By Shane Stokes
Dom Jackson and his Foran CT team were in a jubilant mood at the end of the Rás Tailteann on Sunday, although the Briton initially didn’t dare believe he had won the race.
He had led the event since stage two and came under sustained attacks in the days since, including on the final stage. He finished safely in the main bunch but while his squad were celebrating, he looked for repeated confirmation of his success before doing the same.
“I'm super emotional,” he told Stickybottle shortly after the sprint to the line, standing in spitting rain and looking to be on the verge of tears of relief. “I didn't believe [in his chances] for big periods of that last day. I just thought it was done.
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“I couldn't pull it back by myself, and my teammates just…it was like magic. They just appeared and the chase then got going again.
“I don't know what to say.”
Jackson was embraced by riders and members of the squad, the tension of recent days melting away. He had a scare early on when the rider in second overall, Conn McDunphy (USA: Skyline-Cadence) attacked and was away for some time.
They and Liam O’Brien (Team Ireland) had all started the day locked on the same overall time, making the slightest difference at the end of the stage utterly crucial to the final general classification.
Rás Tailteann 2024. Stage 3 Maynooth - Bective 26/5/2024
Overall race winner Dom Jackson celebrates with his teammates after crossing the finish line
Pic : Lorraine O’Sullivan
Being so close to the win made the stakes all the more significant heading into the stage.
“I can't lie. Not much sleep went on last night. I was super nervous. All the other days were more of just like…it was so uncertain that I was like, ‘I'll just I'll have fun racing my bike.’ I didn't put too much pressure on it.
“Whereas today, all day all that is going through your head is that even something small, like a little lapse of concentration or clip of wheels [could cost the win]. I can't believe it.”
He said that keeping control of the two riders closest to him was crucial. “I just ended myself to follow Conn and to follow Liam O'Brien. I was swinging but yeah, I did it.”
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A late attack by defending Rás champion Dillon Corkery was dangerous. The Corkman had a 32 second deficit to overcome, but his move came at a time when Jackson’s reserves were spent.
“I basically couldn’t pedal, my legs were in so much pain. Especially the two guys on the same time were just attacking me,” he said, referring to McDunphy and O’Brien. “I was just having to follow each one. And you just can't in the end.
“And so then Dillon whacked it, because he was just sitting on. I knew it was coming, but I couldn't respond to it.
“It was only because the sprinters teams then got interested that that move came back.”
Once it did, he sealed the closest-ever Rás victory. Having three riders on the same overall time is tighter than the matchup between Kristian House and Danny Pate back in 2006, which also saw those riders separated by their stage placings.
Having only taken up cycling three years ago, Jackson has had to learn fast. He is hoping to make a breakthrough in the sport and told Stickybottle this week that trying to win the Rás is a big part of that goal.
He said what is coming up next for him.
“A rest. I think I've definitely picked up some something, my throat is not a happy bunny,” he said. “So a big rest. I think the UK National Road Race, I'll have a crack at that, and then we'll go from there.
“This is like the pinnacle of our race calendar though. So I don't know, some time off and a big think about what I want to do next.”
Looking at the team’s jubilation at the finish, the win is a significant one for them and him. How do they plan to celebrate?
“We’ve already discussed that,” he said. “Regardless of the outcome, we were like ‘we want pizzas tonight.’ So that's on the menu.”
What’s his planned variety?
“I'm vegan, so it's going to be no cheese and as much veg as possible!” he said. “I don't know if we'll find one of them in Ireland, but we'll try.”
