Darren Rafferty has again confirmed his world class TT riding in the U23 international category, adding 5th place in the race against the clock at the World Road Championships to the top tier climbing abilities he has showcased for the first time this season.
As a rider who can TT and climb with the very best in the world, the 20-year-old Irishman went into today's 36.2km U23 TT in Stirling as a real medal hope. And while he was just five seconds off the podium, he was content with his rider.
Rafferty - a Hagens Berman Axeon rider at present but stepping up to World Tour team EF Education-EasyPost from January - said the last climb up to the finish in Stirling today was "brutal", adding he was already looking ahead of the U23 road race at the Worlds on Saturday.
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"I think my day went really well, I got great preparation and did a really good TT, so I'm pleased," he said. "I did my best on the day; it was a good day, a nice circuit and it was nice trying to keep up with the strong boys.
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"I got everything out on the day and it was nice to test myself against the best. I had a good day, everything went to plan and I just didn't have enough legs for the medal. But nothing went wrong and I had to be happy with where I finish.
"It was a super hard course and it was nice to have my family over, the atmosphere was unbelievable. The climb at the end was a bit of a brutal one."
He added while he got to sit in the hot seat - as he was 3rd fastest when he finished - he "knew it wasn't going to last when you're already in 3rd spot but it was still nice to be up there for a few minutes".
Rafferty said with the TT now completed, he was already looking forward to Saturday's road race where he will ride as part of an Ireland team that also includes Dean Harvey, Aaron Wade, Odhran Doogan and Jamie Meehan.
He said he would have a "nice easy tomorrow" with the rest of the team and hoped to "have some good legs on the circuit in Glasgow" during Saturday's road race.
