Fionn Killeen has been racing abroad this season, in Britain and Continental Europe. And his lack of racing days and results on the home scene ensured he flew under the radar going into the junior men's race at the National Cyclocross Championships on Sunday.
But the 17-year-old from Kildare was soon lighting up the radar once the race began. He went out hard and kept his boot on the neck of his rivals once he got that early advantage.
"I'm really happy with it, it was a good race," Killeen told stickybottle, still covered in mud after his winning effort at the title race. "I just got the gap and kept going till the end.
"I didn't really try to get the gap, but I got one. And then I just kept going through forest. I'm just delighted with it."
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Having gone into an early lead, a trio of strong riders formed a chase group behind Killeen. With conditions cold and muddy at the Castle Saunderson venue, it looked for a time like the teenager riding for Kilcullen CC Murphy Geospacial had gone out too hard too early. Only he hadn't.
Behind him, Ryan Daly (Scott Racing IRL) proved strongest of the chasers, leaving behind Killeen's team mate, Conor Regan, and James Armstrong (VC Glendale). Initially, Daly began to close the gap and he looked strong as he did so.
But he only gained a little on Killeen before the leader found some extra reserves in the tank. The Kildare teenager ensured Daly got no closer and then added to his advantage on the final passage of the circuit.
In the end he won by 1:02 from Daly. A delighted Regan took 3rd place, some 15 seconds down on runner-up Daly, and nine seconds up on Armstrong. Curtis McKee (Spellman Dublin Port) was 5th, 1:40 down on the winner, and Shane O'Brien (Fermoy CC) rounded out the top six at 2:23.
Killeen was modest in his remarks after the race, but with some prodding he said he was thinking of a medal on his way to the venue, and that included counting himself very much into the race for the gold and the champion's jersey.
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"I think I've done well enough in races this year," he said. "I haven't really raced in Ireland but I thought I had good enough legs and if I did a good race I'd be at the front."
He added, though he started well and found himself leading solo from the first lap, that scenario did not scare him.
"I've kinda ridden like that the whole season. I just kept a bit back for the last lap. I'd have a good start and I'd always tried to be strong on the last lap as well."
He has finished 7th, 10th, 11th and 12th in four rounds of the British National Trophy Series this season. He also went to Belgium to race in the early part of the campaign where he placed 16th at X²O Badkamers Trofee Koppenbergcross (CJ) and 21st at X²O Badkamers Trofee Rapencross (CJ).
His absence from the Irish 'cross scene in recent months followed on from an injury-hit time last season, when a back issue and a broken elbow wiped out his campaign. As a result, the last time he raced properly in cyclocross in Ireland was two years ago as an U16.
But his results on the road last year really should have made him one of the clear favourites for the championships today. He was 4th on the final stage at the Junior Tour of Wales, riding for Leinster. Killeen also placed 8th on GC at the Junior Tour of Ireland, riding for Leinster team leader, and race winner, Matthew Walls.
Killeen's brother, Daithi, was also in the junior race at the championships and placed 11th, while their sister, Aoife, claimed bronze in the U14 race on Saturday.
Two more Killeen siblings - yes, there are five of them racing 'cross - Tadhg and Doireann will be well known to stickybottle readers as international riders and prolific winners on the Leinster scene.
But today, it was all about Fionn, putting in a monster ride for 40 minutes in tough conditions. It was the kind of stand-out performance that ensures he'll never go into a race as an underdog again.
