Conor Murphy has put in a very strong ride at the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in France to finish in the top 20 in the junior men's race.
Ryan Daly and Cutis McKee, competing on the three-,man Irish junior team with Murphy, also gave very good accounts of themselves on debut in the world title race.
All three Irish riders were caught up in a crash at the very start of the race, with Daly coming down and Murphy and McKee being held up by it. Though all three were very rapidly clipped in and on their way again, it was a significant set-back especially as the Irish trio were gridded at the back.
Murphy finished in 19th, some 2:17 down on race winner Mattia Agostinacchio, after the Italian got the better of long-time race leader Soren Bruyere Joumard (France); just 12 seconds separating them on the line.
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Filippo Grigolini made it a 1-3 for Italy, claiming the bronze 30 seconds after his team mate had clinched the world title.
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On a very cold day for racing - with a mix of muddy and frosty conditions on the course - the junior men's contest in Liévin served up a great battle, with winner Agostinacchio fighting through the race with a broken shoe.
He was in 2nd place, and quite a distance behind the French leader, going into the last lap. However, when Bruyere Joumard went into the pits to change his bike for that final lap, Agostinacchio decided not to and managed to close up to the Frenchman.
They then rode side-by-side for about half a lap, swapping the lead, before Agostinacchio simply proved too strong and pulled clear to win.
McKee and Daly were 2nd and 3rd behind Murphy at the recent National Cyclocross Championships in Ballinasloe, Co Galway; performances that helped secure their places on the Irish team for this weekend.
Daly placed 45th today, at 5:35, while McKee placed 50th at 6:12 on a day when almost 20 riders either did not finish, or were more than a lap down on the winner.
