McDunphy | "I was with the strongest man in the Rás, I played the game"

Conn McDunphy was absolutely thrilled with his victory, over Liam O'Brien, on stage 2 of Rás Tailteann from Kanturk to Sneem today (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan)

Conn McDunphy (Team Skyline Cadence) has expressed his delight with his stage 2 victory on Rás Tailteann into Sneem; a victory that tops an already brilliant palmares in Irish cycling over recent years.

The former Irish elite TT champion also paid tribute to his breakaway companion, Liam O'Brien, saying the Team Ireland man was stronger than him and made him suffer all the way to the finish line.

Indeed, McDunphy added as he knew O'Brien was riding for the general classification, and the 19-year-old was also a member of the strongest team in the race, he decided to "play the game" coming in the road in a bid to ensure he claimed the win today.

"I'm absolutely delighted," said a delighted McDunphy at the finish. "I was lucky I was with Liam O'Brien he's probably the strongest man in the Rás."

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The duo emerged part of a large lead group on the cat 1 climb of Ballaghasheen, some 107km into the stage and with 80km still to race.

Once in that group - which was absent stage 1 winner and yellow jersey Alex Pritchard (Richardsons Trek DAS) - McDunphy and O'Brien waited for about 25km before striking out in a two-man move after the cat 2 climb of Coomakista was created.

And though they had about 50km still to race to the finish, they put their heads down a rode hard all the way, gaining 1:40 at one point over the chasers.

"I was sat on and absolutely swinging for a lot of it," said McDunphy of the two-man move, with him and O'Brien clear for over an hour of racing. 

"I did what I could, I was flat out, and then were three k to go I played the game," McDunphy added of contributing to the workload but ultimately deciding the stage, and now time, was his main priority deep into the final 5km.

"I took a gamble and didn't ride. I knew he was riding for GC and he's on the strongest team with probably the strongest riders. And at 19 you have to take your hat off to him.

"I got him in the sprint, it's a rare day for me to win a sprint, and I'm absolutely delighted with that. I'm looking forward now to the next stages."

More to come.

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