By Shane Stokes
Dillon Corkery was strong in his praise of Ireland teammate Liam O’Brien at the finish of stage three of the Rás Tailteann on Friday, with the two of them going up the road in a dangerous attack which put the younger rider into the virtual race lead for more than ten kilometres.
O’Brien is level on time with the race leader Dom Jackson (UK: Foran CT), with Corkery poised 32 seconds back and within range of winning the race.
He acknowledged the tactical advantage they having two contenders at this point of the race, but said that he would be happy to give up his chances if it helped O’Brien seal yellow.
“We can obviously play that card [of both being able to go for yellow], but I've won the race already. So I'd like to see Liam win it. He’s one of these new talents that's after coming out of Ireland, and he's only in an upward trajectory. So I'd be more than happy for him to take the jersey.”
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O’Brien is just 19 and in his first year with the Lidl-Trek Future Development team, the feeder squad for the Lidl-Trek WorldTour outfit. He was a superb third in the Flèche du Sud earlier this month and, in Corkery’s eyes, a big prospect.
“He’s probably the strongest rider in the race, in my opinion,” he said.
As for Corkery himself, he told Stickybottle at the end of stage one that he didn’t feel as good as he expected, but that he hoped that he would get stronger as the race went on.
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That appears to be what is happening.
“I felt better today than what I have over the last few days,” he said. “I'll definitely suffer from the efforts today. But I think I'm getting better as the days go on.”
He. O’Brien, last year’s longtime race leader Conor McGoldrick (UK: Richardsons Trek DAS) and Warren Ewan Scanlon (Spain: Brocar Rali Ale) went clear on the category 3 climb of Doneraille, just before the riders completed 100 kilometres from the start in Kenmare.
They were out front for more than ten kilometres, something race leader Jackson admitted caused he and his team considerable concern.
“We had a plan going into today. We executed the plan,” Corkery said. “I think we did it to the best of our ability. There's obviously a whole lot of teams who aren’t too keen on leaving myself and Liam go up the road like that, which is fair game.
“But I think we'll come up with another plan tomorrow, and we will try to do the same thing again.”
At 25, he is the oldest rider on the squad and has the role of road captain to the four under 23 riders who make up the remainder of the team. How does he feel they are performing?
“Super. Super. There's definitely a small bit of inexperience there, which I think you'd expect in an under 23 team and as well as that a team that have never ridden together,” he said.
“But you can see it day by day, we're probably the only team that are riding as a unit, in my opinion anyway. I’m very impressed with the boys at the minute.”
