James Armstrong has put in a very strong ride on the opening stage in the Netherlands for Team Ireland (File photo by Stephen McMahon-Sportsfile)
James Armstrong has led the way for Team Ireland on the opening stage at the Watersley Junior Challenge (2.1), the international stage race for juniors in the Netherlands.
Having ridden very strong at the National Road Championships, with two silvers, in June and at the Junior Tour of Ireland a few weeks ago, Armstrong got to gauge himself against a really strong international field yesterday.
In the open 6.4km TT in Watersley, in the province of Limburg, he muscled his way into the top 10, of 117 starters from 22 countries.
Dutch internationals Gijs Winters and Koen Sonnemans, both riding for Goudenbod-Parkhotel U19, went 1-2. Winters won a time of 7:53, with his team mate finishing four seconds down.
Canadian junior TT champion, Mitchell Williams (PNW Racing), was 3rd at 13 seconds, with Ireland's Armstrong in 10th at 23 seconds.
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He showed he can hold his own in what is a major international event for juniors, contested by a mix of national teams and strong development squads from all over the world.
There are six Irish riders on the national team for the event, with Darragh Byrne 30th at 30 seconds and Junior Tour of Ireland overall victor, and double stage winner, Rian McCrystal, just one further second back in 33rd.
Fionn Killeen was 42nd at 35 seconds, Conor Regan 81st at 1:03 and George Sevastopulo 87th at 1:05.
Apart from the Team Ireland riders, there is one other Irish rider in the race, national road race champion Freddie Winkley. The 16-year-old, riding for Harrogate Nova Race Team, was 29th in the TT, at 30 seconds.
The race continues today, Saturday, with a 110.9km road stage, starting and finishing in Watersley. The action will unfold over five laps of a circuit with two small climbs of around 400m.
And if they do not split the field, the fact the finish is on one of those rises - 400m at six per cent - may result in gaps among the field.
