Curtis Neill said when he woke up on Saturday morning - on the day of his home club's race - he felt good and was determined to put his best ever form to good effect and take his first win of the season.
After 115km of racing - all of which he spent on the attack - he had taken his hoped-for victory. But it was the manner of that win that perhaps stood out more than the fact it's his first of the 2024 campaign.
The national junior MTB champion last year, Neill was on Cycling Ireland's junior development programme for the past two seasons. The 18-year-old told stickybottle a big mileage winter had whipped him into shape; a condition that was already in evidence last weekend with 10th on the queen stage at Rás Mumhan when the road kicked up.
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Today at the Carn Classic - promoted by his home club Carn Wheelers - Neill, now riding for French team Lyon Sprint Evolution, went for broke with an attack from the start. And in the 73 mile race, over five laps of a rolly circuit, he remained out front alone for three laps.
He was eventually caught by a chasing group of about six riders at the end of the third lap. However, on the next lap he got away from them again, this time with Olympian Mark Downey (Banbridge CC) and Dean Lockart of the promoting club Carn Wheelers.
Neill stayed with Downey, sneaked back into form, and Lockhart for less than a lap. Just after the fifth and final passage of the circuit began he attacked Downey and Lockhart, going clear again on his own and powering his way to the finish for a fine win.
Downey beat Lockhart in the battle for 2nd and 3rd behind the solo winner. Jonathan Taylor of Carn Wheelers was 4th, with Cahir O'Higgins (Orwell Wheelers) in 5th and Stephen Irvine of Crossgar CC rounding out the top six.
"It's my home race, with the club that I grew up riding for, and I've watched the race ever since I started cycling," said Neill. "So I knew this would probably be my last chance to ride the race and I really really wanted to win it."
Neill continued: "I woke up this morning and the legs were just feeling good. And when I went out to the start of the race the last thing my dad said to me was 'don't be afraid to lose'. So I thought I'd put that to the test."
After attack from the gun - "like a cyclocross start" - he got clear solo, though the windy conditions immediately made their presence felt.
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"After I attacked by myself I turned into a headwind as I was kind of thinking 'oh this might have been a mistake,'" he laughed. "But it was my home race and I had a lot more extra motivation. I've wanted to win this race forever. I really wanted to do something special.
"At at the minute I'm in the best form that I've ever been in. I've had such a better winter this year, I've been away at more training camps, spending more time out abroad clocking up the miles. The biggest difference over the winter was just a lot more miles, lots of Zone 2 riding."
From Moneymore in Co Derry, Neill is currently preparing for his A Levels but will go to race in France with his team once his exams are done in the summer. He plans to compete for stints in both France and Ireland and is also hopeful of national team selection.
With exams this year, and now in his first of four seasons as an U23, he says while he would love to make the national team. However, that goal of racing in the green of Ireland is even firmer for next year.
"I would love to be considered for the teams this year, but definitely next year; I'd really like to be in the running for the teams," he said.
In the A3 race today, first-year junior rider Cameron Henry (Inspired Cycling) - a 16-year-old who is looking impressive to date in the nee season - took victory in a two-up breakaway sprint from Chris Richardson (Killinchy CC).
The winner and runner-up were followed by a four-man chasing group, led in by Brandon Douglas (Dromore CC) for 3rd from Jonny Adams (McConvey Cycle), Des Woods (Inspired Cycling) and Peter Morrison (Velo Café Magasin).
Erin Creighton (McConvey Cycles), who has been on international track duty in Australia and Hong Kong in recent weeks, was leading woman and took 9th in the race.
The A4 race came down to a bunch sprint, won by Shane Hughes (Apollo CC) from John Boyle (VC Glendale), Stephen Campbell (Lakeland CC), Colin McGready (Dromara CC), Michael Lamont (Phoenix CC) and (Connor Mallon Spires CC).
Then came Elena Wallace of Harps CC, the first woman in the race and putting in a great finishing kick to take 7th competing against the men.
