedral, holding off a fast-finishing Finn Crockett (Derry Foyle CC) and double stage winner Matthew Fox (UK Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli). Speaking afterwards, Corkery said that the success was down to careful planning and flawless execution.
“It was typically like any other sprint...quite hectic. We had a plan. We executed it perfectly,” he told stickybottle. “Like I said to the guys earlier on, it was just like it was a script. We knew what we needed to do. We looked at the road book the night before.
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"We went on Google Maps, saw what the roads were like, what lines we needed to take, and the guys delivered me at the last two or three hundred metres. It was just a case of put the gas on for another 10 seconds and we had the win.”
Corkery was almost matter of fact about the last point, but even if he was set up perfectly, it still took a lot of strength to nab the victory on a tough uphill drag to the line. He said that Friday’s second place had been a boost for him.
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“It was big. I came into this race quite tired. The first two days I found quite difficult, just coming off the back of a big race in France as well. So my confidence was down a bit but after yesterday, after yesterday’s second place - and again, another amazing job done by the Cycling Ireland boys - it really gave me a good boost today. I knew I could finish off the job.”
The Rás Tailteann ends on Sunday with a mainly flat stage to Blackrock, Co. Louth. Corkery was clear about the goal. “Win again,” he said with a laugh. “I think if we can take the yellow jersey it will be a bonus. We still have two guys within 20 seconds, myself and Aaron Wade. So that’s going to be the focus.
“The GC is always the big thing, but if it comes down to it and everything is still together in the end, we can definitely win a gallop again tomorrow.”
Beyond that, he will take a short break, then line out in another important event.
“I think I’ll chill out for a few days. I’m only back from France. So I’ll spend some time with my family for maybe two or three days and then I’m back for another UCI race, Paris-Troyes. Hopefully I’ll be going over there with good legs and I get another good result.”
Corkery was fifth last year, one place behind Matthew Teggart.
