By Shane Stokes
He previously won a stage of Rás Mumhan as a junior rider and Niall McLoughlin showed further signs of his class on stage 1 of the Rás Tailteann on Wednesday, taking a superb 2nd at the finish in Boyle.
The Connaught Cycling rider finished behind Tim Shoreman (UK Wheelbase/Cabtech/Castelli), last year’s points jersey winner, and ahead of Will Tidball (Great Britain CT).
“I felt great today. I sat in biding my time,” McLoughlin told stickybottle shortly after the jersey presentation. “I was hoping that it would come to a sprint finish, and thankfully it did. It played out the way I was hoping it would play out.”
However, "feeling great" was not something he can say about last year, which was ravaged by the same recurring medical condition. It forced him completely off the bike just weeks in the 2024 campaign, ending his season at Easter. His problems really only concluded at the start of this year, making his performance today even more impressive.
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McLoughlin was last year suffered recurring tonsilitis and went on to have 11 episodes of the condition. He was eventually able to have his tonsils removed, though that only happened in January.
When he went to Rás Mumhan last year he was already starting his battle with the condition, though didn't realise it at the time. He suffered from it so badly after that race he was unable to ride his bike at all for two months, with his season ended there and then.
But, happily, he went back to Kerry at Easter and finished 3rd on two stages, confirming he was back. He has clearly carried that form, as his result today proves.
Today's finale required speed from those chasing a big result, but also deft bike handling skills inside the final kilometre or so in Boyle.
“It was super technical,” he said. “We came off a big massive wide main road with about 20, 30K to go into Boyle, and then a sharp left hand turn.
“The streets were really, really tight, really technical. A lot of left and right handers, so you had to be at the front right at the finish. It was a really cool finish, it suited me, especially just the twisting and turning.”
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The danger of such a run in was brought home to McLoughlin and others by the crash of Conn McDunphy, the rider who finished second overall last year.
McDunphy was in the day’s break and picked up some bonus seconds. He was in the thick of the action heading towards the finish but then came down in a big crash with a kilometre or so to go.
“He was quite near to me,” McLoughlin said. “It was just a touch of shoulders, I think. It was unfortunate but these things happen in bike racing. Especially in sprinting when you are going that fast. If someone touches off you, it is very hard to avoid. Hopefully he rests up and gets better this evening.”
'Great for the confidence'
Just 20 years of age, McLoughlin is riding the Rás for the first time. The race can be a shock to the system, with large numbers of international riders taking part.
However he has hit the ground running. He picked up a time bonus for his runner up slot and ended the day second overall, five seconds behind Shoreman. That’s some debut, and puts him in an upbeat frame of mind heading towards stage two.
“It’s very important,” he said, speaking about the value of a big early result in a race such as this. "It is great for the confidence for going forward. It sets you up well for the week.
“It is a long race so you have to take every day as it comes. But starting well is definitely a big bonus for the mental side of things, it gives you a bit of confidence going into the rest of the week.”
Thursday’s second stage is the longest of the week and also one of the hilliest. McLoughlin notes he will be riding on home roads, but anticipates it will be a difficult stage. However that goes, he is clear what he would like out of this Rás.
“With any stages that finish in a sprint, I would hope to be up there in those as well,” he said. “I’ll try to get the best result as I can. I’m not looking too far forward, I’ll just take every day as it comes and hope for the best.”
Right now, though, he’ll savour a very strong showing on his first-ever Rás stage.
“Today’s result was amazing,” he smiled. “More than I could have expected coming into this.”
