By Shane Stokes
Winner in 2023, Dillon Corkery begins today’s final stage of the Rás in a similar position to last year: on the back foot, but ready to spring forward.
Twelve months ago he was 19 seconds adrift of the yellow jersey in 7th overall. He went clear in a dangerous break and ended up gaining 2’39 on the-then race leader Conor McGoldrick (UK: Richardsons Trek DAS), turning things right around.
Corkery has put in a number of impressive attacks this week and is hoping for another final day blitz to overturn what is a 32 second deficit this time around.
He can take encouragement from his performance on Saturday’s fourth stage, even if that move was ultimately recaptured.
“It wasn't really the plan, to be honest,” he told Stickybottle of an early move which went clear less than 10km after the start. “We had a bit of a tactic in place. And it wasn't to happen that early on.
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“But I kind of used the crosswind to my advantage at the beginning. I put it in the gutter, and nobody could follow. It was similar enough to yesterday when we hit it on the climb of Doneraile. Nobody is able to follow when I put in those kind of attacks.
“So I just tried to use that to my benefit. I got across to a group of five or six lads there. I had Dean [Harvey] in the move with me, Dean did all the driving all day.
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“In fairness, the gap went out to 1’40. But I suppose when you've got 150 lads riding behind and you have got two or three lads who are willing to run the front, you are under a bit of pressure.
“But I think we showed today that we've got the capabilities of going up the road and doing that again. So we'll do it again tomorrow, we are not finished.”
One thing that hampered Corkery’s chances on Saturday was the course layout. While it was the second-hardest stage of the race on paper, containing five climbs including the category one Gorteen plus the category two Carn West and Clogrenan, the last of the ascents was over 70km from the finish.
This gave the bunch a strong chance of reeling them in.
“Ideally the climbs would have been later,” Corkery said. “They were quite far out. And a couple of lads that we were with couldn't actually get over the climbs with us. And it just made more sense to wait for them over the top and I think that was where we were losing time.
“So look, if they were a bit closer to the finish, it would have suited better, but it is what it is.”
That brings everything down to today’s final stage. It’s a case of all chips down for Corkery and for Liam O’Brien, who is poised in third overall.
The latter sits level on time with the race leader Dom Jackson (UK: Foran CT), who is inching closer to victory but knows a huge battle is in store.
