Michael Collins (Newcastle West Cycling Club) has set himself up for a great shot at winning the Charleville Two Day this weekend after a brilliant solo victory on the opening stage, of three, on Saturday.
The junior rider showed what he was capable of on the Junior Tour of Ireland during the summer when he took off on his own in the final of stage 4, got a gap and held it all the win to the line for the biggest win of his fledgling career.
Having since put in an aggressive rider for the Munster Tarrant Skoda team at the Junior Tour of Wales, Collins today confirmed he has clearly held great form deep into the season. And when he attacked today, nobody could live with him.
Once again, he waited until the stage 86km stage neared its conclusion, taking off on his own with about 5km remaining. Once he had eked out a small gap on the peloton, he then set about extending his advantage all the way to the line.
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At the chequered flag, he had gained a very useful 39 seconds on the main field, though a chasing group had also gone after him and finished some 28 seconds down. Those time gaps after far from fatal for the other hopefuls in the field, especially with two stages still to come, but Collins is very firmly in the driving seat.
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In that chasing group just behind Collins today were: Jamie Philips (All human-VeloRevolution), Sean O'Kane (Orwell Wheelers), Charlie Kelly (Westport Covey Wheelers) and Ricardo Machado (Jons Drogheda Wheelers).
On the line, it was Kelly who took the sprint for 2nd place from Machado and then Philips and O'Kane. And just 11 seconds after the chasers crossed the line, the peloton was led in by another Junior Tour of Ireland strong performer, Eoghan Lattimore (Dungarvan CC).
The race continues this evening with a TT before tomorrow's road stage.
More to come later.
Stage 1 | Charleville Two Day
1 Collins, Michael Newcastle West Cycling Club (A) 2:04:37 0.0
2 Kelly, Charlie Westport Covey Wheelers Cycling Club 2:05:05 +28
3 Machado, Ricardo Drogheda Wheelers 2:05:05 +28
4 Phillips, Jamie All human/VeloRevolution Racing Team 2:05:05 +28
5 O Kane, Sean Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club (A) 2:05:05 +28
6 Lattimore, Eoghan Dungarvan CC (A) 2:05:16 +39
7 Fitzgerald, Maximilian JEGG-DJR Academy 2:05:16 +39
8 Mcgarry, Mark Dungarvan CC (A) 2:05:16 +39
9 O'Connor, Philip Dungarvan CC (A) 2:05:16 +39
10 Meade, Barry O'Leary Stone Kanturk (B) 2:05:16 +39
11 Reen, Brendan Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club 2:05:16 +39
12 Dumoulin, Arnaud O'Leary Stone Kanturk (A) 2:05:16 +39
13 Sweetman, Toby VC Glendale 2:05:16 +39
14 Meegan, Cormac Drogheda Wheelers (A) 2:05:16 +39
15 Byrne, Craig Bray Wheelers (A) 2:05:16 +39
16 Jennings, Rob Lucan Cycling Road Club 2:05:16 +39
17 Mc Guinness, Daniel Clondalkin CC 2:05:16 +39
18 Brannigan, Fran The Cycologist Clonmel Race team 2:05:16 +39
19 Condon, Rory O'Leary Stone Kanturk (A) 2:05:16 +39
20 Russell, David Upperchurch Drombane Cycling 2:05:16 +39
21 Halliday, Duncan Un-Attached Leinster 2:05:16 +39
22 Mc Kenna, Robert Bray Wheelers (A) 2:05:16 +39
23 Doherty, Frank Killarney Cycling Club 2:05:16 +39
24 Mcginn, Rory Drogheda Wheelers (A) 2:05:16 +39
25 O Keeffe, Ben Spellman-Dublin Port 2:05:16 +39
26 Power, Zach Panduit Carrick Wheelers 2:05:16 +39
27 Whelan, Niall Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial 2:05:16 +39
28 Leech, Kevin Drogheda Wheelers (A) 2:05:16 +39
29 Gordon, David Castlebar Cycling Club (A) 2:05:16 +39
30 Byrne, Jamie Carlow RCC (A) 2:05:16 +39
31 Fullerton, Aidan Foyle CC 2:05:16 +39
32 Murphy, Ben Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club 2:05:16 +39
33 Ryan, James Carlow RCC (A) 2:05:16 +39
34 Luke, Samuel Newcastle West Cycling Club (A) 2:05:16 +39
35 Hammond, Anthony Castlebar Cycling Club (A) 2:05:16 +39
36 Martin, Michael Banbridge CC 2:05:16 +39
37 Butler, Stephen St. Finbarrs CC 2:05:16 +39
38 Babington, Seamus M Panduit Carrick Wheelers 2:05:16 +39
39 Dumoulin, Olivier O'Leary Stone Kanturk (B) 2:05:16 +39
40 Flaherty, Zak Challenge Cycling Club 2:05:16 +39
41 Clarke, Anthony Bray Wheelers (A) 2:05:16 +39
42 Lee, Ross Burren Cycling Club (A) 2:05:16 +39
43 Byrne, Ross Laois CC 2:05:16 +39
44 Condell, Gary Laois CC 2:05:16 +39
45 Mc Kenny, James Team Dan Morrissey - Primor by Pissei (A) 2:05:16 +39
46 Mc Phillips, Bobby Club Rothaiochta Na Sionainne 2:05:16 +39
47 Lapierre, Don Blarney Cycling Club 2:05:16 +39
48 Flavin, Marcus Dungarvan CC 2:05:16 +39
49 Moore, Eoghan O'Leary Stone Kanturk (A) 2:05:16 +39
50 Hunter, Ryan O'Leary Stone Kanturk (B) 2:05:16 +39
51 Tritschler, Jared Greenmount CA 2:05:16 +39
52 Brigdale, Alan Burren Cycling Club 2:05:16 +39
53 Walsh, Keith Greenmount CA (A) 2:10:26 +5:49
54 Gabuja, Ilie Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club (A) 2:11:34 +6:57
55 Lopes, Ricardo Greenmount CA (A) 2:11:43 +7:06
56 Boyle, Sean Castlebar Cycling Club (A) 2:11:43 +7:06
57 Doran, Brian Carlow RCC (A) 2:11:43 +7:06
58 Horan, Alan Team Dan Morrissey - Primor by Pissei (A) 2:19:11 +14:34
59 Mcsweeney, Hugh Burren Cycling Club (A) 2:19:16 +14:39
60 Conroy, Sean Greenmount CA (A) 2:20:51 +16:14
DNF Aherne, John De Ronde Van Cork CC
DNF Downes, James Newcastle West Cycling Club
DNF Mcnamara, Derry Burren Cycling Club (A)
DNF Lopes, Cesar Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club
DNF Coakley, Robert Westport Covey Wheelers Cycling Club
DNS Culhane, Damien Newcastle West Cycling Club (A)
