Adam Ward takes victory after impressive display in Fermanagh

*Adam Ward was delighted with his win last night after getting clear of the breakaway in the closing stages and holding them off to the line (Photo: Sharon McFarland)*

Adam Ward has opened his account for 2020; the former national junior champion taking a sure-footed victory last night in Co Fermanagh having been on the offensive all evening.

Ward, now riding for Spanish team Antiga Casa Bellsolà, made the initial breakaway in the Lakeland Road Race and when it morphed into a larger group he got away again before pouncing once more, close to the finish, to win it well.

With six laps of
a 13km circuit to race, with an incline of about 1km to the finish, Ward got
busy early with his efforts to get off the front.

He managed to
escape two laps into the contest with Mark McClure (Lakeland Cycling Club) and
two other riders; that quartet working well together for the next lap.

After that, and just as the race moved into the second half, they were caught by a chasing group of eight riders; forming a 12-man breakaway that would not be caught by the bunch.

*Covid19 may have introduced some changes to how races are organised, but it hasn't stopped this; a peloton racing on Irish roads (Photo: Sharon McFarland)*

*Eventual winner Adam Ward leading the breakaway, with Darnell Moore just behind (Photo: Sharon McFarland)*

*Darragh McCarter wins the fight for 2nd place just ahead of junior Darren Rafferty (Photo: Sharon McFarland)*

*George Peden up the road in a group last night, with Mitchell McLaughlin just behind (Photo: Sharon McFarland)*

As well as Ward
and McClure, also in that group was Eoghan McArdle (Galway Bay CC),
George Peden (Prologue PC), Cillian Murphy (Galway Bay CC), Davoren Fallon (Botttecchia
Racing Club), Mathew Devins (Team Fundacion Lintxu) and Nathan Keown (Dan
Morrissey-MIG-Pactimo)

Also present in the large group was Angus Fyffe (Caldwell
Cycles), Darnell Moore (Vitus Pro Cycling), Darragh McCarter (Spellman Dublin Port)
and Darren Rafferty (Island Wheelers).

Though the break was large, the battle to get clear of it did not begin properly until the leaders were on their final lap of the race promoted by Lakeland Cycling Club assisted by members of Mallard Flyers.

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And with about
3km remaining eventual winner Ward once again went on the offensive; this time
getting clear with Galway Bay CC’s Eoghan McArdle.

They put their heads down and hit out for the line, opening a relatively modest gap. With the chasers bearing down on the leaders, Ward took matters into his own hands a long way out from the finish; attacking McArdle to win solo.

McArdle was then
swallowed up by the remains of the break, which split on the run-in, and would
finish in 10th place.

After Ward
crossed the line with his hands in the air, Darragh McCarter of Spell Dublin
Port was next, taking the contest for 2nd place from impressive junior Rafferty.

Fallon was next in 4th from Fyffe, Moore and, another top junior rider, Devins. McClure was 8th with Keown 9th and McArdle 10th, whose team mate Murphy had the consolation of being top unplaced A2.

In the A4 race Keane Ryan (Four Masters CC) took victory in a bunch sprint from James McKenny (Emyvale CC). Fergal McCabe (Oldcastle CC) was 3rd from Chris Kelly (Lakeland CC), Richard Annett (Yeats Country Cycling Club) and Shauni Hollian (Errigal Cycling Club).