Aine Doherty led the way for the Irish junior women's team at the European Road Championships in Drenthe in the Netherlands today, when team Lucy Benezet Minns saw her shot of a result suffer a blow when she was caught on the wrong side of a racing incident.
The third member of the team, Mallorca-based Julia Ellen Murphy, was a non finisher on the Col du Vam circuit during what was her road race debut at this level, though we should see her again in a green jersey over the next few years.
For Doherty and Benezet Minns, today's race was their second big outing of the season for the national team as they also rode the Worlds in Scotland last month, with Benezet Minns taking a fantastic 4th place in the TT.
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Today, the juniors faced a tough contest of 69km, comprised of six laps of the circuit, with the field splitting each time on the Col du Vam climb; Ireland's Murphy among the riders being distanced around the halfway point.
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Benezet Minns and Doherty remained in the bunch, riding strongly as it was trimmed back. However, Benezet Minns lost vital ground when she was one of a number of riders forced to unclip on the climb.
Fleur Moors (Belgium) took the victory, with a powerful surge up the climb for the final time to the line, claiming the gold medal two seconds up on Federica Venturelli (Italy), with Léane Tabu (France) in 3rd.
Doherty and Benezet Minns were in the reduced bunch that started the final ascent together battling it out for victory. Doherty finished in 39th, just 33 seconds down on the winner. Benezet Minns was just a few places back; in 43rd at 40 seconds.
